What type of collagen is best for hair skin nails?
Collagen for Hair Skin & Nails
What type of collagen is best for hair skin nails? In the US, we enjoy an era of ample food supply with an average of 3,750 calories per person, per day according to the UN Food and Agricultural Organization. Yet, despite this abundance, poor health remains a common issue with nearly half of the population suffering from chronic conditions such as diabetes, joint pain, heart disease, and more. These health problems prevent people from fully participating in daily life and often result in shorter life spans.
We may not face chronic hunger like our ancestors, but we lack essential nutrients like calcium, potassium, fiber, folic acid, magnesium, iron, and vitamins A, C, and E, which are crucial for building strong muscles, bones, blood vessels, skin, and immune systems. Other vital compounds like phosphorus, silicon, glucosamine, and sulfur are missing from our diets as well.
However, there is a lesser-known solution to these health problems – collagen. This abundant protein in our bodies has been proven to be vital for structural integrity and overall health, yet it’s missing from the typical Western diet. Incorporating collagen into our diets can help reverse our declining health and give us the chance to live a long, robust, and active life.
Collagen is widely known for its role in maintaining healthy skin, but its benefits go beyond just appearances. It is the most abundant protein in the body, making up 25-35% of the body’s total protein content. Collagen acts as a “glue” that holds the body together, found in skin, bones, muscles, tendons, gut lining, blood vessels, and even the outer layer of organs.
Due to its presence in many tissues, collagen plays a crucial role in various aspects of health. New research shows that collagen and its compounds may help regenerate new tissue, improve gut health, boost the immune system, and even increase lifespan. So, it’s not just a beauty ingredient, but a vital component for overall health.
To give you an even better idea of just how large a role collagen plays in our bodies, consider these percentages:
- Skin – 75% collagen
- Bone – 30% collagen
- Joints
- Ligaments – up to 90% collagen
- Tendons – 80% collagen
- Cartilage – 70% collagen
- Blood Vessels – 40% collagen
Additionally, there are at least 28 different kinds of collagen that have been identified. The most common are:
- Type I — the most abundant collagen in the human body, found in the skin, artery walls, bones and teeth, tendons and ligaments. It’s also present in scar tissue and helps with tissue repair.
- Type II — hyaline cartilage and also the cornea of the eye.
- Type III — blood vessels, spleen, lymph nodes, uterus, skin and intestines.
- Type IV – eye lens and kidney.
Collagen and the Skin
An average adult’s skin, if laid flat, covers 18-22 square feet and is nearly flat with varying thickness. The thinnest skin is found on eyelids and the thickest on hands and feet. It has two components: the epidermis (protective outer layer) and the dermis (supportive underlying connective tissue).
The epidermis has multiple layers, including the stratum corneum (sheet of dead skin cells) and stratum basale (where new basal cells are generated). Every minute, 30,000-40,000 dead skin cells are shed and a new epidermis is formed approximately once a month. It also contains Langerhans cells (scouts for intruders) and melanocytes (produces melanin for skin color and sun protection).
The dermis, which is made up of 75% collagen, provides the skin’s flexibility and strength while elastin enables skin to return to its shape. A healthy collagen production is essential for wrinkle-free skin.
Collagen and the Hair
The human body has 5 million hairs, with 100,000 on the head. Hair protects the scalp from UV rays and prevents heat loss while eyelashes and eyebrows protect the eyes. Hair shafts, made of keratin proteins, grow from follicles in the dermis. The hair bulb, at the base of the follicle, forms new keratin with the help of collagen-rich dermal tissue (dermal papilla) providing nutrients and contributing to hair health. Adequate collagen is crucial for hair health.
Maintaining healthy hair and reducing hair loss can be aided by choline-stabilized orthosilicic acid (ch-OSA), a unique nutrient complex. Research shows that this stabilized form of silicon, which is highly absorbable, elevates levels of hydroxyproline, an essential amino acid for collagen and elastin production. Hydroxyproline serves as an indicator for healthy collagen synthesis, which is crucial for hair strength, thickness, and elasticity.
More collagen in the dermal tissue also results in increased blood flow to the hair, providing the hair follicle with a plentiful supply of growth-enhancing nutrients. It’s also believed that ch-OSA positively impacts enzymes responsible for keratin formation, which is the protein that constitutes 97% of our hair.
Collagen and the Nails
Nail changes in shape, structure, or appearance can indicate a medical condition. The nail consists of multiple parts, with the nail body being the most prominent and hard. It is a modified outer layer of the epidermis called stratum corneum. The nail plate is a translucent sheet made of tightly packed dead, keratinized cells from the nail matrix and contains elements such as iron, zinc, calcium, lipids, and water.
The nail growth starts from the nail root located in the nail matrix, which is a site of intense cell production. Healthy nails have a smooth surface, but ridges may appear with age. The pink color of the nail comes from the dermal capillaries, while the white crescent, called lunula, is due to the clusters of new cells.
The size and thickness of the nail plate are determined by the nail matrix, which produces cells that become the nail plate. Choline-stabilized orthosilicic acid (ch-OSA) increases the amount of collagen surrounding the nail matrix, leading to increased blood flow and growth-rich nutrients to the nail. The blood flow also boosts the production of keratin, which makes up the majority of the nail plate.
Collagen and Amino Acids
Amino acids play a crucial role in the science of collagen and the human body. They are the building blocks of our cells, muscles, and tissues, and perform important functions like giving structure to cells. There are 20 amino acids in the human body, which can be classified into 3 categories: essential, semiessential, and nonessential. Essential amino acids cannot be produced by the body, while nonessential ones can be. A lack of amino acids can negatively impact our skin, hair, bones, health, sleep, mood, performance, and even virility.
Collagen is a complex protein made up of 18 of the 20 amino acids found in the human body. Research has shown that consuming these 18 amino acids can support various bodily functions, including skin, hair, brain, bones, teeth, nails, heart, digestion, muscles, weight, mood, virility, and sleep.
Other benefits of Collagen
It can help you
- Avoid the aches and pains of aging
- Stave off wrinkles and sagging skin
- Heal persistent gastrointestinal issues or food sensitivities
- Support your immune system
- Support healthy bones and muscles
Which collagen is best for skin, nails and hair
Collagen supplements that contain Type I and III are best for the skin, hair and nails. Collagen Type I is important for healing wounds and holding together the muscles and bones in the body. Type III collagen which is found in our organs is important in supporting the skin maintain its elasticity and firmness.
Collagen supplements can be obtained in different forms such as powders, liquids or capsules.
Raw collagen peptides come in the form of a fine powder that is commonly mixed with water to create liquid collagen, which is more easily absorbed by the body. To determine the quality of collagen powder, look for factors such as taste, purity, and color. Not all collagen powders are equal, so it’s best to try a research to find the one with the best taste and ease of use for daily consumption.
Taking collagen supplement
It’s recommended to take collagen on an empty stomach, such as first thing in the morning, before bed, or a few hours after a meal. This is to ensure the collagen bypasses digestion and enters the bloodstream in its original form, rather than being broken down by stomach acid or mixed with food during digestion.
Our Marine Collagen Powder is a powerful formula containing not only high-quality marine collagen, but also hyaluronic acid, biotin, and vitamin C. It is uniquely formulated to support healthy skin, hair and nails as well as improve gut and joint health. It contains a unique fish collagen peptide profile manufactured through an exclusive enzymatic hydrolysis process for better and faster assimilation in the body.
Our collagen powder comes in 2 different forms; flavoured (orange) and unflavoured to help meet your lifestyle requirements.
