Understanding the Sources of Collagen and How They Help Rejuvenate You

Are You Noticing The Wrinkles?

Have you noticed that your skin is becoming dry, wrinkly, starting to sag and lose its elasticity as you age? This is a common issue, especially during perimenopause and menopause. The culprit behind this issue is the loss of collagen in your body and decrease of bioavailable nutrients to support collagen production.

Features of aging skin show signs of sagging, wrinkles, dryness, dark spots, skin thinness, jowls and finelines.

Collagen is an essential component of our skin's structure, and its depletion during perimenopause can cause a number of skin changes. As the body goes through this period of hormonal transition, it's important to take proactive steps to replace the collagen that has been depleted and support its production by ensuring supporting nutrients are present. Fortunately, there are a variety of ways to do this, including dietary modifications and lifestyle changes and the use of food supplements containing collagen. In this article, we will discuss the sources of collagen and how they can be used to help rejuvenate your skin during perimenopause, as well as the most suitable collagen sources for perimenopausal skin.

How To Replace Collagen Depleted By Perimenopause

Hormones change as we age with a significant change in their balance during the perimenopause which negatively affects the production of collagen fibres and subsequently elastin fibres. Not as much collogen is produced and the ECM supporting the skin begins to collapse, the dermis loses its strength and stability meaning the skin begins to get fine lines and wrinkles, wound healing is not as quick then due to further loss of collagen the skin becomes increasingly thinner and drier.

Currently the most popular method to replace collagen is to apply it topically to our faces, and the rest of our skin is forgotten about. Applying collagen topically does have its benefits, the collagen molecules can be absorbed through the skin cells and help repair and replenish collagen predominantly in the upper layers of skin. Collagen food supplements are becoming more popular because collagen molecules can then be delivered to underlying skin cells via the bloodstream and support healthy skin growth. Some collagen supplements contain components that also support the synthesis of collagen and slow its breakdown such as vitamin C and zinc respectively. It makes sense that if we are increasing the bioavailability of collagen for the skin that we should also supplement with other components that both synthesise and maintain collagen.

Dietary Collagen

Collagen can’t be absorbed by your body in its whole form. Your body breaks down the collagen proteins you eat into smaller molecules called amino acids. So, eating collagen-rich foods doesn’t directly result in higher collagen levels in your body but it is still beneficial.

Many foods that provide the raw ingredients that support collagen production can be eaten as part of a healthy diet. These foods contain the amino acids proline and glycine. Vitamin C, zinc and copper are also needed for the process.

Foods that contain these amino acids, vitamins and minerals include:

Vitamin C: found in oranges, strawberries, bell peppers, broccoli, Brussels
sprouts and potatoes.
Proline: found in mushrooms, cabbage, asparagus, peanuts, wheat, fish, egg whites and meat.
Glycine: found in red meats, turkey, chicken and pork skin, peanuts and granola.
Copper: found in liver, lobster, oysters, shiitake mushrooms, nuts and seeds, leafy greens, tofu and dark chocolate.
Zinc: found in oysters, red meat, poultry, pork, beans, chickpeas, nuts, broccoli, green leafy vegetables, whole grains and milk products.

If you feel your normal varied diet is not consistently providing the optimum quantity of collagen and other beneficial nutrients on a daily basis, then using a nutrient packed collagen supplement can provide that consistency.

Sources Of Collagen For Use In Food Supplements

Collagen is a natural protein mainly found in animals. Just like in human bodies, animals have it in their skin, joints, and bones. Traditionally, collagen used for commercial purposes in the food, cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and biomedical industries has been sourced from land mammals, such as cattle and pigs. The extraction process is difficult and expensive and outbreaks of zoonotic diseases that can be transferred to humans from animals have increased the health concerns regarding the use of collagen products derived from land animals. There is also the religious aspect of using bovine or porcine collagen that is prohibited in several religious cultures. Marine collagen is now the most preferred source especially if you are seeking type I collagen, it is considered safe with respect to the possibility of zoonotic disease and is the most bioavailable and easily absorbed source of collagen so gets to work in the body quickly. It is essential to choose a reputable supplier of collagen supplements to ensure safety.

Types Of Collagen

There are thought to be over 28 types of collagens all with the not so creative names of being given roman numerals and just called ‘type’ e.g. type I. The main types of collagens found in the body are types I-VI with type I being the most important for skin health, the rest have important roles for the health and function of our bones, ligaments and tissue although are present in the skin but in a lesser quantity to type I.

There is a huge variety of food supplements containing collagen each having different types of collagens, and it depends which collagen you are seeking to replace in your body as to which supplement you chose as they all have different structures and therefore different functions in the body for example you may want stronger bones or more supple joints and so seek a different collagen from that if you wanted to improve skin condition (1).

There are 28 types of collagen and the main types are 1 -6 are found in the body with type 1 predominantly found in skin

Here is a summary of the 3 main collagen types and their uses:

Type I. This type makes up 90% of your body’s collagen so found
throughout the body, it is the main collagen of the skin although other types are present just in smaller quantities.
Type II - is found in elastic cartilage, which provides joint support.
Type III - found in bones, muscles, arteries, blood vessels, organs, tendons, and ligaments.
Type IV - found in tendons and ligaments including those of the heart.
Type V - This type is found in the cornea of your eyes, bones, and adipose tissue.
VI –found in muscle, cornea and some layers of the skin such as adipose tissue.

Marine Collagen: Type I Collagen For Improved Skin

For healthy skin, marine collagen which is predominantly type I is the most preferred type. Marine collagen has better chemical and physical durability is water-soluble so easier to use in products and is thought to be more metabolically compatible to human collagen with little risk of zoonotic disease transfer (2). Studies have found that marine collagen has the ability to heal skin in the same way that the body would heal naturally when it has an abundance of collagen as such it is considered to be highly effective in rejuvenating your skin during perimenopause and menopause. If you are struggling to consume type I collagen in your daily diet then marine collagen supplements may help reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and sagging skin as well as improving skin hydration, tone, and texture.

Type 1 marine collagen is great for skin, jelly fish are a sustainable source of type 1 collagen

Marine collagen can be extracted from sources such as ﬁsh, seaweeds, sponges, and jellyﬁsh and is one of the highest-quality sources of collagen type I for skincare products due to its high concentration of amino acids and peptides that help repair damaged skin cells. Some studies suggest that marine collagen may be more effective at reducing wrinkles than terrestrial sources such as bovine or porcine collagen (3). Extraction from fish tends to be from the remnants of fish skin and bones after processing for food and is a great way to ensure none of the fish product goes to waste. Jellyfish are currently the most favoured sustainable source as they contain a high concentration of smaller molecules of marine collagen allowing the collagen molecules to be easily absorbed by the body which makes it ideal for skincare products. Additionally, jellyfish are a sustainable source of collagen as they can be farmed in good conditions with minimal environmental impact (4).

Choosing a Suitable Supplement for Rebalancing Perimenopausal Skin

It is essential to choose a high-quality collagen supplement that is sourced from the best sources and contains the right mix of collagen types. REMY Rebalance My Skin is an excellent choice as it contains a premium marine collagen, the most potent source of type I collagen, and a blend of other natural ingredients to synergistically work together providing optimum nutrition to your skin for the perimenopause and menopause life stage. This supplement functions to help improve skin hydration, reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines, and improve skin elasticity, supporting your skin through perimenopause and menopause.

When an oral food collagen is consumed it is essential the other supporting nutrients are also consumed at the same time to allow collagen to be broken down into its constituent peptides, that is the blocks of amino acids that go on to make the collagen fibrils. These small molecules are more easily absorbed into the bloodstream and with skin cells signalling that they require these nutrients they can be delivered by the blood stream to where they are needed (5). Therefore, when choosing your collagen for skincare it is important to ensure that there is a balance of ingredients that will work together to produce and promote the production of type I collagen (6).

If you want to know which nutrients work synergistically with collagen to improve skin function and appearance, then keep an eye out for out next blog or subscribe to our blogs for updates!

Collagen for Healthy Youthful Skin During Perimenopause

Collagen is essential for maintaining healthy and youthful-looking skin. As you age, it is important to supplement your body's collagen levels with high-quality collagen supplements. REMY Rebalance My Skin is an excellent choice for rebalancing your skins nutrients from the inside during perimenopause and menopause. It contains a premium source of marine collagen, and other natural ingredients that promote healthy skin from the inside and out. Invest in your skin today and feel confident and radiant again!