Did you know that healthy skin begins on the inside? Products you apply to your skin can help improve its appearance. However, the structure and optimal function of the largest organ in your body depends on the appropriate nutrients, such as collagen, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals.
Your skin is the first thing people see when they look at you. So, taking proper care of it is essential to look your best when you step out into the world. But unfortunately, we don’t keep the baby-smooth skin with which we are born. Instead, it changes as we age, losing firmness and elasticity, which causes wrinkles and sagging.
How do you slow down your skin’s aging process? Since 80% of your skin is collagen and collagen production slows as you get older, especially after menopause, collagen peptides are the key to improving skin health. Research shows they delay the signs of aging by improving the elasticity and firmness of the skin to slow the formation of wrinkles.
The structure of healthy skin
Your skin keeps your blood and organs inside you and everything else out. So how is it made to perform these functions? It consists of three layers: the epidermis, dermis and hypodermis. The structure and function of each layer are unique (1).
- The epidermis is the outermost layer of skin made chiefly of cells called keratinocytes. There are seven distinct layers of these cells within the epidermis determined by their state of maturation. They migrate towards the skin’s surface as they develop and undergo changes in structure and function. The primary function of the epidermis is protection from the sun, pathogens and chemicals. It is also responsible for skin colour and for keeping the skin hydrated (2).
- The dermis is the layer of skin we are most interested in as it forms the foundation to which the epidermis is attached. It only has two layers which are not as distinct as the seven layers of the epidermis. Collagen is responsible for the structure of both layers and is more concentrated in the lower one. The dermis functions include support for the epidermis, feeling sensations, producing sweat, oil production to keep the skin moist, and producing hair (3).
- The hypodermis, the final layer of the skin, is where you find your adipose, or fat, tissue. Its functions include keeping you warm, protecting your body from harm, storing energy and connecting your skin to your muscles and bones.
As simple as the skin appears on the surface, it is a complex organ that needs nurturing as much as any other part of your body. And it’s not just for appearances. Your skin reflects the state of health of the rest of your body.
The causes of skin aging
The familiar signs of aging on the skin are the result of both internal and external factors. Because your skin forms a barrier between your body and the environment, everything it is exposed to, the natural aging process, and your genes influence its structure and function (4). And, therefore, your appearance.
The physical signs of skin aging include:
- Wrinkles
- Sagging
- Changes in pigmentation
- Spider veins
Wrinkles and sagging skin occur as part of the natural aging process. It also loses moisture and becomes progressively drier. Additionally, from the age of thirty, the collagen-producing cells, the fibroblasts, start slowing down and don’t produce as much collagen as they did when you were younger. For women, this decline in fibroblast function increases after menopause (5).
The result of less collagen production is a softening of the dermal layers of the skin, the part that provides the structure. With reduced amounts of collagen in the basal layer, the epidermis starts to become thinner, and there is less contact between the top layers of skin and the lower layers. Consequently, the supply of nutrients to the epidermis diminishes, and the skin’s ability to hold on to water also decreases.
Not only does what is going on inside your body affect your skin’s appearance. Environmental factors also have an impact on collagen production in your skin. For example, sun exposure accounts for up to 80% of facial skin aging (6). But, it is not only the sun you need to be wary of. Air pollution, smoking, dietary choices, lack of sleep, a sedentary lifestyle, and the products you use on your skin can also contribute to wrinkles and sagging skin (7).
What is collagen?
It is clear that collagen is crucial for healthy skin, but what is it? Simply, collagen is a type of protein used to make connective tissues throughout the body, including the skin, bone, muscles, tendons, and cartilage. It has a fibre-like structure with the ability to stretch, which makes these tissues strong and resilient (8).
Collagen is found naturally in foods such as meat, fish, and poultry - the flesh of animals. So, making broth from the tougher cuts of meat which contain a lot of connective tissue, can be a great source of collagen. However, your body can also produce this collagen from other proteins in your diet.
Do collagen peptides boost skin health?
Collagen supplements have become increasingly popular in the last decade. Most of them contain hydrolysed collagen, or collagen broken down into smaller parts called peptides, to make them easier to absorb and use in the body. Let’s look at two research studies showing these supplements to be beneficial for skin health.
Study #1: Oral intake of specific bioactive collagen peptides reduces skin wrinkles and increases dermal matrix synthesis
To examine the effects of collagen peptide supplementation on wrinkles, researchers recruited 114 healthy female participants for a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. They were split into two groups of 57 participants each and were randomly assigned either 2.5g of collagen peptide supplement per day or a placebo for eight weeks. They recorded a statistically significant reduction in wrinkles after four and eight weeks in the participants who were given the collagen peptide supplement (9).
The researchers examined the physical appearance of wrinkles and took biopsies to see whether there were any changes to the skin’s structure. They found a higher content of collagen and other fibres related to collagen in the dermal layer of the skin in participants who had been given the collagen peptide supplement.
Study #2: Oral supplementation of specific collagen peptides has beneficial effects on human skin physiology: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study
In another double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 69 healthy female participants were split into three groups. One group was given 2.5g of a hydrolysed collagen supplement, the second group was assigned 5g of the hydrolysed collagen supplement, and the third group was given a placebo once daily for eight weeks. The researchers measured skin elasticity, skin moisture, transepidermal water loss and skin roughness at four and eight weeks, and skin elasticity four weeks after the last dose of the collagen peptide supplement (10).
The results showed a statistically significant increase in skin elasticity for all the participants taking the supplement, but the most important difference was observed in the older women. Although the results for the other skin health parameters were also evident, they were not statistically significant.
Based on evidence like this, a collagen peptide supplement can help you slow the effects of natural and environment-related skin aging.
The benefits of using collagen peptides for skin health are visible
Nourishing your skin from the inside can slow down the natural aging process, resulting in wrinkles and sagging skin. However, when you use collagen peptides in combination with a healthy diet and lifestyle, you may be able to boost your skin’s health, improving its structure and function.
Research shows that collagen peptides are effective in helping your body restore and maintain the collagen in the dermal layer of your skin. When your epidermis, or top layer of skin, is attached to a firmer foundation, or dermal layer, it continues to offer the support your skin enjoyed in your younger years. The result is a reduction in visible wrinkles and a smoother appearance.
