Collagen Supplements..?

The idea that swallowing some collagen supplements, derived from cows cartilage, will contribute to the health of your body’s own collagen is, in our opinion, hard to swallow! And yet thousands of people consume collagen and so called ’hydrolyzed’ collagen, as supplements in the belief that it will help them regain a youthful appearance.

With ageing, the body’s natural production of collagen begins to slow down and free radical damage caused by sun exposure and pollution means skin loses its elasticity and becomes more prone to wrinkles.

Collagen supplements are supposed to reverse this natural loss of collagen but it is difficult to see how swallowing some cow collagen could possibly help. For a start, collagen is the most abundant protein in the body and so we already have several kilos of it. So the few milligrams of cow collagen in a supplement is completely irrelevant, particularly since our digestive enzymes will break it down in to a few simple amino acids – as we can’t absorb collagen anyway!

The good news is that you can look after your own collagen by eating plenty of fruit and vegetables, staying out of the sun and by not smoking.

Anthocyanidins
One group of nutrients, found in fruit and vegetables called flavonoids have for a long time been recognised as being important to health. But more recently, a division of the flavonoid family called anthocyanidins have been identified as being particularly important in supporting and repairing collagen-rich structures in the body. In plants, these anthocyanidins are responsible for the pigments that give fruit and berries their fabulous rich colours.

Some evidence suggests that anthocyanidins protect and strengthen collagen and elastin by literally blocking the action of free radicals and destructive enzymes called collagenases known to progressively weaken our collagen as we age. The trouble is most people just don’t eat enough of these foods to have a significant effect.

Colladeen Visage® contains an impressive level of anthocyanidins, one of the highest levels available and it is a convenient, reliable source.

Click to see the Colladeen Visage® product page.