Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body – it makes up approximately one third of the body’s total protein! It’s a component of the connective tissues in body parts such as bones, cartilage, tendons, muscles and of course, your skin! Collagen is formed of an elongated triple-helix fibril consisting of amino acids. It plays a part in many essential functions like wound healing and replacing dead skin cells. It is also responsible, along with elastin and soft keratin, for maintaining skin strength and elasticity. This is why collagen production is so important for preserving healthy-looking skin!

Our collagen levels deplete naturally over time. As we age, we gradually produce less collagen which leads our skin to develop wrinkles and lose its youthful hydration and elasticity. By the age of 40 it is estimated that most people will have lost about 20% of their collagen. This particularly affects women after menopause. Research shows that the average linear decline of skin collagen in women is 2.1% per postmenopausal year for up to 15 years after the menopause. Other factors can cause this natural ageing process to accelerate such as a high sugar consumption and smoking. The UV rays in sunlight also quicken the break down of collagen and appearance of wrinkles. Yet another reason to protect your skin by wearing a minimum of 30 SPF every day!

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and diet is a good way to keep up your collagen levels for as long as possible. Studies have shown that implementing a collagen supplement into your diet has many health benefits, from hydrating your skin to helping with joint pain. Collagen supplements work by stimulating the body’s own collagen synthesis by activating dermal fibroblasts. This triggers an increase in the body’s natural collagen levels through the process of neo-collagenesis. The collagen in supplements is already broken down (hydrolysed) which is why it’s believed to be better absorbed than the collagen found within the animal products we eat. Hydrolysis ensures that the collagen is delivered to the body in small, bioavailable chains called peptides that the body can effectively use.

Here at Sarah Dale Aesthetics, we stock ZENii marine collagen supplements as we believe they offer the best all-round care for healthy hair, skin, nails, joints and bones.

If you’re interested in the science behind collagen supplements, ZENii’s website directs you to an abundance of clinical evidence. We sell two different types of their collagen supplements: Skinfusion, their liquid skin health formula, and ProCollagen+, their premium high strength collagen powder.

Skinfusion is one of their most popular supplements because it delivers a scientific blend of collagen, hyaluronic acid, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. The Vitamin C helps for the synthesis and maintenance of the collagen. Skinfusion contains the three most important skin specific amino acids for the triple helix of collagen: proline, glycine and hydroxyproline. It was voted Best Anti-Ageing Drink 2020 and 2021 in the Healthcare and Pharmaceutical Awards and has quickly become a client favourite here in our clinic. Having it in a liquid format means that it is easy to drink and digest every day – and luckily, it manages to taste alright too!

Procollagen+ is a powder that you can incorporate into your cooking – a perfect addition to a healthy smoothie or juice. You can even sprinkle it over your food. Just as with Skinfusion, the collagen peptides in Procollagen+ are effectively absorbed and utilised by the body. By having only 10g of powder per day you are ensuring your skin enough collagen to fight damage and ageing. Both products are free from GMO’s, gluten, lactose, nuts, eggs and soy.

Whether you prefer the powder or liquid, we believe collagen is a real game-changer in skincare supplements. If you have any further questions, don’t hesitate to mention them to our clinicians during your next treatment, they both use ZENii and would be happy to advise you. At the clinic, many of our medical aesthetic treatments promote collagen production and you would be welcome to a complimentary consultation to discuss your options.

Written by Jessica Moriarty

Sources

“Top 6 Benefits of Taking Collagen Supplements”, Brianna Elliott,  Atli Arnarson

“Collagen — What Is It and What Is It Good For?”, Kerri-Ann Jennings, Cynthia Cobb

“The effect of oral collagen peptide supplementation on skin moisture and the dermal collagen network: evidence from an ex vivo model and randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials” Jérome Asserin, Elian Lati, Toshiaki Shioya, Janne Prawitt

“A Study of the Decrease of Skin Collagen Content, Skin Thickness, and Bone Mass in the Postmenopausal Woman”, M. Brincat, S. Kabalan, J.W.W Studd, C.F Moniz, J. de Trafford and J. Montgomery

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