Many people think taking care of their skin should start when they begin noticing the signs of ageing; however, research suggests that the best time to start is much earlier than we think. The good news is that it is never too late to revitalise damaged skin.
No matter your age, it's never too late to start supporting your body's production of collagen and to see the benefits in your skin, hair, and nails.
To reap the benefits for skin health, the research recommends that you take between 2.5 to 5 grams of collagen per day (2). This amount is shown to increase skin elasticity and hydration in elderly women while reducing the depth of existing skin wrinkles in middle-aged women.
Marine collagen supplements, in particular, thanks to their smaller particle size compared to other types of products, are considered more effective for women over 50s. Due to their superior bioavailability, these supplements are in fact easier to absorb by our bodies (up to 1.5 times more than other sources).
Collagen is essential for your bones, gut, skin, nails and hair, but you make much less of it during the menopause. Adding more collagen to your diet could help with a range of menopause symptoms, from aching joints to dull skin. 2.5-15g of daily collagen is safe and effective.
Collagen's role in the body
"Collagen is what keeps our skin from sagging, giving us that plump, youthful look," says dermatologist Dr. Ohara Aivaz. Your body naturally makes collagen, but this production decreases with age.
Does Collagen Help with Menopause? The short answer is, yes! Taking supplements to rebuild the natural collagen in your body can ease many of the symptoms that come with the menopause. Many skincare brands add collagen to their products in order to tackle collagen production from the outside, in.
Strengthen Your Skin and Reduce Wrinkles
For women over 50, taking collagen each day can help to reduce the signs of aging and slow down this process. Within a couple of months, you'll find that your body might automatically start to produce more collagen as well, helping you to feel more confident in your own skin.
Collagen supplements may not be safe for: People with fish, shellfish, or egg allergies (collagen supplements may contain these allergens as ingredients)16. People with a Kosher or Halal diet. People with a vegetarian or vegan diet.
As you age, your body starts producing less collagen. The skin becomes thinner, drier, and less elastic. The loss of collagen leads to wrinkle formation.
Some research has found that taking daily collagen powder could help make your bones denser, slowing the aging process that makes them brittle and helping your body to produce new bone. Skin elasticity and hydration. Collagen supplements have been shown to improve skin hydration and elasticity for older people.
Many people think taking care of their skin should start when they begin noticing the signs of ageing; however, research suggests that the best time to start is much earlier than we think. The good news is that it is never too late to revitalise damaged skin.
However, the answer to this question is that taking collagen does not cause weight gain. The only way to gain weight is if you take in more calories than you burn and collagen doesn't contain too many calories. In fact, each pack of Absolute Collagen contains only 32 calories per 10ml serving.
So how long does it take for collagen to start working? Tangible results for skin, hair and nails are seen in as soon as four weeks. And with consistent, daily supplementation, the best results are achieved from 12 weeks.
Research shows that taking 2.5 to 15 grams daily of hydrolyzed collagen is safe. A smaller dose benefits your joints and skin, while a larger amount may help with body composition and muscle mass.
Furthermore, oral intake of collagen enhances the moisture content of the skin, especially the stratum corneum, as well as the elasticity of the skin, reducing wrinkling and roughness [37].
Collagen loss leads to thinner and loose skin
Collagen gives our skin structure and support. The natural loss of collagen leads to a thin skin and structurally weakened skin. In the face, the effect will be loose and sagging skin. Collagen loss in the skin can also contribute to the appearance of sunken cheeks.
Supplementing with collagen may help people lose weight by promoting satiety, supporting joint health, and altering how the body stores fat. Collagen is one of the most important proteins in the human body and is present in all the body's tissues and organs.
Collagen is naturally produced in the body when we are young, but production peaks at around the age of 20 then slows down progressively as we mature. So, when should you start taking collagen? Your early to mid-20s are a great time to think about starting to supplement with collagen.