Once reserved for the uber-stylish cabinets of beauty experts and influencers, collagen supplements are now well and truly a beauty staple. But what exactly is collagen and why is it important?
What is collagen?
Collagen is a major structural protein found in the skin – it is essentially the basic building blocks of our skin’s support network. And collagen is busier than your average tradie – it provides structure, shape and strength to skin, and is vital for elasticity. If you’re not already in love with it, then you should be.
Types of collagen
Collagen is a pretty versatile micronutrient. There are 16 different types, which contain different proteins that serve separate purposes within the body3. However, around 80-90% of collagen in the body comprises of types I, II and III3. Type I and III are your beauty friends, as they are found in the bones and skin, while type II collagen is found in cartilage and is beneficial for joint health.
What are peptides?
You may also hear people referring to “peptides” when they talk about collagen. Peptides are short chains of amino acids, which are simple organic compounds that are important for maintenance of the body. Collagen is made up of 19 different amino acids, all of which help and support our body and skin1.
Collagen supplements
The bad news is that, as we age, our bodies produce less collagen, which affects the strength and elasticity of the skin2. Consider a daily collagen supplement, such as Swisse Beauty Collagen Glow with Collagen Peptides tablets.
The latest beauty offering from Swisse, these daily tablets are formulated with vitamin C to help support collagen production, skin elasticity and firmness from the inside, and contain collagen peptides from types I and III collagen.
Disclaimer: This supplement may not be right for you. Read the label before purchase. Follow the directions for use. Supplements may only be of assistance if dietary intake is inadequate.
References:
- Gauza-Włodarczyk M, Kubisz L, Włodarczyk D. Amino acid composition in determination of collagen origin and assessment of physical factors effects. Int J Biol Macromol. 2017;104(Pt A):987-991. doi:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2017.07.013
- Carrillo (2013) Dartmouth Under Graduate Journal of Science
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK21582/