You may choose to begin taking collagen as early as your twenties or wait until your natural collagen levels start to decline a little more at menopause. Although it's never too late to begin collagen supplementation, people with certain lifestyle habits and choices might benefit from starting sooner.
To reap the benefits for skin health, the research recommends that you take between 2.5 to 5 grams of collagen per day (2). This amount is shown to increase skin elasticity and hydration in elderly women while reducing the depth of existing skin wrinkles in middle-aged women.
Many people think taking care of their skin should start when they begin noticing the signs of ageing; however, research suggests that the best time to start is much earlier than we think. The good news is that it is never too late to revitalise damaged skin.
No matter your age, it's never too late to start supporting your body's production of collagen and to see the benefits in your skin, hair, and nails.
Collagen protein, especially multi-collagen protein (which is collagen from multiple sources like beef, chicken, fish and eggs), can have profound impacts on health and vitality for the seniors. Collagen is one of the best proteins for seniors and the elderly.
Collagen supplements may not be safe for: People with fish, shellfish, or egg allergies (collagen supplements may contain these allergens as ingredients)16. People with a Kosher or Halal diet. People with a vegetarian or vegan diet.
Collagen is considered to be well tolerated with no major side-effects. Minor side-effects include: a feeling of heaviness in your stomach. mild diarrhoea.
Collagen Type
If you're taking collagen for the anti-aging benefits, look for type I, or a combo of type I and type III. Both are found in the skin and support skin health (think: improved skin hydration, firmness and texture, as well as fewer wrinkles, per a review study in 2019 in the journal Molecules).
Both oral and topical collagen can contribute to reducing or delaying skin aging.
Collagen is a protein that serves as one of the main building blocks for your bones, skin, hair, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. "Collagen is what keeps our skin from sagging, giving us that plump, youthful look," says dermatologist Dr. Ohara Aivaz.
There are some small studies showing that collagen improves skin elasticity. However, these studies were small and uncontrolled. Right now, we do not have good evidence that there is benefit to taking collagen supplements.
To ease crepey skin from within, you should ingest collagen from food sources. "Collagen-rich foods can significantly support skin hydration and elasticity," board-certified family physician and functional medicine expert Alejandra Carrasco, M.D., once told mbg.
However, the answer to this question is that taking collagen does not cause weight gain. The only way to gain weight is if you take in more calories than you burn and collagen doesn't contain too many calories. In fact, each pack of Absolute Collagen contains only 32 calories per 10ml serving.
Sugar interferes with your body's ability to repair itself. It also diminishes Collagen reserves at a faster rate. Minimise your consumption of any added sugar, especially refined sugars.
Taking collagen supplements probably won't hurt you, but it may not help you either. Your body makes collagen and other proteins by combining various amino acids. Whether or not you take a collagen supplement, you must eat a healthy diet that includes all the amino acids for your body to do this.
As you get older, your body makes less collagen. You can't measure exactly how much you have, but when it drops you may have symptoms such as joint pain or stiff tendons or ligaments. Your muscles may weaken. You could also have papery skin.
Does collagen work? Some studies show that taking collagen supplements for several months can improve skin elasticity, (i.e., wrinkles and roughness) as well as signs of aging. Others have shown that consuming collagen can increase density in bones weakened with age and can improve joint, back and knee pain.
Initial results from collagen restoration treatments are usually visible immediately. However, new collagen growth can take anywhere from four to 12 weeks to complete. Keep in mind that while certain procedures can be very effective at restoring and replacing collagen, these results aren't permanent.
Eat a balanced diet that includes an adequate amount of protein. “High-protein foods contain amino acids that are critical for collagen synthesis,” says Garshick. Lean protein sources include fish, seafood, skinless chicken breast, and lean cuts of beef and pork.