Why Collagen is Called the Fountain of Youth
As the most abundant protein in the human body, collagen plays a crucial role in your health and wellbeing. It is a primary component of the connective tissues that form various body parts and plays a pivotal role in the health of your skin and bones.
Given the role that collagen plays in the maintenance of your body and the fact that it keeps you looking your best, it has led many people to call it ‘the fountain of youth.’ And we have seen a huge boost in the popularity of collagen supplements as a result.
But why exactly is this? And what are the actual benefits of supplementing your diet with collagen? Let’s find out.
It Can Slow the Ageing of Your Skin
When most people think of collagen, they tend to relate it to skin health. This is because it strengthens and binds your skin and even contributes to hydration. But, unfortunately, as you age, your body produces less collagen, which causes your skin to suffer as a result. This is best exemplified by patches of dry skin and wrinkles that appear without warning.
Multiple studies have shown that taking a collagen supplement can hydrate and strengthen your skin as you get older, reducing the effects of aging like wrinkles. As such, collagen supplements are popular with middle-aged and older people, as they can help them to look younger than they actually are.
It Can Improve the Health of Your Heart
As you get older, your susceptibility to heart-related conditions increases. This is due to wear and tear on the heart and various other environmental and hereditary issues that vary from person to person. But when you’re younger, collagen helps strengthen the structure of your arteries and reduces your risk of clots and even heart attacks.
Again, because the body produces less collagen as you age, it’s important to turn to another source to ensure your arteries are strong and that the health of your heart doesn’t suffer as a result.
Add a Collagen Supplement to Your Diet Today
No matter how old you are, collagen is a vital protein that influences the way you function on a daily basis. Unfortunately, as you age, your body produces less collagen, which may cause you to experience a range of medical complications as a result.
And while you can get additional collagen from various food sources, you are best served to add a healthful supplement because collagen peptides help skin and bone. So, as well as contributing to the benefits we introduce above, a collagen supplement can help to make you feel and look younger, which is almost certainly why it’s commonly referred to as the fountain of youth by medical professionals.
It Can Reduce Joint Pain
One of the things you notice most as you age is the aches and pains around your joints. For most of us, it’s an unavoidable part of aging! But supplementing your diet with collagen can reduce the aches and pains that you feel around your joints on a daily basis.
This is because collagen maintains the integrity of your cartilage, which forms a protective rubber around your joints. While a collagen supplement can relieve general aches and pains, it’s also thought that it can improve symptoms of conditions like osteoarthritis.
It’s Likely to Prevent Bone Loss
Another unfortunate and largely unavoidable aspect of getting old is that your bone mass deteriorates. This is because your bones are made of collagen. And weaker and less dense bones can lead to a range of problematic and painful conditions such as osteoporosis.
As you age, your chances of suffering a fall and a subsequent fracture increase. But boosting the density of your bones by taking a collagen supplement is likely to improve the health of your bones and may help you avoid painful fractures as you age.
It May Increase Muscle Mass
Somewhere between 5-10% of your muscle tissue is comprised of collagen. As such, it plays a critical role in the functioning of your muscles. While scientists aren’t as confident about collagen’s role in boosting muscle mass as some of the other benefits already introduced, it certainly won’t harm your muscles!
The Name Says it All
Having gone through all the befits, you can see why collagen is referred to as the fountain of youth. Make it part of your healthy routine, and you will soon reap the rewards for years to come.
