Mistakes when using collagen

Collagen is a special type of protein that helps maintain and preserve connective tissues, such as tendons, cartilage, and ligaments.

It's not a matter of eating whatever is lacking.

Because collagen plays such a crucial role in the body, a deficiency of this substance can be a serious health problem. Some genetic diseases cause collagen deficiency, such as osteogenesis imperfecta (brittle bone disease). In this condition, collagen levels are severely reduced. Naturally, on average, a person loses about 30% of their total collagen by the age of 40.

As skin ages, collagen levels decrease, leading to wrinkles. Pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food companies recognized this and launched a wide range of collagen-containing products. This is why collagen has suddenly become popular, from dietary supplements to cosmetics. It's believed that the best way to address collagen deficiency due to age is to "replenish" collagen from external sources. Manufacturers produce collagen supplements in various forms, such as drinks, pills, and creams.

Some people simply think that drinking more collagen will help the body produce more collagen. This is incorrect because our bodies have many different forms of collagen, each performing a different function. There are at least 11 types of collagen, five of which are more important than others. For example, collagen I is a type of collagen that supports the structure of skin, tendons, capillaries, blood vessels, bones, and organs.

Collagen IV also plays an important role in skin structure. Although collagen is very important for the body, there is no scientific evidence to determine whether drinking collagen drinks or eating collagen-rich foods will make you look younger by increasing your collagen intake.

How to properly boost collagen

Scientists believe that collagen is only effective when our bodies synthesize it naturally. We can "boost" the collagen in our bodies by eating foods that help the body synthesize collagen.

As for foods and drinks containing collagen, after entering the digestive system, they are mixed, broken down, and transformed into amino acids by digestive juices. The collagen is no longer intact as it was before digestion and does not integrate with the body's existing collagen.

Not to mention that some people may experience food allergies after drinking collagen beverages if they are prone to allergies, as most collagen supplements are isolated from cows, chickens, etc., which are very likely to cause allergic reactions.

Regarding cosmetics containing collagen, do they really work? Researchers suggest that the molecular structure of collagen is too large to easily penetrate the skin and exert its effects.

Many people are so eager to supplement collagen that they ask doctors to inject it directly into their bodies. This can be harmful as it can cause allergic reactions such as vomiting, fever, itching, redness, peeling skin, or pain at the injection site. In some serious cases, it can lead to urinary tract infections or blood in the urine. In Australia, collagen supplementation requires medical consultation and treatment; it cannot be self-administered.

According to plo.vn