Collagen is an important structural protein that’s found throughout your body. It forms the structural foundation for your skin, bones, muscles, tendons, hair, and nails. In a nutshell, it’s what helps keep your skin smooth, firm, and youthful-looking.
However, as we age, the production of collagen naturally decreases. This reduction leads to the typical signs of aging — like sagging skin, fine lines, weaker bones, and even brittle nails. Fortunately, by taking collagen supplements, you can replenish your collagen levels!
Collagen supplementation is a super easy way to improve your skin elasticity, strengthen your hair and nails, and support your joint and bone health. In this article, we’ll go over the different types of collagen, the benefits of taking collagen supplements, and more.
What is Collagen?
Collagen is the most abundant protein in humans. It makes up about 30% of the body’s total protein. In other words, it’s an important “building block” that keeps your joints flexible and your bones strong.
However, once again, collagen production slows down with age. This leads to signs of aging (like wrinkles, sagging skin, and joint pain). There are several different types of collagen, but the most important collagen types for your skin are Types I and III:
Type I collagen
Type I collagen is found in skin, bones, and tendons. This collagen type is responsible for skin elasticity and hydration. It’s particularly effective in reducing the appearance of wrinkles (and may even promote a youthful glow).
Type III collagen
This type of collagen works alongside type I collagen to support healthy skin structure and skin firmness. It’s also found in muscles and is very important for tissue repair. For this reason, a lot of people take collagen supplements after doing high-intensity workouts.
The Potential Benefits of Taking Collagen Supplements
Taking collagen supplements could be very beneficial for a lot of different reasons. It’s not just great for your hair, nails, and skin — it could potentially strengthen your bones over time, too. Furthermore, it’s been shown to improve joint health. Let’s take a closer look at the benefits of collagen supplementation below:
Improves skin elasticity and skin hydration
Collagen supplements (especially those containing Types I and III) can improve skin elasticity, reduce wrinkles, and increase hydration. Studies show that consistent use can improve the skin’s ability to retain moisture.
Promotes hair strength and nail strength
Collagen peptides may help strengthen brittle nails. Collagen also helps promote thicker, healthier hair. While research is still growing in this area, many people have reported noticeable improvements in their nail and hair quality after taking collagen supplements for several months.
Supports joint health
Type II collagen is very effective at supporting and maintaining joint health. By supplementing with collagen, you could potentially alleviate your joint pain and improve your mobility. If you have arthritis or a similar condition, you might find taking type II collagen especially helpful.
Reduces muscle soreness
Adding collagen to your post-workout routine might help with muscle recovery, too. It contains amino acids (like glycine), which support muscle repair and reduce soreness after intense physical activity. This is really important if you work out frequently since your muscles often need more time to recover and repair than you think.
Improves gut health
Some studies suggest that collagen may strengthen the gut lining. This could help to reduce symptoms of digestive issues — like leaky gut syndrome, for example. Many collagen supplements also contain probiotics, which are great for gut health.
What is the Best Collagen Supplement for Your Face?
If you struggle with fine lines and wrinkles on your face, you might be wondering what the best collagen supplement is for facial skin specifically. When picking out a collagen supplement for your face, there are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind. Let’s break it down below:
Look for types I and III collagen
For skin-specific benefits, you’ll want to opt for collagen products that contain collagen types I and III. These supplements will be most effective for improving skin elasticity and reducing wrinkles.
Consider hydrolyzed collagen
Also known as collagen peptides, hydrolyzed collagen is broken down into smaller particles, therefore making it easier for your body to absorb and use. This form is ideal for people who want healthier skin quickly.
Pay attention to active ingredients
Collagen synthesis requires Vitamin C, so some supplements include it to further enhance collagen production. This could be especially helpful if you don’t get enough vitamin C from your diet.
Hyaluronic acid is an ingredient that supports skin hydration and complements the anti-aging benefits of collagen. Some collagen powders also include probiotics to improve gut health, which can indirectly benefit your skin.
Now, let’s take a look at one of the best collagen supplements for facial skin below:
Skin Rehab High Dose Collagen Powder
If you’re looking for a great collagen supplement for your face, we’d highly recommend this Skin Rehab High Dose Collagen Powder from DermForge. It’s specifically formulated with Types I and III collagen to target skin health.
This makes it an excellent option for people who want to improve the skin texture on their face. Here are the main features of this supplement:
Grass-fed source
This collagen is sourced from grass-fed cows. This means it’s of the highest quality, and you’ll be able to avoid growth hormones and antibiotics.
High dosage
Each serving provides 10 grams of collagen peptides.
Skin benefits
Helps improve skin texture, elasticity, and hydration while also reducing fine lines and wrinkles.
Additional perks
Also promotes stronger hair, nails, and even joint and bone health. If you’re recovering from skin treatments like microneedling or laser resurfacing, you might find this supplement especially beneficial since it helps with skin repair and recovery.
How to Take Collagen Supplements
If you’ve never taken any dietary supplements before, you might not know how much collagen to take or when to take it. The optimal daily dose ranges from 2.5 to 15 grams. For skin health, most experts recommend starting with 10 grams of collagen peptides per day.
Collagen supplements also need to be taken consistently to see results. You might not notice huge improvements right away, so just keep that in mind. Patience is key! Here’s a general timeline so you know what to expect:
Skin
Noticeable improvements in skin hydration and elasticity may appear after eight weeks of taking collagen supplements. If you do red light therapy alongside taking collagen supplements, you might see results even faster.
Joints
Relief from joint pain may take three to six months. If you already struggle with significant joint pain issues, it could take longer. If you find that taking collagen supplements isn’t doing anything for your joints, ask your doctor if upping the dose might help.
Hair and nails
It will probably be about 12 months before you notice significant improvements in your hair and nail strength. This might feel like a long time to wait, but it’ll definitely be worth it!
Who Should Avoid Collagen?
While collagen supplements are generally pretty safe, certain groups of people should talk to a healthcare provider before they start taking supplements. For example, people who are nursing or pregnant should always check with a doctor first.
Collagen also contains oxalates, so it could potentially increase the risk of kidney stones in people who are susceptible. If you’re allergic to shellfish (or fish in general), you should avoid marine collagen. Again, it’s important to ask your healthcare provider if you’re not sure.
Natural Sources of Collagen
Taking collagen powders (or collagen capsules) is certainly convenient. It’s also the best way to make absolutely sure that you’re getting enough collagen every day. However, you can also find natural sources of collagen in certain foods.
For example, bone broth is high in type II collagen, which is excellent for your joints. Marine collagen, of course, comes from fish, and is great for skin hydration and elasticity. Finally, egg whites are packed with proline, an amino acid that’s important for collagen synthesis.
You can also pair your collagen supplementation with red light therapy, which helps stimulate collagen production. Doing red light therapy treatments with an LED face mask should be pretty easy to incorporate into your daily skincare routine. It only takes 15 minutes and is completely non-invasive.
Conclusion
Collagen supplements could potentially be a fantastic addition to your skincare routine, especially if your goal is to reduce wrinkles and improve your skin elasticity. After several months, you might even find that collagen supplementation has given your skin a youthful glow.
For the best results, we’d recommend focusing on supplements with Types I and III collagen (like Skin Rehab High Dose Collagen Powder from DermForge), and taking them consistently over time.
While collagen can’t completely stop the aging process, taking collagen supplements could be a great way to slow it down a bit. Remember to pair your collagen supplementation with a balanced diet, regular exercise, adequate hydration, and a good skincare routine. That way, you’ll be able to keep your skin looking its best!
Start your skincare journey with DermForge – combine our Collagen Powder and Capsules with our LED Masks, as Red Light Therapy helps stimulate the production of collagen, giving your skin the rejuvenation it deserves! Visit our website, explore our range of products and place your orders now.
