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What is Collagen

Collagen is the main structural protein in bones, skin, muscles, and connective tissue. It helps provide structure, strength, and support for our bodies (1).

But, that’s not all collagen can do. Collagen is commonly used for its beauty-enhancing benefits, too. Collagen has been shown to make hair shinier, nails stronger, and skin more youthful and vibrant.

Our bodies actually produce collagen naturally, but the amount we produce declines with age, which is why supplementation can help.

Continue reading to learn about the benefits of collagen, the beneficial role of collagen in skin care, as well as the best sources of collagen through diet and supplementation.

Benefits of Collagen

Collagen’s list of health benefits is quite long. Here are some of collagen’s most widely-touted benefits:

  • Improves skin health: Collagen helps the skin stay smooth, hydrated, and wrinkle-free. Even after just three months of supplementation, research has demonstrated significant improvements in the skin (1).
  • Supports hair growth and shine: Collagen contains key amino acids that are important for hair growth. Plus, collagen has been shown to prevent hair loss and thinning, giving way to stronger, shinier, and more voluminous hair.
  • Strengthens nails: Collagen supplements help prevent nails from breaking, and may also help nails grow longer and quicker. Regular supplementation can lead to stronger, less brittle nails.
  • Supports joints: Given that collagen is a main structural protein found in our bones and tendons, it makes sense that collagen can help support our joints. Collagen can be helpful for lubricating joints and reducing joint pain.

As we age, our collagen production begins to decrease, giving even more reason to supplement with collagen. To keep our joints strong, and our skin, hair, and nails looking great and youthful, incorporating a collagen supplement may do just the trick.

Why Collagen Can Improve Your Skincare Routine

One of the best ways collagen can enhance our beauty routine is with our skincare.

Collagen has been shown to boost elasticity, improve hydration, and reduce the appearance of wrinkles and dark circles.

Collagen leaves the skin softer, smoother, and more supple, which acts as a fantastic canvas for other beauty products such as moisturizers, toners, and makeup to work more effectively.

Here are some of the main ways that collagen can improve skin:

  • Improves skin hydration: Collagen supplements can be quite helpful in reducing the effects of skin aging, particularly when it comes to skin hydration. Collagen helps skin retain moisture, leading to a more vibrant and glowy appearance (2).

  • Reduces wrinkles: Research shows that taking collagen supplements may lessen the depth of wrinkles, allowing for a smoother and more youthful skin surface (3).

  • Treats and reduces acne: Collagen protein fibers help repair inflamed skin that accompanies a breakout, allowing the skin to clear and recover more quickly. Plus, glycine is an amino acid in collagen that combats acne-associated inflammation.
  • Improves the appearance of dark circles: As we age, thinning skin around the eyes leads to the appearance of dark circles. However, collagen can help to boost skin elasticity which tends to reduce their darker hue (3).

Clearly, collagen can have many positive effects on skin health, and it allows you to get more out of your beauty products. Nourish your skin from the inside-out so your much-deserving beauty products can really shine.

Best sources of collagen

Collagen is found in several foods as well as in supplement form.

Dietary sources of collagen are foods such as fish, meat, chicken, eggs, and bone broth. Essentially, foods that contain high quality protein provide the body with the necessary raw materials for collagen production.

However, collagen supplements provide a boost that would likely be difficult to get from diet alone. Plus, collagen in powder form is already broken down, or hydrolyzed, which tends to be more readily digested and absorbed by the body.

When it comes to supplements, it’s important to choose a collagen protein powder with premium ingredients. Naked Collagen is made with collagen from European pasture-raised cows and contains zero additives.

Whether you choose to blend your collagen powder into your smoothie or morning coffee, it’s important to stay consistent to reap the beauty benefits of a daily collagen supplement.