Nature's Beauty: Collagen

AN ESSENTIAL PROTEIN FOR OUR BODY: COLLAGEN

We have been hearing the word "collagen" quite frequently lately... But what makes collagen so popular? What is collagen? And what does it do? Collagen is the structure found between cells in our body that holds them together. The most important function of collagen, found in skin and muscle cells, is to strengthen connective tissue and maintain body integrity, while providing structural support to bone, cartilage and muscle tissue. Many of us think that collagen is only related to our skin and is beneficial against signs of aging. Collagen gives skin brightness and elasticity while also holding tendons, joints and organs together. From the moment we open our eyes to the world until our life ends, our body produces collagen on its own. When we reach our mid-20s, the rate of collagen production begins to decrease, and by our mid-30s, this rate drops significantly. The signs of collagen deficiency are most noticeable on our skin. When our skin becomes dull, loses its firmness and begins to sag, and wrinkles start to increase, signals begin to arrive that something is not right in our body! Of course, it does not stop there—joint pain and deterioration in teeth and nails also begin to occur.

Collagen Is Not a Single Type

There are at least 16 known types of collagen, but Types 1, 2, 3, 5 and 10 make up 80–90% of the collagen in our body. Type 1 is the most abundant type of collagen in the human body and its effects are strongly felt in the skin and joints. While supporting bones, it also holds tissues together. Type 2 contributes to cartilage formation and supports joint health. Type 3 forms the heart blood vessels and blood tissue while also providing firmness to the skin. Type 5 is responsible for the placenta; during pregnancy, it forms the surface of the developing organ that provides oxygen and nutrients to the baby and removes waste. Type 10 plays an important role in bone formation and heals bone fractures and repairs synovial joints.

How to Obtain Collagen Naturally?

There are many nutrients from which we can obtain collagen naturally. Among these, bone broth is the most well-known among the public. Important substances found in bone broth such as glycine, proline and arginine are natural and effective sources of collagen for the human body. However, an important point to note here is that if you have heart disease and high cholesterol, you should be careful about bone broth consumption. We can increase our collagen support by consuming egg whites. When consumed together with the yolk, we get both collagen and high amounts of protein into our body. By consuming green leafy vegetables such as purslane, spinach, arugula and parsley, we also obtain collagen naturally. A small reminder: We need to pay attention to consuming adequate amounts of vitamin C along with collagen. For this reason, we can support collagen production by also consuming citrus fruits. There is another important reason why garlic, which is a cure for all ailments, should be in our nutrition routine: sulfur! Garlic contains sulfur in abundance, which is another important element that supports collagen production.

Super Food or a Miracle from the Sea: Seaweed

It may sound interesting, but seaweed will also support your body's collagen production. Spirulina, a type of seaweed, is sold in dried form and can be added to fruit juices for consumption.   Prepared by: Çağla Köksal References https://www.vitaminler.com/bilgi-bankasi/kolajen-nedir-ne-ise-yarar https://www.sabah.com.tr/galeri/saglik/kolajen-iceren-besinler-nelerdir-iste-kolajen-iceren-super-besinler/9 https://www.medikalakademi.com.tr/kolajen-nedir-faydalari-nelerdir-hangi-gidalarda-bulunur/