Aesthetic medicine is becoming more and more popular, so it is no wonder that collagen itself is most often associated with the fight against aging skin, as well as with dietary supplements and creams. We should not forget, however, that this is primarily a protein and one that occurs most commonly in the human body.
It is it that builds all its systems, so it is present not only in our skin, but also in tendons, muscles, bones, and even in internal organs. Aesthetic medicine is interested in him not without reason. The treatments offered to patients are primarily intended to stimulate fibroblasts, i.e. the cells responsible for collagen production. This does not happen without a reason, because both the integrity and firmness of the skin is increased.
Collagen - characteristics
The concept of collagen is not as precise as we might think. In fact, we are dealing with thirty different types of this protein. Its greatest amount can be found in those tissues, for which a high content of fibers showing resistance to stretching is characteristic. We are dealing with it not only in the skin, but also in tendons and ligaments.
Of course, the older we are, the less new collagen we produce, and after the age of 60 the process stops completely. At the same time, the collagen, which is already in our body, is decomposed. No wonder that with age the risk of osteoporosis and degeneration of joint cartilage increases, and the skin of the elderly is no longer as elastic and the wrinkle grid becomes denser.
Collagen supplements
Dietary supplements in the vast majority of cases contain collagen hydrolysates, although it happens that their action is enriched by hyaluronic acid, microelements and vitamins. Not so long ago, however, our knowledge of their effectiveness was quite limited. Today, however, we know that such a supplementation should appeal to us even if we want to reduce wrinkles.
The study assessed not only the skin's elasticity, but also its hydration and roughness, confirming that the use of liquid collagen is more than just a marketing gimmick. This is excellent news especially for elderly people who suffer from collagen deficiency in its natural form.