Collagen is a type of protein. Rubbery, tough and often likened to glue, it is
used in the body to attach and support tendons, bones, muscles, cartilage and
even internal organs. It is also found in the teeth and skin. Within the human
body it is the most abundant protein with more than twenty-eight differing
kinds, making up approximately twenty-five per cent of the entire number of
proteins in the human body.
Out of the twenty-eight kinds of collagen in our bodies, there are four named
types I, II, III, and IV that make up over ninety per cent of them. Type I is
found in skin, tendons, scar tissue and bones and is the most plentiful of all
types of collagen in the body. Type II is found in cartilage and within the
eye, Type III in blood vessels, intestines and the uterus. Type IV is found in
basement membranes and in the kidneys.
The structure of collagen had puzzled scientists for many years. Leading
scientists such as Watson and Crick were known to have toiled with the
structure of collagen and it was not until 1954 that G.N. Ramachandran and
Gopinath Kartha announced its correct and accurate structure, known now as the
‘Madras helix’.
Collagen performs alongside elastin in supporting the body. It gives tissues
structure and shape and supplies strength to them. Major working organs such as
the skeleton, the lungs and even blood vessels use the mixture of collagen and
elastin, and unlike many other proteins, it can be used both within and outside
cells. Thus, Collagen is important for the shape and appearance of a cell along
with the internal workings of it.
One example of this is skin cells. Collagen, in conjunction with keratin,
imparts the strength, flexibility and firmness into the cell. Within the skin,
collagen is produced by cells named fibroblasts, which are found spread all
through the dermis and makes up almost three-fourths of the dry weight of skin.
The ageing process, however, breaks down and slows this process and results in
a changing appearance. Proteins within the skin clasp together and their
contours change. This prevents them from performing correctly and results in a
drop in collagen levels. Wrinkles, age spots and sagging skin are visually
obvious effects of a degradation of collagen within skin cells.
On average, the body loses collagen at a rate of around 1.5 per cent a year
from the age of twenty-five onwards.
However, it is not just aging that is collagen’s only attacker; environmental
dangers such as sunlight, pollution, weather and smoking all cause concern for
skin’s health. These factors produce free radicals that develop in the skin,
which in turn damage the collagen stratum. This progression is more commonly
known as premature ageing, which produces side effects associated with the
expected aging process.
Consequently, one essential objective when attempting to prevent or decelerate
the ageing process of skin is to maintain collagen levels and prevent its
collapse.
In early 2008 Researchers at the University of Michigan embarked upon a study
into anti-aging treatments that focus on replacement and renewal of collagen.
Published in the Archives of Dermatology, their study confirms that some
collagen-enhancing treatments helped to reduce signs of wrinkling due to
stimulating new collagen production within skin cells. The report confirms that
this collagen-enhancing care both helped to decrease visible signs of wrinkling
thanks to its encouragement of new collagen manufacture.
Products such as Col-Pure Collagen capsules offer this collagen-enhancing
experience. After 5 to 10 minutes after taking a capsule the collagen will
enter the blood stream. Most users report an improvement regarding skin texture
and wrinkles within a two month period, but the capsules work on a day to day
basis so the longer you use the capsules, the longer and better the results
will be.
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