Can Collagen Supplements Give You Younger Looking Skin?

We have all heard of collagen supplements... Pill form, drink form, topical form...

Are They Bogus?

Do they work?

Should you spend money on them? 

Do they make a difference? 

Do they work is the first question. Does a drink make you look younger? Many people market that a drink will make you look younger, and I'm giving you the TRUTH BOMBS today. Let's first start with, what is Collagen? 

Collagen is a protein, and that protein makes up 70% of your skin structure. At age 20 is when you have the peak of your Collagen. After that, your body will lose 1% of Collagen per year.

So In actuality, the start of the aging process starts at age 20; this is something that you all need to think about. Tell your daughters, kids, clients, and people you care about and plant into their brains that it does start at age 20. Make sure you protect your skin starting from your younger years. 

When you have a reduced amount of Collagen in the skin, your skin becomes less elastic, the skin looks thinner, and you tend to get more wrinkles. So that isn't something that I particularly want in my skin, which I have noticed a bit more lately. I'm going to be 42 this year, and I want to say that I think this last year, I've seen a massive difference in my skin. 

How is Collagen structured?

Collagen has to go from being very organized. 

Think of it like a woven. Example Say you will be doing a tight French braid; that's your Collagen; it's entirely woven. But by the end of the day, when you're running around doing things, your braid tends to come unraveled. That's how our Collagen works. Collagen has to go from being very organized to becoming very disorganized. That's the lovely aging process. And it is how it looks when you look under the microscope. So we cannot apply Collagen directly to the skin. Often, you'll see creams that say that they have Collagen or serums that have Collagen. 

Straight BULL

It's a marketing tactic. So you need to look at the ingredients and know what you're buying because there's no way you can put Collagen directly into the skin.

The reason behind what is Collagen? It is an actual water-soluble molecule. That means it will not dissolve into the water, which is the majority of your skin, to make it work and penetrate. This is why I do not carry collagen products in my skincare line. I have products and ingredients that will help to stimulate your Collagen. 

So how do we do it?

To get Collagen to perform, we need to break down the Collagen into even internal peptides and this is called hydrolyzed Collagen, which I'm sure you have seen in the market. This is what you should be looking for in your products. These hydrolyzed peptides can then be dissolved into the water; they can then be made into creams and serums and applied topically.

Then as we apply it topically to the skin, the skin will break down the peptides into amino acids. Those are the small building blocks of peptides. If you're into bodybuilding and fitness, you know exactly how that works with muscle growth. Then your fibroblast, underneath the skin, uses those amino acids to make Collagen. And there you have it, how it all works.

Applying Collagen topically is better than taking it internally or in a supplement, and I'll explain it. The reason being is you're targeting the skin directly. All of the body's other organs require Collagen, so virtually all organs, muscle, skeletal, liver, etc. You think of it, even joints, nails, and hair all require Collagen, which means that everything is more important than your skin. So when you take a supplement, everything else reaps the benefits and receives the protein first. And that, my friends, is why it is essential to have a minimum protein level in your diet daily. Although you can get protein from collagen supplements, it is best to get it from a food source. 

There are also some people who should not take collagen supplements. If you take medications, have health conditions, or have allergies, you may need to avoid using these products. I would recommend you consult with your Doctor first before taking any collagen supplement.

So, back to protein - it would help if you were looking at eating anywhere from 60 to 80 grams of protein every single day. Since I'm a bodybuilder and have a lot more muscle than the average person, my protein intake needs to be greater than that. So I weigh roughly about 138 to 140 pounds; I need to get that protein. I usually get in a day about 140 grams of protein a day and then on top of that, I take my collagen supplements with that as well.  Now, let's chat skincare-wise to help with your Collagen, but that's the lowdown, more on the protein source. And it needs to be adequate quality protein, Not crap.

A study was done on 805 patients who took collagen supplements for six months as they noticed an increase in skin hydration, increased skin elasticity, and an increased density of Collagen. It does have positive effects, but first and foremost, you have to have enough protein in your diet. So I'm going to go over a little bit of what I do. Usually, either in the morning or the evening, sometimes I do it morning and evening, I typically do a higher fat diet and low carbs, but I do throw in some strawberries in the morning to give a little flavor. I will throw together a protein smoothie. And I use 1st Phorm supplements; I love their whey protein. I think it's super beneficial, and they also have a hydrolyzed collagen protein that I love.

In the morning, I will do one scoop of the hydrolyzed protein, plus I will do two scoops of the whey protein. I will mix that with some of my almond milk, and five strawberries, and I put in some fiber stuff. I also put in my reds and my greens in there and blend it up. And that is my morning shake.  In that meal alone, I'm getting about 50 grams of protein. Most people's bodies can only absorb a maximum of 30 grams of protein. Still, I think everybody is different, and it depends on how physically active you are and what supplements you're on, and what you're doing if your body can consume all that protein or not. I know that roughly I need to get in about 30 to 40 grams, per meal.

Protein intake in your body is going to help you with your collagen production. It's going to help maintain all of your vital organs and everything in your skin and body, and then what you do topically on your skin will only enhance that even more. 

Be careful with a lot of these procedures that you're doing at clinics, like lasers and harsh peels and harsh chemicals. It's okay to do that now and then, but if you're doing these regularly, it is not a good thing for your skin tissues at all. Another big thing is that you need to lay off the vitamin A, which is the doctor's retinol. Those are entirely harsh on the skin over some time, and you will be breaking down some of your collagen elastin if you're using it too much. I always suggest less is better. 

Now, at home, skincare or collagen supplements. I steer away from anything that tells you it has collagen elastin in it unless you do your due diligence and read the ingredients to make sure that it is correct. We have products that stimulate your Collagen and elastin. For instance, our Derm Repair is an excellent amino acid. It's very sticky which means it will go into the skin to hydrate and lubricate the tissues, it gets your fibroblasts going underneath the skin, and it stimulates your Collagen and elastin.

If you use Derm Repair for probably a good three months, you will see a huge difference. Please, take a before and after picture. You will be amazed.  I also recommend that you go into a clinic and receive treatment to help stimulate your skin, to help with that collagen and elastin production. 

I highly recommend keeping your protein at an adequate sufficient amount, if not just a bit more than what the average says if you work out. And that will help with your Collagen throughout your body. 

I hope this information helps you make the right decision for your skin and to stay beautiful.