RP218 The Great Connector Collagen

 RP218 The Great Connector: Collagen

browse the beauty aisle of a pharmacy and you' ll see it on every other lotion or potion bottle: collagen. There are collagen pills and collagen creams. Doctors give collagen injections. What is collagen, and why is it everywhere?

Collagen is a kind of protein found in animals. We' re full of it. It makes up 25 percent or more of the protein in our bodies. It's in our muscles, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, bones, corneas, blood vessels, teeth, and especially skin. Our skin, without its water, is about 80 percent collagen.

Collagen is extremely strong and usually fibrous, meaning it forms long, thin, stringy shapes. Collagen, therefore, is crucial to our bodies' connections. It provides much of the structure of our bodies, linking organs, muscles, and bones. Its flexibility helps our bodies move and stretch.

It's the collagen in our skin that's in the news nowadays. Collagen (with elastin, another protein) is what makes our skin firm, tight, and elastic. It provides our skin's structure and flexibility. As we age, collagen production slows, and the collagen in our skin starts to break down. Skin gets looser. Wrinkles appear. Skin is slower to move back into place after it's pulled away.

So collagen has become a cosmetic superstar. When injected into the skin, it plumps the skin up, reducing wrinkles. Bottles of collagen pills say they do the same thing. This is debatable because the pills are broken down in the stomach. Many skin creams contain collagen, but as skin doesn't seem to absorb collagen, they may not work either.

You can boost your collagen production. Some vitamins seem to promote it when used in creams. The vitamins can be absorbed through the skin. They then promote collagen production or slow its destruction. Eating well also helps. Eat fruits and vegetables while avoiding fats and toxins and your skin will thank you.