What Is Collagen: Properties and Benefits

Melanie Ramos 3 min. of reading Joint Health Leave a comment

Would you like to discover how collagen and its cofactors contribute to the care of your skin and the maintenance of your bones and joints? In this article, we take a closer look at the structure of this essential protein and how to effectively incorporate it into a healthy lifestyle.

Collagen is an essential structural protein that provides support to our body, giving cohesion and strength to different tissues. As the most abundant protein in the human body, it is found in the skin, cartilage, joints, blood vessels and connective tissue.

Collagen accounts for between 25% and 35% of the body’s total protein content, playing a key role in the structure of the extracellular matrix.

Looking to supplement your diet? Below, we explain its characteristics, the most common types and how to choose the option that best suits your goals.

Properties of Hydrolysed Collagen in Nutrition

As we age, endogenous collagen production tends to decrease. Including hydrolysed collagen (obtained through a process that breaks the protein down into smaller peptides to facilitate digestion) provides key amino acids such as glycine and proline as part of a balanced diet:

1. Skin Care and Appearance

Skin structure: Provides essential nutrients for the skin matrix. Combined with Vitamin C, it contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of the skin.
Firmness and body care: An adequate protein intake helps maintain the quality of the connective tissues that support the dermis.
Amino acid supply for hair and nails: Provides the protein building blocks naturally found in the keratin of nails and hair.

2. Musculoskeletal System and Active Lifestyle

Cartilage maintenance: Together with Vitamin C, it contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of joint cartilage.
Bone support: It forms part of the structure on which minerals are deposited in bone, contributing to the maintenance of normal bones when combined with nutrients such as Magnesium and Vitamin D.
Muscle nutrition: Provides amino acids that contribute to the maintenance of muscle mass as part of a sports routine.

3. General Wellbeing

Connective tissue and blood vessels: It forms part of the structure of blood vessel walls and mucous membranes, supporting their normal integrity.
Oral health: Supports the structure of periodontal tissue and gums in combination with essential micronutrients.

Types of Collagen

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Although there are several types of collagen in the body, the following are particularly relevant in the field of nutrition:

Type I: Predominantly found in the skin, tendons and bones.
Type II: Mainly found in articular cartilage. It is the preferred option in formulas aimed at athletes.
Type III: Found in blood vessels and connective tissues.

For convenient consumption, it is recommended to opt for hydrolysed collagen peptides, which are prepared to facilitate rapid dissolution and easy digestion.

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