Oxygen Australia Issue 93 SeptemberOctober 2017

oxygenmag.com.au

There are about 16 types of collagen, but about 80 to

90 per cent belong to Type I, II and III. Collagen (specif-

ically, Type I) makes up about three-quarters of the dry

mass of your skin. A quick scan of your skin will reveal

that areas that are typically covered up have aged with

minimal environmental influences and are generally soft,

FOR YOUR

SKIN

smooth and well-preserved. Contrast this with skin of

the face, neck and hands — body parts that are chron-

ically exposed to the sun and other sources of oxidative

stress. Although the degree of skin damage varies from

person to person, we can all agree that damaged skin

has less tone, shows significant wear and tear, and more

wrinkles. This is mainly because of a breakdown of

collagen and elastin in our skin.

In a recent study published in Skin Pharmacology

and Physiology, researchers from Germany and Brazil

found that women who ingested 2.5 grams of bioactive

collagen peptides daily for eight weeks had an 18 per

cent reduction in eye-wrinkle volume (crow’s feet)

compared to baseline. In contrast, those in the placebo

group had a 14.5 per cent increase in wrinkle volume

over the same period. This translates to a more than 32

per cent overall reduction in the appearance of crow’s-

feet in those who received the collagen supplement

versus the placebo. Furthermore, the scientists noted

that the positive effects of collagen supplementation

prevailed for at least four weeks after stopping the

supplements. Beyond measureable changes in skin

wrinkles, the authors further reported that those who

received the collagen supplement had a 1.65-fold

increase in skin collagen content and 1.2-fold increase

in skin elastin content versus the placebo.

If you’re one of the 85 per cent of women older than

20 battling dimpled thighs, arms, belly or butt, you’re

not alone. In fact, anyone can develop cellulite, which

occurs when body fat deposited deep under the skin

pops up to the surface. Cellulite rears its head for sev-

eral reasons, including genetics, age, diet, sedentary

lifestyle and pregnancy. Although cellulite is a complex

problem, one major contributor is an altered

extracellular matrix in the skin.

In a double-blind and placebo-controlled clinical

trial published in the Journal of Medicinal Food, 105

women ages 24 to 50 with moderate cellulite received

a daily dose of either 2.5 grams of bioactive collagen

peptides (a more absorbable form of collagen) or a pla-

cebo for six months. At the end of the study, researchers

found that collagen supplementation promoted sig-

nificant decreases in the degree of cellulite and skin

waviness on thighs in normal-weight and overweight

women. The authors concluded that regular inges-

tion of bioactive collagen peptides, over a period of

six months, leads to a clear improvement of the skin

appearance in women suffering from moderate

cellulite.

Bottom line: If you are looking to increase the overall

appearance of the skin and/or reduce the appearance

of cellulite, then you should consider taking a bioactive

collagen peptide supplement derived from Type I col-

lagen. (Some skin formulations may contain Type III

collagen, as well.) Because formulations vary, take as

directed, but make sure you are getting a minimum of

2.5 grams of collagen peptides per day.

ollagen is the most

abundant protein in the

human body. Collagen

acts as the glue that holds

our body parts together.

As such, our many forms

of collagen provide the

structural basis for skin,

tendons, ligaments,

cartilage, bone, the wdi-

gestive tract, heart, blood vessels and spinal discs. Thus,

it should be no surprise that collagen (in all its forms) is

an important and abundant protein in the body.

Although we produce collagen naturally and abun-

dantly, like most things, collagen production slows as

we age — as it does with stress and illness. Combine

this with daily exposure to ultraviolet radiation and

environmental pollution and you may find that colla-

gen production fails to meet demand. It’s this process

that makes us susceptible to premature ageing, joint

problems and cellulite. However, supplementing with

collagen can assist with stopping (or at least slowing)

the clock on premature ageing, helping you look and

feel great.

COLLAGEN

TYPE:

TYPE I

Where It Is

Found:

Skin, tendons,

blood vessels,

ligaments, organs,

bones

TYPE II

Where It Is

Found: Cartilage

TYPE III

(forms gelatin

when boiled)

Where It Is

Found: Bone,

nails, dentin,

tendons, cartilage,

bone marrow

“RESEARCHERS FOUND THAT COLLAGEN

SUPPLEMENATION PROMOTED DECREASES

IN THE DEGREE OF CELLULITE.”

COLLAGEN

COLLEGE

Here are the

three main

types of

collagen and

where they

do their job.

Collagen

can improve

skin’s

appearance.

82 Sep/Oct 2017