Unlock Youthful Skin: Collagen and Nutritional Secrets

As the old saying goes, beauty starts from within, and one of the most important factors that can impact your beauty and skin is your diet.

Generally skin changes are among the first visible clues that your body is aging, it may start with a few fine lines, a change in skin texture or even brittle nails, these changes can be very disheartening to deal with, yet this can also be the clue to your overall health and wellbeing. Nutrition can be the missing puzzle piece to why you are ageing a certain way, it can also prevent premature aging while being a valued addition to a person’s beauty routine.

There are many factors to look at when we look at skin health and beauty. We would normally go straight to a person’s topical beauty routine, meaning the lotions and potions we are applying to our skin daily, these definitely play a role in our appearance. But today I want to talk about nutritionally what we can do to reverse the clocks of aging and promote luscious skin from within.

The health and beauty industry is literally a saturated industry, which targets itself to woman and men of all age groups it is full of buzz words which are ever expanding, and sometimes confusing, but there are a few buzz words which have withstood “the sands of time” in the beauty industry and are stand outs for a reason and these cannot go un-noted.

Collagen
Dehydration
Water
Nutrients
Gut health

These 5 basics, will be the key which will unlock your beauty standards, they have been spoken about for decades because they work and this is what our skin health needs on a daily basis to achieve results. There are many new factors which will work in conjunction with these 5, and I will go into more details on these below.

How your skin changes with age

When you are young and have high levels of collagen, your skin is perky, smooth, moist, and firm. Skin cells renew and repair themselves easily.

As your skin ages, its collagen weakens and loses its strength in the dermis.

With advancing aging, your skin becomes thinner, and lines are more noticeable due to less collagen and less elastin.

Elastin and collagen work together to keep your skin looking youthful. Collagen provides the strength and firmness to support your skin’s structure while elastin contributes softness and elasticity.

In your younger years, collagen is readily available, keeping you youthful. However, once you pass your mid-20’s, that begins to change. By the time you reach 40, your body’s ability to produce its own collagen drops about 25% and then in your 60’s production drops to about half of youthful level.

Once you’re in your 80’s, your body is making four times less collagen, that’s why you’re likely to notice more skin creasing and sagging on your face and neck.

Fun fact:
Collagen makes up as much as 80% of the protein in your skin and between 25% and 30% of the total proteins in your body. It is the 2^nd abundant substance in your body apart from water.

Its important to remember that collagen is a compound of essential amino acids that your body can’t produce on its own. You must obtain it through your diet and supplemental sources. It is good quality protein that keeps you looking youthful and healthy. Protein plays a crucial role in your appearance, and it greatly influences how your body ages, this also includes the connective tissue in your body, which provides the structure for your bones, muscles, tendons, joint cartilage, blood vessels and organs, including your entire digestive system.

However, it’s not just aging that can threaten your healthy collagen levels and influence the overall youthfulness of your skin, hair and nails but a combination of several lifestyle and nutritional habits can play an immense factor on your collagen levels.

Factors That Can cause aging and collagen loss

Other than just nutrition being an aging factor, environmental and lifestyle also play key roles in your body’s production of collagen and how fast you can lose it. Some of these factors include:

Deficiency of nutrients (amino acids, vitamins, and minerals)
Poor gut health and irregular elimination may impact absorption of nutrients and elimination of wastes.
Hormone imbalances of the essential hormones DHEA, estrogen, testosterone, progesterone and pregnenolone.
Sugar and excess carbs can lead to inflammation which contributes to skin damage.
Stress produces excess cortisol which increases collagen breakdown and decreases bone building and bone density.
Excess free radicals from smoking, air pollution, Wi-Fi and cell phone radiation degrade collagen fibrils.
Alcohol damages your liver, depletes your bodies collagen, it triggers inflammation, causes dehydration and produces skin-damaging chemical substances.
Excess caffeine significantly reduces cellular synthesis of collagen.
Inactivity decreases collagen turnover, whereas exercise indirectly builds skin thickness by increasing blood flow, oxygen and nutrients to your skin.
Inadequate sleep is associated with higher stress hormones which can fasten the breakdown of collagen.
Excessive sun exposure can lead to photo-damaged skin that’s resistant to collagen synthesis.

Free radicals are the common denominator in many of these elements. When your skin produces excess free radicals from factors like smoking or too much sun exposure, they attack the skin’s collagen.

The good news is you don’t need to accept declining levels of collagen in your skin or anywhere else in your body.

It is possible to slow the rate at which your levels decline and even build them back up with the right interventions.

How to delay the losses of collagen and rebuild it.

First, it’s important to understand that rebuilding collagen is an “inside job.”

Healthy, glowing skin starts inside your body with the support of your collagen production and the protection of the collagen you already have now.

Don’t expect collagen-enhanced creams, ointments, and moisturisers to work wonders on your complexion.

The collagen molecules in these products are typically too large to cross your skin barrier into the deeper layers of your skin – much less the rest of your body where the need for collagen may be even greater.

There are many actions you can take to help support healthy levels of collagen, while slowing your collagen losses and start rebuilding these throughout your body.

To start I would recommend finding a good quality collagen supplement to start taking daily, do your research to find the right one for you, depending on any dietary requirements. Once you’ve found the right collagen supplement, you can then start adding other nutrients which will work in conjunction with each other, boosting and supporting the collagen in your body. It is also essential to add or remove certain aspects to your lifestyle, and this means minimising certain free radicals, limit sun exposure, move your body with regular exercise as movement stimulates collagen production throughout your body, sticking to a healthy & nutritious diet, drink water, get enough sleep.

Beneficial nutrients to help stop the agEing clock

Protection

Antioxidants can help to protect your skin from damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules that can damage your skin cells and contribute to premature aging. Foods such as dark chocolate, blueberries, pecans, goji berries, kale, beets will do the trick.

Inflammation

Eating a diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods like turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, leafy greens, fatty fish, and nuts can help to reduce inflammation and promote clear, healthy skin. While eating a diet high in processed foods, sugar, alcohol and unhealthy fats can contribute to inflammation in the body, which may show up on your skin as redness, acne, and puffiness.

Collagen

Supplement, a good quality collagen is the only way to go, it will cost you more, but the benefits are in the value. Most collagens will give you a 5g scoop, this is their daily serving, but if you are trying to reverse aging effect, I would suggest taking at least 10-20 g per day for the 1^st 8 weeks to really ensure you are getting your collagen doses back up to the levels required for rebuilding and repairing collagen in the body.
Collagen rich food, such as good quality, organic bone broth

While I am all for food over supplements, when and if available for you to consume daily, I feel that collagen is just one of those nutrients which work better in the body when consumed as a supplement or…. As a bone broth. In this form you know what and how much you are ingesting.

I know that this is not always an option for everyone, especially if you are vegan or vegetarian, finding a suitable collagen supplement can be challenging. There are some on the market, yet it is important to remember that collagen typically comes from animal proteins.

My favourite collagen brands

Dr Mercola Collagen, I have used their marine collagen, which I love, but I believe the grass-fed beef is also very affective.
Gelpro Marine Collagen, (an Australian brand, I have been using this for some years now, my go to is their marine collagen, due to my choice of diet is pescatarian.) Yet if you have no dietary retirements, I would highly recommend the beef.
The Beauty Chef Deep Marine Collagen (Australian brand)

There are many different types of collagens, which primarily comes from bovine or marine collagen sources and as a result, can be one critical supplement that vegans miss out on when it comes to boosting their inner beauty routine, but, the health industry has vegans and vegetarians sorted on the collagen quest.

Below are my favourite vegan collagens on the market

The Beauty Chefs, collagen Inner Beauty Boost (Australian brand)
Nutra Organics, Collagen Beauty (Australian brand)

Fruit and vegetables (AKA – vitamins and minerals)

Vitamin E is known for how great it is for skin, but did you know vitamin E will also absorb UV B light, which means it will work as a sun protection. Eat a diet rich in foods such as salmon, egg yolk, milk, mango, avocado, apricots, nuts and seeds to reap its benefits.
Vitamin C helps boost collagen and is an essential co-factor in the biosynthesis of collagen and important for youthful-looking skin. It is also an amazing antioxidant which protects the skin from damaging oxidative stress which can lead to collagen breakdown. Foods such as blueberries, tomatoes, capsicum, spinach, broccoli, citrus are all amazing additions to your diet.
Garlic contains sulphur, an important component for collagen production, and lipoic acid and taurine to help rebuild damaged collagen fibres.
Avocado is a nutrient-dense fruit that is high in healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. It is a great source of vitamin E, which is an antioxidant that can help to protect your skin from damage and promote healthy skin cells. Avocado is another vitamin C rich nutrient, which can help to promote collagen production and keep your skin looking youthful and plump.
Sweet Potatoes are a nutritious root vegetable that are packed with vitamins and minerals. They are an excellent source of vitamin A, which can help to promote healthy skin cells and prevent acne. Sweet potatoes also contain beta-carotene, which is a powerful antioxidant that can help to protect your skin from damage and improve skin elasticity.
Papaya this tropical fruit is rich in vitamins and antioxidants. It contains vitamin C, helping to promote collagen production and keep your skin looking youthful. Papaya also contains papain, which is an enzyme that can help to exfoliate dead skin cells and promote healthy, glowing skin.
Broccoli is rich in vitamins and minerals. It is an excellent source of vitamin C, once again, helping to promote collagen production and improve skin elasticity. Broccoli is also rich in sulforaphane, which is a compound that can help to protect your skin from damage caused by UV radiation.
Carrots like sweet potatoes, carrots are high in beta-carotene. They also contain vitamin C, which helps promote collagen production and keep your skin looking firm and youthful.

B7 rich foods

Essential for skin/hair/nail. It will work with the metabolism of healthy fats which in return will then be more bioavailable for your skin.

Foods such as

Eggs
Liver
Cheese
Canned pink salmon
Roasted almonds
Broccoli
Spinach
Sunflower seeds.

Zinc

Helps with cell division, protein synthesis all crucial for skin healing, reduces inflammation as well.

Eat a diet rich in

Shellfish
Oysters
Nuts
Poultry
Eggs
Beans
Whole grains.

Omega 3 & 6 fatty acids fats

Helps with skin barrier functions it enhances the lipid barrier of the skin, meaning it improves hydration and maintains moisture.

If you want plump skin, you need omega 3’s in your diet.

Foods such as:

Fatty fish
Hemp seeds
Chia seeds
Flaxseed and walnuts

Hydration

Drinking enough water is crucial for maintaining healthy skin hydration. When your skin is dehydrated, it can look dull, dry, and flaky. Aim to drink at least 8-10 glasses of water per day, and eat hydrating foods like watermelon, cucumber, and celery to help keep your skin hydrated from the inside out.

Add lemon juice to water for added nutrients and flavour.
Coconut water is an amazing addition to your water intake, as it will also provide your body with electrolytes and minerals.

Red light therapy

When used in conjunction with collagen, vitamin c and other supplements, the red light will draw the nutrients to the area of the red light. Meaning if the light is placed on the face, then it will draw the collagen to the facial area. This amazing therapy could be your game changer to your beauty routine when used 3-5 times per week for a duration of 10-20 minutes. I recommend using a red light with 600-850 nm wavelength. Studiers have been shown to improve skin texture, glow, reduce wrinkles and fine lines and increase collagen production.

Herbal supplements

Panax or Korean Ginseng increases the amount of Type 1 collagen in your bloodstream by stimulating the production of fibroblasts in the dermis layer of the skin.

CoQ-10 (Coenzyme Q₁₀) is a naturally occurring fat-soluble antioxidant. Reminder: antioxidants help fight free radicals in the body, free radicals can cause oxidative stress, which may cause premature aging of cells.

CoQ-10 is mainly known for promoting heart and cardiovascular system health, yet it is certainly an amazing addition to any beauty regime, this antioxidant supplement helps in skin cell repair, elasticity, texture, reducing wrinkle depth while improving skin firmness.

CoQ₁₀ is naturally produced by the body and plays a crucial role in cell growth and protection, it can also be obtained from dietary sources such as

Meat
Fish
Seed oils
Vegetables

Astaxanthin is a fat-soluble pigment found in fish and algae and contributes to the natural colour in many marine animals. It is a carotenoid pigment, carotenoids are known for their ability to neutralise reactive oxygen on the inner and outer layers of cell membranes.

Astaxanthin is a potent antioxidant due to its unique molecular structure. In addition, it helps to fight free radicals and maintain a natural, healthy skin glow.

In addition, astaxanthin may provide health benefits such as:

Immune System Support
Reduction in Inflammation
Healthy Heart Function
Support Cognitive Health
Protection from UV Skin Damage

Astaxanthin has several health benefits, but it comes with a few risks such as it should not be used with the below:

Blood Pressure Medication Interaction
Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
May cause allergic Reactions

Probiotics

Adding probiotics to your diet may offer many health benefits.

Probiotics are live microorganisms that have health benefits when consumed. These beneficial bacteria provide all sorts of powerful benefits to your body.

Probiotics are also good for the skin, these will work from the inside out, when your gut health is intact, then everything else should follow through in the immune system and the rest of the body.

Probiotics can be consumed in supplement form or added to the diet from fermented foods such as

Sauerkraut
Kefir
Good quality yoghurt / natural or Greek
Miso
Kombucha
Tempeh
Kimchi

Bottom line

The good news is you don’t need to accept declining levels of collagen in your skin or anywhere else in your body.

It is possible to slow the rate at which your levels decline and even build them back up with the right interventions.

Your skin health is a representation of your inner health, lifestyle and what you eat. A healthy diet is crucial for maintaining healthy skin, and it can help to prevent many common skin problems like premature aging, acne, wrinkles, and dryness.

It is also crucial to avoid certain free radicals which will destroy the body’s natural collagen supplies, factors include smoking, excess alcohol, coffee and too much sun exposure.

With a combination of a good quality collagen supplement, a nourishing diet, regular exercise, enough sleep and water, red-light therapy, and practising safe sun exposure you should be able to maintain your bodies collagen and even start repairing it in 8 weeks, with being consistent.

Achieving healthy, radiant skin is possible either as a preventative or by restoring your skins elastin and collagen through nourishing your body with a healthy, balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins while limiting your intake of free radicals, processed foods, sugar, and unhealthy fats, to maintain your skins natural health.

The entire contents of this website are based upon the opinion of the author, which has been researched through a variety of integrated health modalities.

The information on this website is not intended to replace the relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. The articles are intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience which has come from a variety of health practitioners in their individual fields.

Kin daily, encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your personal health journey with the guidance of a qualified health care practitioner.