We have Sydney based Naturopath Jaclyn Cave joining us for 30 days of Beauty Food this month to show us how to Shake Up our Beauty routine!
Jaclyn specialises in hormones, fertility, skin and adrenal health, utilising a range of tools through her naturopathy practice including nutrients, herbal medicine, movement, and lifestyle education.
Jaclyn has been sharing her tips and tricks, recipes and advice, as well as some key information across our channels. This week, we asked Jaclyn to de-bunk some myths around collagen.
Read on to find out more!
Here they are:
1. The myth:
There’s no need to take a collagen supplement because it occurs naturally in the body.
Debunked:
Collagen certainly does occur naturally in the body, and thank goodness for that! However, like many of our body processes, our collagen production decreases as we age, and therefore our collagen stores also decrease. Therefore, supplementation with collagen helps to increase the availability of collagen in the body, and provide additional support for skin and joint health.
The rate of which your collagen production declines differs greatly from individual to individual. Lifestyle factors such as diet, nutrient deficiencies, lifestyle, genetics, and environmental factors such as sun exposure all play a role here.
2. The Myth
You don’t need to worry about taking a collagen supplement until you’re in your 40s
Debunked:
From early adulthood, collagen production declines by about 1.0%-1.5% a year, which is influenced largely by environmental factors such as pollution, smoking, nutrient deficiencies and sun exposure.
In order to preventatively assist the health of your skin and the appearance of aging, ideally you want to take collagen before you reach this age! For best results, I generally suggest supplementing with collagen in your early twenties as your natural collagen production is beginning to decline.
References:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27020864/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6047276/
3. The Myth
If I use a collagen cream, I don’t need a collagen supplement
Debunked:
Topical collagen creams and oral collagen supplements do very different jobs! Whilst extremely important, the majority of skin care only has the ability to reach the top layer - the epidermis - of the skin. Very few products (such as retinoids) will reach the second layer of the skin, the dermis.
Studies have shown that hydrolysed collagen peptides significantly increase collagen and elastin synthesis by fibroblasts, whilst topical collagen does not have this effect. When collagen is ingested, it enters our digestive system, and then the blood stream, where it can travel to that second layer of the skin, the dermis. From here it is then able to be utilised and deposited as necessary throughout the layers of your skin. This is what gives the physical skin results we are after!
Reference:
https://parjournal.net/article/view/3863#B13
4. The Myth
All collagen supplements are the same
Debunked:
Absolutely not! This would be like saying all supplements in general are the same. Type, sourcing, quality, absorption, and ingredients matter greatly when it comes to anything we are ingesting.
The two main types of collagen are bovine (from cows) and marine (from fish). If we break these collagen types down further, we are able to look at the ‘types’ of collagen each contains. There are 4 types, with type 1 and 3 being the most important for skin health.
The Beauty Food marine collagen contains types I and III, and their bovine collagen (found in the nut butters and cookies) contains types I, II, and III. So, type matters! And so does absorption. For collagen to be absorbed rapidly and effectively, it needs to be a very low molecular weight - with Beauty Food collagen having a very low molecular weight of 2 kilodaltons, meaning that it is highly absorbable.
5. The Myth
When you start taking a collagen supplement, you will see immediate results in your hair, skin & nails
Debunked:
Ahh I wish I could say this was the case! If we combine the lifespan of our skin cells, with the time needed for regular collagen intake to be absorbed, utilised and deposited, we are looking at two to three months with daily supplementation before expecting to see physical results. Many people will see changes earlier or later than this time frame, because of course, our bodies are all very different!
Taking collagen isn’t an overnight skin fix, but the long term benefits of supplementation are certainly worth it in my opinion!
Hope you learnt something valuable from Jaclyn Cave's debunks Beauty Foodies!
