Why take it, when to take it and for what
1) What is Collagen?
Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body. It is particularly concentrated in the skin, bones, cartilage, tendons and blood vessel walls.
Collagen plays a very important role among the structural proteins of our body. It has the function of connecting, supporting and nourishing tissues and organs. It contributes to the health and elasticity of skin, cartilage, bones, ligaments, tendons, skeletal muscles, blood vessels and even teeth.[1]
After all, the term 'collagen' has Greek origins and literally means glue.
2) When should one start supplementing Collagen?
It is true that over the years, collagen is produced less and less by the body. Scientific studies have shown that collagen production slows down between the twentieth and twenty-fifth year of life, when the collagen content in the body and particularly in the skin decreases by 1.5 per cent each year.[2]
Ageing, however, is not the only cause of the decrease in collagen within the body. Other factors such as sport, menopause, sun exposure, nicotine, and jobs that overload joints or stress joints can reduce collagen production.
Therefore, even if you are young, you should not neglect collagen: the sooner you supply your body with sufficient amounts, the better you will see the benefits.
3) Can Collagen be multifunctional?
As collagen is the most common protein in the human body, its benefits on our health and beauty are numerous. A collagen food supplement is therefore, by nature, multifunctional. It is then its formulation that makes it more or less suitable to meet the specific needs of the user.
4) What differentiates Collagen food supplements?
Scientific studies have shown that proper collagen action is not only determined by the dose of collagen itself, but also by the presence of other substances contained in the product.
Correct doses of vitamins and amino acids, especially vitamin C and the amino acids L-Arginine and L-Ornithine, support the natural activity and production of collagen. In addition, well-developed doses of hyaluronic acid are helpful in carrying out its action as well as promoting natural hydration for the body.
Our wavecollagen formula is enriched with a vegan hyaluronic acid, obtained from environmentally friendly maize fermentation processes, thus avoiding excessive use of animal products.
5) Marine or Bovine Collagen?
Hydrolysed marine collagen is recommended. Due to the smaller size of its peptides, marine collagen has a higher bioavailability than bovine collagen. In addition, hydrolysed marine collagen is used because of its high digestibility and to avoid any risk of zoonotic disease that may be associated with the use of raw materials from cattle.
6) Are Collagen food supplements only for aesthetic reasons?
Despite numerous scientific studies that seem to show that taking collagen peptides improves skin hydration, elasticity and helps reduce wrinkles in the face, collagen may have equally beneficial but less 'visible' effects.[3] It is therefore superfluous to consider collagen food supplements as mere cosmetic products.
On the contrary, given their multifunctional nature (point 2), they can have multiple positive effects on our organism. Working from the inside, including on bones and cartilage, and in synergy with the right dosages of vitamins, amino acids and hyaluronic acid, they can help us feel good from the inside out.
7) In what form is collagen available?
Collagen food supplements can be found in various forms: tablets, capsules, powder or liquid. Collagen food supplements in powder form must be solubilised in water, while tablets or capsules must be swallowed with water.
Collagen in liquid form is a 'ready-to-drink' food supplement. It is an extremely convenient form that allows it to be taken easily without the use of water.
8) How to choose a quality Collagen dietary supplement?
A quality collagen food supplement should fulfil certain formulation characteristics:
- hydrolysed collagen
- fish collagen
- hyaluronic acid (at least 100 mg per dose), preferably vegan
- vitamin C (at least 80-100 mg per dose)
- at least 3 grams of collagen per dose;
- selected vitamins (vitamin E, vitamin A)
- selected amino acids
[1] Gelse, K. et al. (2003): Collagens – structure, function, and biosynthesis. Advanced drug delivery reviews, 55 (12), p. 1531-1546.
[2] Sibilla, S. et al. (2015): An overview of the beneficial effects of hydrolysed collagen as a nutraceutical on skin properties: scientific background and clinical studies. In: The Open Nutraceuticals Journal, 8, p. 29-42.
[3] Asserin, J., Lati, E., Shioya, T., & Prawitt, J. (2015). The effect of oral collagen peptide supplementation on skin moisture and the dermal collagen network: evidence from an ex vivo model and randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials. Journal of cosmetic dermatology, 14(4), 291–301; Genovese, L., Corbo, A., & Sibilla, S. (2017). An Insight into the Changes in Skin Texture and Properties following Dietary Intervention with a Nutricosmeceutical Containing a Blend of Collagen Bioactive Peptides and Antioxidants. Skin pharmacology and physiology, 30(3), 146–158. https://doi.org/10.1159/000464470; Proksch, E., Segger, D., Degwert, J., Schunck, M., Zague, V., & Oesser, S. (2014). Oral supplementation of specific collagen peptides has beneficial effects on human skin physiology: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Skin pharmacology and physiology, 27(1), 47–55.