Everything You Need To Know About Collagen

As our understandings of health, wellness, and nutrition continue to grow, our knowledge of the human body increases as well. For example, in today’s world, healthy skin is quickly becoming a top priority for many people. As skin products continue to evolve and change with the times, a common ingredient has started to appear more frequently:

Collagen.

Though it might seem like just another classic buzzword or a fancy name for some obscure medicine, collagen is right at the heart of our skin’s health. Found naturally across the animal kingdom, collagen is a protein in the human body that affects many different areas of life. Your connective tissues, muscles, hair, skin, nails, tendons, and ligaments all benefit from collagen, but your skin shows the most noticeable benefits.

As we age, our natural levels of collagen begin to drop year after year. This gradual decrease in collagen is associated with joint pain, skin wrinkles, and sagging skin, which are all worth avoiding.

We took the liberty of rounding up the essential information about collagen so that you can have a one-stop-shop for all your skincare routine questions! Whether you’re just hearing about it or you’re already on board, this article will help you sort out what you need to know about collagen.

Medical Disclaimer: All information, content, and material of this website is for informational purposes only and is not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

What Is Collagen Good For?

Like we said before, collagen is a protein found all over the animal kingdom and is the most abundant protein in the human body. In fact, collagen makes up about 30% of all the proteins in humans, making it a fundamental building block for the body overall. Combine that with the fact that skin is the largest human organ, and you can see how impactful collagen might be on your skin’s health! 

In the most basic sense, collagen acts like a kind of glue for the body, holding together connective tissues, tendons, bones, organs, and of course, your skin. Increasing your level of collagen benefits all of these areas, but only with the right kind! There’s a significant number of types of collagen, although the first three types are often considered the most important. 

• Type I Collagen- Making up about 90% of your body’s collagen supply, Type I collagen is perfect for building bone and skin. It creates solid and dense structures, giving shape to bones and other tissues.
• Type II Collagen- While Type I provides structure, Type II provides cartilage and connective tissue! These structures fit flexibly between bones and help to cushion joints.
• Type III Collagen- Commonly found with Type I, Type III collagen helps with skin’s elasticity, builds muscle structure, and strengthens bone marrow. 

The discovery of the different types of collagen has led to the development of collagen supplements, creams, balms, protein powders, and all sorts of beauty-related products. As collagen is made naturally in the body, you might question why collagen supplements even exist! 

Thankfully, collagen supplements are helpful but not necessarily vital to our health. After the age of 25, our collagen levels begin to deplete, and our natural collagen production slows down drastically. While this is a natural process and nothing to be concerned about, lower levels of collagen contribute to joint pain, as well as wrinkly and saggy skin. 

By taking collagen supplements, such as our Glow Up collagen peptide powder, you are able to boost collagen production, leaving you with healthier skin and less creaky bones! Our formula is specifically designed to be one of the best collagen powders for women. With 10g of grass-fed and pasture-raised collagen, Schisandra berry, and snow mushroom powder, Glow Up is a great way to give your skin, hair, and mood a boost!

Though collagen supplements are considered completely safe by medical professionals, if you feel any side effects from taking a supplement, reach out to a doctor.

The Secret to Collagen Supplements

As opposed to creams or balms, Collagen powder supplements are the best way to keep your body producing collagen, even as it starts to slow down. Though all the ingredients are essential in these supplements, none are more vital than collagen peptides.

You’re probably unfamiliar with the word “peptide,” and that’s alright! Peptides and proteins are two similarly designed molecules in the body, with both made out of amino acid chains. The most significant difference is size! Proteins are made of much larger chains than peptides, and when you break down collagen, you get collagen peptides. It’s this size difference that makes peptides so effective in supplements and powders.

To be able to utilize the peptides, you must put collagen through a process called hydrolysis, which extracts the smaller peptides from the protein. Hydrolyzed collagen (another name for collagen peptides) is then used in the multitude of collagen products available on the market. The smaller structure of peptides allows them to be absorbed by the human body. By combining them with other valuable ingredients like biotin, you can target various aspects of your health and beauty routine more efficiently!

Additional Collagen Sources

Collagen supplements can be a great addition to your daily routine, but you can also help your body produce collagen with the things you eat! We are able to make more collagen when we eat foods with two specific amino acids called glycine and proline. These amino acids are found in many healthy foods, but these are some of the best:

• Chicken
• Beef
• Eggs
• Dairy
• Beans
• Fish

Similarly, you can give a boost to your collagen with some extra vitamin C, zinc, and copper in your diet. These nutrients come from citrus, leafy greens, tomatoes, shellfish, and nuts! 

Get Ready to Glow

At Winged, we’re designing products made specifically for women, with nutrients and ingredients formulated to provide you the most benefits! From sleep help to energy boosters, we have products that can help alleviate the troubles of day-to-day life, leaving you free to focus on yourself. To learn more about Collagen, check out our guide to Collagen Benefits and skincare here!