Businessman Bill Gates famously said: “the human body is the most complex system ever created. The more we learn about it, the more appreciation we have about what a rich system it is”. He’s not wrong.
Over the years, science has helped shed light on a great deal of our biology; from the incredible elegance of the human eye to the amazing, microscopic world of our gut biome.
Arguably one of the most important discoveries in the past few decades has been collagen and the crucial role this not-so humble protein plays in virtually every part of the human body.
Although humans have been aware of this remarkable material for thousands of years, it has only come into its own as a wellness and health product relatively recently.
In this blog, we will take a deep dive into collagen, finding out what it is and what it does. We’ll find out when natural production starts to decline, and why collagen supplements have become a beauty, health and wellness buzzword.
What is collagen?
Collagen accounts for roughly one third of all the protein in our body. We produce it naturally, through a combination of amino acids with other vitamins and minerals.
The three main amino acids required for collagen production are:
- hydroxyproline: found in dairy, poultry products, fats and oils
- proline: found in egg whites, dairy, mushrooms, asparagus and cabbage
- glycine: found in protein-rich foods such as pork skin, chicken skin and gelatin
- vitamin C: found in citrus fruits, tomatoes and bell peppers
- zinc: found in meat, shellfish, chickpeas, lentils, beans, dairy, nuts and seeds
- copper: found in organ meats, cashews, sesame seeds, and lentils
Types of Collagen
As well as being our most abundant protein, there have been around 28 different types of collagen discovered to date.
There are five main types of collagen present in the following parts of the body:
Type I
It strengthens skin, bones, ligaments and tendons
Type II
It helps form the flexible cartilage supporting our joints
Type III
This form of collagen is found in internal organs, blood vessels and muscles
Type IV
Is present in some skin layers
Type V
This collagen is found in corneas, our hair and some skin layers
From skin hydration to bolstering connective tissue: what collagen does
When collagen is produced, it forms a triple helix, an incredibly robust structure that provides various parts of our bodies with structure and support.
Collagen makes our bones stronger, it supports the connective tissue in our muscles, and ensures our arteries remain flexible, and helps our blood clot.
The hydration provided by collagen ensures our joints stay supple, our skin has plenty of elasticity and our hair and nails stay healthy.
As if that wasn’t impressive enough, collagen also helps replace dead skin cells, enabling new skin cells to grow, it creates a protective cover for our organs and can help with wound healing.
Natural collagen production
What we eat can help the body produce collagen, and by incorporating as many of the foods below into our diet as possible, we can continue to enjoy its many benefits.
Bone broth
Simmering animal bones and tissue from cows, pigs and deer for an extended time extracts the collagen, which then ends up in the bone broth.
Skin-on fish
Fish with the skin on is a great source of food collagen, not to mention omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D.
Chicken
Chicken, particularly the feet, is a good way to increase the levels of collagen in your diet.
Red meat
Tougher cuts, such as brisket, are full of connective tissue and therefore good sources of collagen. Bear in mind red meat also contains lots of saturated fat.
Fruits and vegetables
You don’t have to slurp endless bowls of bone broth or eat platefuls of meat to get healthy skin and bones when you start to lose collagen.
You can also target fruits and vegetables that are high in vitamin C, zinc and copper, as they are the nutrients required for the different types of collagen production.
They include papaya, citrus fruits, tomatoes, leafy greens, broccoli and cauliflower.
Aloe vera
Not just good for the outside of your skin, low doses of aloe vera can improve skin health from the inside by boosting collagen in the middle layer, known as the dermis.
Incorporating lots of these collagen-rich foods into our diet, as well as not smoking, staying out of the sun and embracing a healthy lifestyle can all help our bodies to produce collagen naturally.
However, from the age of around 25-30 the rate slowly declines, picking up speed as we hit 40. Having less collagen can have significant physical knock-on effects, particularly among people experiencing the peri -menopause and menopause.
Collagen supplements
Happily, science has come to Mother Nature’s rescue, and this natural loss can be offset by taking collagen daily.
The majority of collagen supplements claim to contain the three first main types of collagen, covering most of the naturally occurring collagen in our bodies.
Collagen peptides
Many supplements include collagen peptides: tiny pieces of collagen or hydrolysed or dried collagen. Both are created to be easily absorbed by anyone with a regular collagen intake.
These oral collagen peptides break down into two forms: animal collagen, from cows, pigs and chickens, and marine collagen, which is derived from fish.
A third option is our vegan collagen. It contains VeCollal®, created by using cutting-edge technology to understand the biometric profile of the exact, essential amino acids that create human collagen.
Unlike the collagen found in most collagen supplements from animal and marine sources, which are similar to human collagen, VeCollal® is 100% identical to Type 1 collagen. We’ll tell you how it does that a little later.
Collagen powder, capsules and gummy collagen peptides
Oral collagen powder, capsules and gummy supplementation can contain the same active ingredients found in natural collagen.
However, the amount of collagen peptides found in each will vary due to the different forms of oral supplements.
Our collagen liquid supplement
Our vegan collagen supplement comes in liquid form, making it easy and fuss-free to take daily.
It sends the amino acids necessary to produce collagen directly to the body, side-stepping the digestion process.
Our vegan liquid collagen supplement is flavoured with delicious Japanese Plum, bolstered by selected other ingredients, including:
- Panax ginseng
- Retinol (vitamin A)
- Biotin (vitamin B7)
- Hyaluronic acid (HA)
- Vitamin C
- Niacin (Vitamin B3)
The health benefits of collagen supplements
Many people take a range of dietary supplements every day, and growing numbers are discovering the wide range of health benefits of collagen supplementation.
Improved bone health
Collagen production slows from around the age of 30 and can have a severe, long-term impact on our bone mineral density.
Collagen’s triple helix structure is crucial for healthy bone mineral density. As our collagen levels decrease and our existing collagen breaks down more quickly, a direct consequence can be weaker, brittle bones, particularly in older women.
One of the major health benefits of our vegan liquid supplement is it can help restore lost bone density, create new bone and potentially speed up the healing process.
Strengthening muscle mass and connective tissue
Taking a daily collagen peptide supplement doesn’t just enhance our bone health. It can also help strengthen the connective tissues that are found throughout our body.
A major benefit of this is collagen’s potential to increase muscle mass, something studies have previously reported.
Men who took collagen peptide supplements over 12 weeks were physically stronger, with enhanced muscle tissue compared to those who did not take any oral collagen supplements.
Greater muscle mass reduces the feeling of weakness many people experience as their body’s production of collagen declines. Couple that with an increase in healthy bone mineral density and the benefits are suddenly starting to build.
More supple joints
Collagen is a rich source of the amino acids that are key to the building of joint cartilage.
Even better news for people with osteoarthritis, collagen supplements may help reduce joint pain and improve function, thanks to collagen’s anti-inflammatory properties.
Collagen peptides can help heart health
Alongside less joint pain, another of the significant benefits of collagen to our bodies covers heart health, specifically our arteries and blood vessels.
Collagen loss can cause arteries to become stiff and inflexible, while weakened blood vessels could increase the risk of a heart attack or stroke.
Taking collagen supplements may help minimise both those risks, by ensuring your arteries stay flexible and your blood vessels are strong.
Gut health
The benefits of taking collagen supplementation brings us to its important role in our digestive tract and overall gut health.
The amino acids contained in collagen, particularly glycine and glutamine, are essential for strengthening and rebuilding the digestive tract’s lining.
Studies have also found that taking a daily collagen supplement can be beneficial for people’s gut health, reducing feelings of bloating and improvement in bowel frequency.
Hair, nails and skin hydration
In the same way as collagen supplements support our bones and connective tissues, daily collagen supplementation can also result in visible improvements to our hair, nails and skin.
They are just three reasons why our vegan liquid collagen is so popular with customers.
Collagen’s benefits for hair
Many women experience thinning hair or even hair loss as they get older. Taking our vegan liquid collagen daily can improve your hair’s thickness and quantity, as well as scalp coverage.
Get stronger nails
Many people suffer with weak or brittle nails as the body produces less collagen naturally. They can break more easily and may not grow as quickly.
Taking daily collagen supplements, as well as eating collagen rich foods, can increase the strength of your nails, thanks to collagen’s hydrating ability.
Boost skin moisture
One of the biggest consequences of decreased natural collagen is a drop in skin elasticity, leading to fine lines, wrinkles and, in some cases, sagging skin.
In the same way that it supports an increase in muscle mass, collagen has also been shown to improve skin elasticity.
In addition, the increased hydration from daily collagen supplementation plumps the skin and can help reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
Is there a downside to collagen supplements?
While they are not recommended if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, adverse side effects from taking collagen daily are very rare.
That said, many collagen supplements are made using animal collagen or marine collagen. Neither are regarded as sustainable industries, with reports of links to deforestation and unethical practices.
In addition, some of the conditions in which animals and fish, used for some collagen powders and collagen pills, are kept are far from ideal.
That’s why we chose the plant-based, sustainable option.
Our award-winning, vegan liquid collagen supplement
Unlike many other oral collagen supplements, ours does not contain any animal ingredients.
It is also gluten and soy-free, providing all the benefits of oral collagen supplementation, from enhanced skin elasticity and muscle mass, to reduced joint pain.
It’s more convenient to take than a collagen powder, thanks to the handy sachet and, best of all, it works in the same way as the natural collagen found in our bodies.
Our VeCollal® formula uses plant extracts that contain the exactly the same essential amino acids found in the production of human collagen. They include:
- Vitamin C
- Asiaticoside (extracted from the herb Centella Asiatica)
- Panax ginseng
Each 30ml sachet contains 25 grams of our unique VeCollal® amino acid blend, as well as 30 grams of soluble fibre and 0.3 grams of sugar and carbohydrates.
Feel the benefits of our vegan liquid supplement
Our vegan liquid collagen supplement can help improve skin hydration and overall skin health.
A regular collagen intake can promote healthy collagen production in the body, supporting the production of muscle proteins that help boost muscle mass and bone density.
Supplementing collagen daily can also help ease joint pain, lead to a significant reduction in blood pressure and - potentially, though more research is needed - help reduce fat.
All this for a daily price that is less than a take-out coffee!
Order your vegan liquid collagen supplement today
There’s no time like the present to start seeing and feeling the benefits of our vegan liquid collagen supplement.
We have a choice of offers, including our 28 day subscription. Sign up for this and you will receive 28 sachets of our liquid vegan collagen supplement every four weeks.
Plus, it includes a FREE Arella Rise, Energise and Dream bundle worth £49.
Find all the details here.
Questions or queries? Get in touch
If you want to ask us anything about our vegan liquid collagen supplement, or any of the other products in the Arella range that aren’t covered by our FAQs, drop us a line.
You can email us at info@arella-beauty.co.uk, telephone 03303 209 190, or fill in this contact form and we’ll get back to you straight away.
