Understanding Collagen: The Foundation of Healthy Skin and Body
You’ve almost certainly heard that collagen is the secret to youthful skin. I’m here to tell you that collagen is so much more than just a beauty buzzword. It’s a superstar protein that’s responsible for keeping not just your skin but also your bones, muscles, tendons, eyes and even blood vessels in top shape. In fact, it makes up 30% of your body’s total protein content and is the most abundant protein we have.
In this blog, I’ll break down exactly what collagen is, how your body uses it, the different types, and what impacts collagen production. I’ll also touch on how sugar can damage collagen and what you can do through your diet to boost it. Sound good? Let’s dive in!
What Exactly Is Collagen?
Collagen is a tough, fibrous protein made of amino acids, especially glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline. It’s what gives your skin its structure, making it firm and flexible. Think of it as the scaffolding that holds your tissues together. When it comes to your skin, collagen is a major player in what helps you stay looking fresh and youthful.
Where Is Collagen Used in Your Body?
Collagen isn’t just about looking good—it plays a crucial role throughout your body. Here are the main areas it’s at work:
Skin: This is where collagen shines in the beauty world. It gives your skin strength and elasticity. But as we age, collagen production naturally slows down, which leads to wrinkles, sagging, and loss of firmness.
Joints and Cartilage: Collagen is like the cushion that keeps your joints moving smoothly, helping to prevent friction and wear and tear.
Bones: Believe it or not, your bones are mostly made of collagen, which provides the strength they need to withstand pressure and impact.
Tendons and Ligaments: These connective tissues, which are crucial for movement, are made primarily of collagen. It helps them stretch and spring back to shape.
Blood Vessels: Collagen supports the structure of your blood vessels, ensuring they’re strong and flexible enough to maintain proper circulation.
Different Types of Collagen
Did you know there are actually over 28 types of collagen? Here are the key ones you should know about:
Type I: The most abundant type, found in skin, tendons, bones, and ligaments. It’s essential for keeping everything in your body structured.
Type II: Mainly found in cartilage, this type is all about supporting joint health and mobility.
Type III: Found alongside Type I in skin, blood vessels, and internal organs. It helps with elasticity and firmness.
Type IV: This type helps build the tissue layers that surround organs and keep them supported. It also supports the structure of the skin.
Type V: Found in the skin, cornea, hair, and placenta.
When you think of visible signs of aging, it’s Type I and IV collagen that’s at play, especially in the skin.
How Does Your Body Prioritize Collagen?
While we often focus on collagen for skin health, your body has other priorities. When collagen is produced or ingested through supplements, it’s distributed to where it’s needed most. And guess what? Your skin is not at the top of the list. Bones, joints, and vital organs usually get first dibs because the body will prioritise staying alive, and for this be grateful.
What this means is, if you’re taking collagen supplements solely for better skin, don’t be surprised if it takes time to see results—your body might be busy fixing up other areas first. This is where I can help, let’s get you towards your optimal health. Book your free 20 minute consultation here to discuss your health and what may be getting in the way of optimal skin health.
Vitamin C: Collagen’s Best Friend
One of the most important nutrients for collagen production is vitamin C. It acts as a cofactor, working to stabilise and cross-link collagen molecules so they form a strong, durable structure. Without enough vitamin C, your body can’t make collagen properly, which leads to weaker connective tissues.
This is why vitamin C deficiency, or scurvy, can cause issues like bleeding gums and weakened skin and blood vessels—it all comes back to collagen.
Other Nutrients That Boost Collagen
Besides vitamin C, other key nutrients that play a role in collagen production include:
Copper: This mineral helps strengthen connective tissue by linking collagen fibres.
Zinc: Zinc supports collagen formation and prevents its breakdown by blocking enzymes that degrade it.
Amino Acids: Glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline are the building blocks of collagen, and they come from protein. So, make sure you’re getting enough protein in your diet. If you’re a client, then I hope you already hear me say “where’s the protein?” with each of your meals.
Collagen Breakdown: The Role of MMPs
Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are enzymes that break down collagen. While MMPs are necessary for tissue repair and remodelling, too much activity can lead to collagen degradation, which shows up as skin aging, joint pain, and weakened connective tissues.
Certain factors like UV exposure, inflammation, and oxidative stress can increase MMP activity. Fortunately, you can reduce MMP effects with antioxidants like vitamin C, vitamin E, and polyphenols from green tea and bright berries. Retinoids (vitamin A derivatives) can also help by reducing MMP activity and boosting collagen production. A personalised nutrition plan can get you ahead.
How Sugar Hurts Collagen
You know how I feel about sugar and refined carbs, but here’s something you might not know: sugar damages collagen. It ages you.
This is because it triggers a process called glycation, where sugar molecules attach to collagen and form harmful compounds known as advanced glycation end products (AGEs). These AGEs make collagen stiff, brittle, and more prone to breaking down.
Not only does this affect your skin, making it more prone to wrinkles and sagging, but it also impacts other parts of your body, like tendons, bones, eyes and blood vessels. If you want to protect your collagen, cutting back on sugar is a good first step.
How to Boost Collagen Through Your Diet
The good news is you can naturally increase your collagen production by eating the right foods. Here are a few to focus on:
Bone Broth: Made from animal bones, it’s packed with collagen and is very easy for your body to absorb.
Chicken Skin and Fish: These foods are rich in Type I collagen, the type that’s found in your skin and bones.
Certain Veg and Fruits: Since vitamin C is essential for collagen production, broccoli, chilli peppers, greens, berries, oranges, lemons, and other citrus fruits are key to your collagen-boosting diet.
Leafy Greens: Spinach, kale, and other greens are rich in antioxidants that protect collagen from damage.
These foods are usually the basis of my protocols for clients for good reason.
Final Thoughts
Collagen is vital for keeping your body strong, flexible, and looking fresh. While you can take collagen supplements, don’t forget that your body prioritizes collagen use based on what it needs most. The best approach? Eat a balanced diet rich in vitamin C and other nutrients that support collagen production. And of course, avoid too much sugar to protect your collagen from glycation. With the right diet and lifestyle, you can keep your collagen healthy and strong for years to come.
That’s where I can come in and make a difference. Most chronic health conditions can cause increases in collagen degradation as well as gut issues causing the inability to absorb it in the first place (IBS, IBD, reflux - I'm talking to you!) . If you have niggling health worries or you want to get on top of your IBS and your ridiculously low energy then start with a free 20-minute call to discuss your health, your health goals and what you have tried before. We can see if a programme with is right for you.
How I can help with Nutritional Therapy
Using the functional medicine approach, I work to understand your skin health. You can expect from me:
A personalised nutrition plan rich in nourishing foods to assist your skin health
Test recommendations and full interpretation either privately or through your GP
Personalised supplement protocol to support your digestive function, including a decent collagen supplement proven by research to work
Regular consultations and coaching to support new choices
Note: as a Nutritional Therapist, I do not diagnose or prescribe, however I do use functional nutrition testing to help find the best way to support my client’s health.
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