The importance of collagen for your health

It’s the need-to-know protein if you’re interested in looking after your joint and skin health. Discover what makes collagen so special and why you might want to consider taking a supplement.

As the most abundant protein in the body, as well as being the component in your skin, collagen is present everywhere from your blood vessels and your muscles to your tendons, ligaments, organs and even your intestinal lining. Plus, it’s also a key component of your bone mass and, importantly, a building block of cartilage. It’s a hard-working protein!

What is cartilage and why is it so important?

In short, cartilage is the connective tissue that covers and cushions the ends of the bones in your joints, allowing those joints to move smoothly and easily.

As a result, while it’s not possible to test or measure your body’s collagen levels like you can with some other things, such as iron or vitamin D levels, there are some physical signs to look out for that indicate your collagen levels may be dropping off. And thanks to the role collagen plays in cartilage formation, one of those signs is if you’re experiencing an increase in joint pain.

How to boost your collagen levels

Your body is capable of making its own collagen by combining the variety of different amino acids that are supplied when you eat protein-rich foods, like eggs, fish, chicken, dairy foods and legumes. The collagen-production process also requires other nutrients, too, including vitamin C and zinc, which means eating a healthy, varied diet is key for collagen.

It’s important to know though that collagen production naturally declines with age, which may be one explanation for the fact that as we get older joint problems and conditions that cause joint pain become more common. It also explains why the skin becomes more fragile and thinner with age – after the age of 20, we produce about 1 per cent less collagen on average in our skin each year, a process that also speeds up considerably for women during the first five years of menopause.

Committing to continue to eat a healthy, collagen-production-friendly diet is wise because, apart from anything else, it’s the kind of diet that’s good for other things like health, too. Keep in mind though that with age the body’s ability to absorb and utilise the all-important collagen-building nutrients may become less efficient.

How to choose a supplement

To support joint health, for starters, look for a collagen supplement such as Blackmores Collagen Joint Mobility Plus with UC-II® type II collagen to reduce mild joint aches and pains in active individuals. It helps reduce joint discomfort and helps improve joint mobility in mild osteoarthritis. Also contains vitamin C to maintain collagen production and help support healthy joint cartilage growth.

To support your skin, consider Blackmores Beauty Sleep with dual benefits to support a good night’s sleep and skin rejuvenation, skin hydration and collagen formation.

Or Blackmores Skin Revitaliser, which is specially formulated with hydrolysed marine collagen and hyaluronic acid to provide nourishment for healthy skin from the inside out.

Always read the label and follow the directions for use. Supplements can only be of assistance if dietary intake is inadequate. If symptoms persist, talk to your health professional.