Collagen is the most plentiful protein in your body which lives in your bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, organs, blood vessels, skin, connective tissues and intestinal lining. While your body has been producing collagen all its life, production starts to fall as you get older and can cause fine lines and wrinkles, stiffer and less flexible joints and tendons, weakening and shrinking muscles and the lining of your digestive tract to thin possibly causing gut sensitivity.
Alongside ageing, the main cause of collagen deficiency in the general public is a poor diet. Your body needs certain nutrients from protein rich foods, to combine with amino acids for the production of collagen.
Collagen Boosting Foods
Collagen is naturally produced in the human body, so it stands to reason that it’s produced in animals as well. However, if you do consume meat regularly, you may still not be getting enough collagen in your diet as the majority of the collagen is in the bone. Try making a collagen broth from beef or chicken by letting the bones simmer in a heated liquid. This will allow the collagen to ooze out of the bone marrow.
Other top sources are fish and egg whites. Think twice before throwing away the scales of your fish as this is where the biggest supply of collagen lives.
Dark green vegetables such as spinach and kale can improve collagen production, as they contain antioxidising properties that stabilise the messenger enzymes that break collagen down. Bright orange vegetables such as sweet potatoes and carrots are rich in vitamin A and restore and regenerate damaged collagen. Fruits rich in vitamin C like oranges, limes, lemons and berries do the job of assisting the amino acids lysine and proline convert to collagen.
Collagen Supplements
Even if you’re eating a healthy diet, there are other factors that can diminish collagen production. These include;
- Excess alcohol intake
- UV ray exposure
- Smoking
- Exposure to pollutants in the air, water and food
This is why a quality collagen supplement is always a good idea to ensure you’re getting enough. And of course, as we age our bodies may not process the nutrients we consume as well, so a collagen supplement can be vital. Some of the best collagen supplements to buy online are the Collagen Pluss Capsules 60s which may help to support and stimulate your body’s natural supply of collagen.