Collagen is a protein your body makes naturally. It is essential for healthy joints and keeps skin elastic to lessen wrinkles. You’ve also probably heard you can lose collagen. There are several main ways your body will lower in collagen, two of them being time and age. It’ll also lower with exposure to sunlight, smoking, inflammatory diets, and stress. A few of those things you can help, and avoiding those things is the key to maintaining collagen levels. But you can’t help aging, so eating a collagen rich diet, and supplementing with high quality collagen will help replenish those levels. Collagen5+ contains 5 sources of high quality protein, something that is hard to find on the market today. Most collagen supplements contain only 1 or 2 types of collagen.
As you get older, you start to lose collagen, and it’s harder for your body to produce more. (1) While everyone shows signs of aging at a different rate, there will be symptoms such as wrinkles, sagging skin, joint pain, or stiff tendons and ligaments, and your muscles may feel weaker. A 2019 review of 11 studies found that taking collagen supplements for short and long periods of time helped reverse some skin aging effects. (2) Collagen supplements may also help you produce more elastin, a protein that makes skin more elastic. (3) That can mean tighter, smoother, more plump skin. Collagen is also directly related to gut health. Less of this protein may cause ulcers and digestive problems. One 2022 study recruited participants with digestive symptoms, and at the end of the study, 93% of those who completed the study experienced a reduction in their negative digestive symptoms. (4)
Too much exposure to ultraviolet light can lead to damage to collagen too. The sun’s rays break down the connective tissue, collagen, and elastin fibers, that lie in the deeper layer of the skin. Without supportive connective tissue, the skin loses its elastic quality. This process is called solar elastosis. One study observed collagen under UV light and found that there was a significant decrease in collagen structure afterward. (5) The UV light changes DNA to the cells that make collagen, as well as the production of free radicals that can affect collagen directly via oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is an imbalance of free radicals and antioxidants in your body that leads to cell damage. So be sure to use sun protection!
You’ve likely heard by now that smoking is not good for you and causes premature aging. The main reason it does that is because it directly and negatively affects collagen. Smoking decreases the amount of oxygen delivered to the tissues. Tissues then cannot regenerate and are more likely to become damaged and die. Chemicals in tobacco can cause oxidative stress and lead to premature wrinkles too. An interesting study done on twins found that those who smoked had more wrinkles, crow’s feet, and facial lines than their non-smoking counterparts. (6)
Inflammation is one of the main enemies of any tissue. Diets high in sugar, refined carbohydrates, and processed meats, activate the immune system and promote inflammation throughout the body. Sugar in particular can be tough on collagen. High sugar levels can lead to hardening and fragmentation of collagen, weakening the skin foundation and promoting premature skin aging. (7)
“Collagen 5+ powder was a great purchase and I am glad I gave it a try! I feel more energized and motivated and I love that there is no taste to it and I can add it to my coffee.” – Paula W.
Finally, stress can be pro-inflammatory. Inflammation lowers your ability to naturally produce collagen. Stress also increases hormones like cortisol, which some research has shown, can decrease the production of collagen. (8) Managing stress levels is so important for many systems of the body. For those who need assistance with lowering stress physically as well as on a cellular level, be sure to check our stress support supplement AnxDefy+. AnxDefy+ is anti-inflammatory and helps to lower cortisol levels.
Hydrolyzed collagen supplements have been shown to promote collagen production, they also help fight free radical damage and oxidative stress. Collagen’s anti-inflammatory powers come from the role that it plays in our gut health. A healthy gut can reduce inflammatory processes throughout the whole body. Remember, collagen has been shown to support the gut’s lining and has key amino acids for the health of the gut. Collagen5+ contains 5 sources of collagen and hyaluronic acid to promote better joint health, as well as improve the appearance of skin.
The contents of this blog should not be taken as medical advice. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any health problem-nor is it intended to replace the advice of a physician. Always consult your physician or qualified health professional on any matters regarding your health. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
