April 15, 2020

Collagen for Skin Health

Overview

Collagen supplements can be used for a variety of issues, and can give you many health benefits. They can be used to relieve joint pain, improve nail growth, strengthen hair, strengthen bones, and support connective tissue health. Their most common and popular use is for skin health. From skin conditions like acne, to skin aging, sagging skin, fine lines, improvement of skin elasticity and skin hydration, there's a lot collagen can do for your skin! Collagen is a protein (the most abundant protein in our body) made of amino acids. These amino acids act as building blocks in the body. Our natural collagen production decreases as we age, by roughly 1% each year once we reach our 20's. This is why it's important to maintain your collagen levels through collagen-rich foods and collagen supplements. Thankfully, there are a lot of options for this dietary supplement. Some options include collagen peptides, hydrolyzed collagen, collagen powder, collagen protein, liquid collagen, collagen pills, and more. With all of these options, it's likely you'll find one that works for you and gives you the results you are looking for. As we mentioned, collagen can help your entire body. Healthy skin is the most common use for collagen supplementation, so read on to learn more about how to use collagen for skin health!

What type of collagen is best for skin?

So many people feel like they need to turn to beauty products and makeup when they are unhappy with their skin. While these things can be nice confidence boosters, it's better to address the real issues. That way, you can have clear, healthy skin everyday. Many skin issues are related to your gut health. Bone broth can help heal the gut, and provides a large amount of natural collagen. The benefits of collagen help to beautify you from the inside out. For collagen supplements, you want to make sure it's as clean as possible. This means no additives or flavorings. You also want to make sure the product is non-gmo or organic to ensure the highest quality. Otherwise, it may contain additives that could hinder the benefits of collagen. Try and get an unflavored supplement, as flavored ones tend to have sugar. Sugar actually plays a large role in deteriorating collagen. Marine collagen is also typically the go-to for beauty and skin. It has the greatest bioavailability of all collagen types, which means it absorbs 1.5 times faster. It is derived from fish scales (skin) making it suitable for skin concerns. It's also important to make sure your collagen is hydrolyzed. This means that it is broken down into tiny particles that are easy to digest, whereas non-hydrolyzed tends to have molecules that are too big to break down in your stomach. When this happens, you don't absorb the collagen, and therefore don't get any benefits.

How much collagen should I take daily?

One of the great things about collagen is that it's easy to take daily because there are so many ways to take it. You can add it to your smoothies, or get it naturally in foods like bone broth, meat, and seafood. You can also try our Kalumi BEAUTYfood bars, which contain 12 grams of hydrolyzed marine collagen, 15 grams of protein, and superfoods that help to promote natural collagen production. Vitamin A from sweet potatoes helps to strengthen the skin and promote the beauty-boosting effects of collagen. Plus, our bars make it easy to grab and go, without the mess and hassle of pills and powders. The typical recommended daily amount is 12 grams of collagen. However, this can vary depending on your body type and your goals when taking collagen. For example, someone who is mildly active and has a regular body type would likely find 12 grams of collagen to be sufficient. On the other hand, if you are extremely active and looking to build muscle, you would probably want to take somewhere between 15 and 20 grams, if not more. Again, it really depends on your goals. For daily maintenance, 12 grams is perfect for glowing skin and keeping you healthy. For issues like improving joint health and connective tissues, you'll likely need more than 12 grams in order to see results. You need to see what works for you. Start by taking the recommended daily amount, and go up or down from there depending on how well that amount works. Collagen is a natural, safe supplement, with no known side effects. Always ask your doctor if you are unsure of how much to take, but you should be perfectly fine taking larger amounts each day if that's what helps you.

What can collagen can do to your skin?

Collagen can help to transform your skin. From acne to dryness to a lack of glow, there's a lot collagen can improve. Since healthy skin begins on the inside, collagen supplements help to heal internal issues that reflect in external issues. Collagen and elastin are the essential components of glowing, plump skin. When these start to decrease, you begin to see wrinkles and fine lines, as well as sagging. Increasing your collagen intake can help to remedy these issues. Collagen has also been known to help heal your gut lining. As we mentioned, many skin issues are a result of having an unhealthy gut. This is why collagen can help to address issues like acne, once the gut is healed. Because collagen is responsible for keeping skin plump and firm, taking it as a supplement can help once you start to see wrinkles and other signs of aging.

Does collagen brighten skin?

Collagen works more to repair issues that are underlying with skin. For example, it can help to improve the plumpness of skin. It can help to give you glowing skin by resolving skin issues such as acne. For brightening your skin, your diet is important, but this is where your skincare really comes into play. There are three key products for improving the brightness of your skin: vitamin c, hyaluronic acid (or moisturizer), and retinol. Vitamin C helps with dark spots and dullness, and retinol is scientifically proven to improve dark spots, scarring, and improve cell turnover. When your skin works to shed dead skin and renew the surface level skin, the skin appears brighter and glowier. Dead skin is often why your skin may look lackluster and dull. Achieving brighter, glowing skin requires a combination of a clean diet and an excellent skincare regimen, as well as visits to the dermatologist when necessary. Taking a collagen supplement can certainly help, as it does work to help you achieve glowing skin. However, skincare is really your best bet to target specific brightening issues.