Collagen has recently gained popularity due to claims that it can slow the ageing process and keep people looking and feeling young. You've probably seen collagen products in the aisles for makeup, skin care, and vitamins. But what is it, and why does it have so many fans?
Collagen is the most abundant protein in our bodies. It is found in our skin, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Collagen is a multi-amino acid protein composed of glycine, proline, hydroxyproline, and arginine. It is responsible for our skin's strength and flexibility.
As we get older, our bodies naturally make less collagen. This can cause wrinkles, skin that sags, and even pain in the joints. When we see these signs that our bodies aren't making as much collagen, many of us turn to products that contain collagen.
It can also come from the scales of fish or the shells of eggs. It is mostly made from the connective tissue of cows. Marine collagen is made by fish and other sea creatures. Collagen is made from animal waste by taking the connective tissue and grinding it into a fine powder.
After processing, collagen can be found in dietary supplements, lotions, and other cosmetics. It was first used in beauty products. When people saw results from using collagen in beauty products, it became popular as a supplement.
What is vegan collagen?
A vegan collagen is a cruelty-free option. Vegan collagen is still in its early phases of development and is frequently manufactured from a kind of yeast known as Pichia pastoris.
P. pastoris is the most efficient and widely used microorganism for the production of high-quality vegan collagen supplements.
It is hard to find a vegan collagen supplement right now. Most likely, you'll find a vegan collagen booster instead. Most vegan collagen supplements have words like "collagen boost" or "collagen builder" on the label. These boosters and builders have ingredients that help your body make more collagen on its own.Even though vegan supplements that you take by mouth are harder to find, there are a lot of vegan collagen beauty products available. When looking for a vegan product, always check the label and list of ingredients to make sure it has a vegan certification and hasn't been tested on animals.
What is the cause of collagen loss?
Many things can speed up the loss of collagen in our bodies. Ageing causes us to lose collagen, but the environment and how we live our lives can also make us lose collagen.
Ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun damage the skin and, over time, make the skin less able to make collagen. One reason you should always wear sunscreen is because of this.
Collagen has an effect on our bones, too. As we get older, the collagen in our bones becomes less reliable, which makes our bones weaker.
Other lifestyle choices, like smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol, or eating too much added sugar or ultra-processed foods, can hurt collagen production and the body's ability to repair itself.
Collagen Production
Our bodies make collagen on their own. Even though vegans don't need collagen supplements, there doesn't seem to be any reason not to take them. Before adding to or changing your supplement routine, you should always talk to your doctor or nurse.
Increasing the amount of protein you eat may help your body make more collagen. Eating a variety of proteins throughout the day makes sure that your body gets the amino acids it needs to keep making collagen. Healthy adults should try to get at least 0.8 grammes of protein per kilogramme of body weight per day, or 36 grammes of protein per pound.
Consider adding these and other plant-based proteins to your vegan diet to meet your nutritional needs and help your body make collagen naturally:
Tofu
Nuts and Seeds from Quinoa
Legumes, all varieties
Beans, all varieties
Collagen Boosters
Collagen boosters are foods that help your body make more of its own collagen. When added to plant-based proteins, these boosters may help the body make more collagen. Even though more research needs to be done in this area, vitamin C, amino acids, copper, and antioxidants may help vegans build collagen.
Vitamin C
One of the most important things for making collagen is vitamin C. It helps connective tissue repair and heal. 3 It also helps protect cells from damage caused by free radicals because it is a powerful antioxidant. Our bodies cannot make vitamin C, so we must get it from our diet.
Vitamin C is a vitamin that dissolves in water and can be found in many fruits and vegetables. Some good vegan places to get vitamin C are:
Oranges
Peppers
Kale
Broccoli, Kiwi, Strawberries
Amino Acids
Kale
Broccoli, Kiwi, Strawberries
Amino Acids
Collagen can also be made with the help of amino acids from plant-based proteins. Proteins in our bodies are made up of amino acids.
Collagen can't be made without proline, which is an amino acid. Soybeans, cabbage, and mushrooms all have proline in them. Another amino acid that helps the body make collagen is glycine. It can be found in pumpkin seeds, soybeans, and spirulina.
Copper is an important part of collagen because it helps make red blood cells, bones, and the fibres that hold tissues together. It can be found in beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, and dark leafy greens.
Antioxidants are all important for making collagen because they keep your cells healthy and protect them from damage caused by free radicals. Blueberries, goji berries, and acai berries are all good plant-based sources of antioxidants.
How Does Vegan Collagen Function?
Vegan collagen works the same as collagen supplements that aren't made from plants. When you take a vegan collagen supplement, your body absorbs the amino acids and other nutrients. Then, these nutrients go to your skin, where they help make more collagen.
You might feel better if you put collagen on your skin and take a supplement that boosts collagen. It's important to remember that taking supplements and using vegan collagen products won't change the way your skin looks overnight. Like all good things in life, this is a process.
Vegan Collagen in Beauty Products
Vegan collagen is becoming more popular in beauty products like eye creams, overnight creams, and even serums as scientists find ways to make collagen without using animal products. Some of these beauty products may have collagen and collagen boosters that are made from plants. These ingredients help reduce fine lines and wrinkles.
Algae are used to make some vegan beauty products with collagen. Acerola cherries, vitamins C and E, and hyaluronic acid are all found in plant-based collagen boosters.
Collagen from plants is good for your health.
Vegan collagen supplements are still in the early stages of development, but beauty products with vegan collagen are widely available and have many benefits, some of which are the same as their non-vegan counterparts and some of which are unique to vegan collagen. Some of these possible benefits are:
- Skin that looks younger: Because vegan collagen can help reduce wrinkles and make skin more flexible, it may make your skin look younger.
- Wrinkles and fine lines may look less noticeable on your face, neck, and other parts of your body if you use creams that contain vegan collagen.
- Increase skin elasticity: Vegan collagen may make your skin more flexible. This can make the skin feel and look tighter and more firm.
- Boost collagen production: Some of the ingredients in vegan collagen products may help your body make more collagen on its own.
Do We Need Collagen?
Collagen is a key part of how our bodies work. It is the most common protein and a big part of bone, skin, muscles, tendons, and cartilage. As we get older, our bodies make less collagen on their own, and the collagen we do have starts to break down. This can cause wrinkles and fine lines to show up on the skin.
Wrinkles and fine lines are a normal part of getting older. They don't need to be "fixed." But if they bother you, know that collagen can help improve the look of your skin overall, making it look younger.
Collagen from animals is easy to find, but there are a few reasons why people might want to get their collagen from plants instead. People are looking for collagen supplements that don't come from animals, so vegan collagen is becoming more popular.
There are many ways to help your body make more collagen, including through what you eat, how you live, the environment, and collagen products. Fruits and vegetables are important parts of your diet because they help keep your collagen stores safe.
As with any aspect of your health and wellness, you should select the strategy that works best for you.
