What does collagen help with?

Collagen supports health and beauty and there are papers to prove it! The list of collagen's properties is long and increasingly strongly documented by scientific research.

With pharmacist and educator Ilona Krzak, clinical nutritionist Julia Skrajda and cosmetologist Natalia Stępa, we are opening up the treasure trove of benefits that collagen and its supplementation will bring you.

See also:

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• Most powerful collagen for skin and joints - ranking
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• Best absorbed collagen
• Collagen for the skin
• Facial collagen
• Hair collagen
• Collagen for wrinkles
• Collagen for stretch marks
• Collagen for cellulite
• Collagen for acne
• Collagen for joints
• Collagen for tendons
• Collagen for bones
• Collagen for athletes

What is collagen?

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Collagen is an essential protein in the body of humans and animals. It is an important building block of skin, bones, muscles, ligaments, joints, tendons and connective tissue. It accounts for as much as 30% of all proteins in your body. There are as many as 28 types of collagen. The most important of these are type I, II and III collagen.

What collagen helps

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Collagen affects the condition of the skin, joints, bones, hair and nails. In addition, it supports the proper functioning of the digestive and circulatory systems. Collagen helps to control metabolic processes and blood pressure, and also supports immunity.

Collagen is often called the elixir of youth. And this phrase is not without scientific basis. Collagen, among other things, elasticity, strength and regeneration of the skin or joints, builds up the skeletal system, improves immunity, strengthens hair and even takes care of the heartand.

Once you reach the age of 20-25, your body's production of collagen decreases and is not enough to cover all your needs. You can supply it with your diet. Not everyone likes broth, gristle, sardines, giblets or meat jellies, so think about safe and informed supplementation.

Collagen for the skin

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Collagen accounts for up to 80% of the dry weight of your skinand. It is responsible for its structure and mechanical properties. It is responsible for its elasticity and hydration. As collagen diminishes with age, the skin becomes dry, flabby and lacklustre, and wrinkles begin to appear over time.

Collagen for the face

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Using collagen will not stop time, but it can slow it down for you. Studies suggestand that taking collagen supplements improves skin elasticity, helps to offset discolouration and reduces the appearance of wrinkles.

See more:

• Facial Collagen
• Collagen for wrinkles
• Vitamin A and E

Collagen for scars

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Collagen speeds up the wound healing processand, increases elasticity and smooths skin, and improves skin texture. All of this supports the reduction of scars.

Collagen is worth using primarily in two ways:

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• creams and cheeses with collagen to apply directly to the skin,
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• collagen supplements,
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• injections with collagen,
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If your scars are caused by trauma or surgery, see a doctor and choose the appropriate treatment methods, such as laser therapy, micro-puncture, chemical peel or surgical scar removal.

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Collagen for acne

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About 8% of teenagers worldwide struggle with acne. One in two adults have similar problems, and up to 12% of women and 3% of men over the age of 25 qualify for clinical treatment. 

Collagen will not cure acne. However, collagen products can be your ally in dealing with problematic skin - they promote skin regeneration and collagen production in the body.

Collagen helps hydrate the skin, and research suggests it can help treat acne scarsand.

See also:

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• Collagen for acne
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Collagen for stretch marks

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When started early enough, collagen supplementation can effectively prevent or reduce the appearance of stretch marks. Systematic intake of collagen products firms the skin and gives it a radiant glow.

Wondering if collagen creams work on stretch marks? Check out what cosmetologist, Katarzyna Srebr, thinks about them:

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If you're looking for faster and more effective results, rely on collagen injectionsand.

See also:

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• Collagen for stretch marks
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Collagen for cellulite

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Cellulite is a significant problem for almost 90% of women and 10% of men. Collagen supplementation improves skin density, hydrates and firms the skin. This will make cellulite less visible. 

When will you see results?

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See also:

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• Collagen for cellulite
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Collagen for joints

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Adequate amounts of collagen (with hyaluronic acid, among others) provide adequate lubrication to your joints. This allows them to function properly, they do not wear out as quickly and you can move freely and without pain.

What exactly does collagen do?

How exactly does collagen work for jointsand?

• Rebuilds joint cartilage;
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• Improves joint flexibility and resilience;
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• Reduces pain - also in osteoarthritis;
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• Improves mobility and increases joint range of motion;
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See also:

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• Collagen for joints
• Collagen type 2
• Collagen for tennis elbow
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• Collagen for horses for humans: doctor's opinion

Bones

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Collagen is one of the main components of your bones. It gives them the right structure, density and helps provide hardness. Collagen production declines with age, so the risk of fractures and, over time, even osteoporosis increases - especially in menopausal women and those using glucocorticosteroids.

Collagen supplementation is a good way of helping to improve your bones.

Collagen supplementation can help slow down bone degradation. Some studies have shown that people taking collagen for at least 12 months had up to 7% better bone densityand.

See also:

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• Type 1 collagen
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Hair collagen

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Collagen supports hair health on several levelsand:

• helps rebuild and strengthen hair structure;
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• prevents damage;
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• increases hair density and thickness;
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• prevents thinning and hair loss;
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• delays the greying of hair;
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Collagen can be applied directly to the skin and hair (e.g. in the form of a mask or conditioner) or you can act from within, i.e. by taking collagen supplements (to drink, in tablets, in liquids).

Your hair may also be weak and damaged as a result of inadequate care - curling irons and straighteners don't help matters. If it's in really poor condition, regenerate and strengthen it with a collagen treatment at your hairdresser. You'll feel the effects after the first visit.

See also:

• Hair collagen
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• Hair loss supplements
• Hair conditioners - which one to choose?

Collagen for nails

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Collagen is an essential protein for nail health. collagen peptides - particularly fish collagen type III - may be particularly important. Proper supplementation promotes proper nail plate growth, which reduces nail fragilityand.

See also:

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• Best nail conditioners
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Collagen for immunity

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We write so much about skin, joints, hair or nails, but did you know that collagen indirectly supports immunity too?

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Provides you with a number of amino acids, including glutamine, which is responsible for a strong immune system. Collagen also helps stimulate the cells responsible for the immune responseand.

Collagen supports the regeneration of the intestinal and gastric mucosa. This is extremely important for your digestion, but also for your immunity. It is in the gut that more than 70% of immune cells are locatedand. And a healthy gut, means healthy immunity.

Collagen for the heart and circulatory system

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With collagen, your blood vessels work as they should - they are flexible and transport blood properly. Collagen deficiency in the long term can result in atherosclerosis, stroke and even heart attack.

One study suggests that taking 16 g (16 000 mg) of collagen daily for six months reduces arterial stiffnessand. Despite the promising results (participants had increased levels of good HDL cholesterol), more research is needed to better understand the role of collagen for heart health.

See also:

• What destroys collagen in the body?
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• How to replenish collagen in the body?
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• What is collagen?
• When to drink collagen?
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Where is collagen used?

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The properties of collagen are used in many ways to support your health, beauty and well-being. Depending on the type, form, origin or form, collagen has its uses in several areas:

• cosmetology - creams, body gels, face masks, body lotions, hair and nail conditioners;
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• medicine - support for wound healing, treatment of skin, bone and joint diseases;
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• aesthetic medicine - collagen injections, microneedling, laser treatments;
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• nutritional supplements - you can take them in any form (capsules, tablets, liquids, powder to dissolve).

Recommended collagen supplements

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Since you already know how much collagen can do for your health and wellbeing, check out the best products to use.

Choice criteria

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We have selected our suggestions based on the following criteria:

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• Collagen content. Supplementation with between 2.5 and 15 grams of hydrolysed collagen has the best results, according to research.
• Pure composition. You won't find preservatives or unnecessary fillers in the best collagen supplements.
• Additional active ingredients. Vitamins and minerals that promote collagen synthesis. That's why you'll find products with vitamin C, among others, which accelerates the absorption and stimulates the body's production of collagen.
• Testing. Every supplement should be tested in an independent, accredited laboratory.
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• Origin of collagen. Not everyone reports how and where they source their collagen. Even fewer are concerned about the environment and animal welfare.
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• Taste. To the unpleasant aftertaste we say emphatically: meh! Here you will see the full criteria.
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Which collagen to choose? What to look out for before buying?

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Facing a serious choice of your collagen supplement, take a look at these aspects:

• Collagen content: research suggests that a dose of 2,500-15,000 mg is safe for long-term use. The optimal daily requirement is around 4,000-5,000 mg. Collagen is difficult to overdose on and it is definitely better to take 10 000 mg than just 200 or 400 mg. The largest portions of collagen are collagen powder (in sachets) and for drinking, also in liquid.
• Purpose of supplementation and type of collagen: collagen type I and III have more effect on hair, skin and nails, and collagen type 2 on joints.
• Origin: decide whether you prefer fish collagen (sea collagen), beef, pork or maybe poultry.
• Form: you can choose primarily from powdered collagen, drinkable collagen, collagen in tablets or collagen in capsules and collagen in liquid.
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• Position: it matters whether you are taking natural collagen, collagen hydrolysate, or perhaps freeze-dried collagen; whether it is powdered animal cartilage or, however, biologically active peptides.
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• Other active ingredients: supplements with collagen should contain vitamin C (supports natural collagen synthesis). In addition, look for ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, coenzyme Q10, field horsetail extract, silica, D-biotin, zinc, copper, vitamin A, manganese and omega-3 acids or MSM.
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When choosing collagen, pay attention to whether it is hydrolysate or native collagen. When you're faced with this dilemma, remember that it's best to choose hydrolysate - due to its particle size it shows much better bioavailability.

Fish collagen hydrolysates are best absorbed because they are closest to human collagen in terms of structure. This makes the risk of an allergic reaction very low.