Imagine your body as a house. The walls, the roof, and the structure all need strong cement to stay in place. In your body, collagen is the cement. It is the most widespread protein and makes up about one-third of all proteins in your body.
Collagen maintains your skin smooth, your joints flexible, and your bones strong. It also helps the hair, nails, muscles, and even the protective lining of your stomach.
Collagen is basically everywhere in your body. But, as we age, the body naturally produces less collagen, leading to what’s known as collagen deficiency.
In this blog, we’ll explore collagen deficiency symptoms, why it happens, and how you can keep your collagen level in check. Ready to find out if your body is craving this essential protein? Let’s dive in!
What is Collagen?
Collagen is a protein. It is actually the most common protein present in our body. You can imagine it like a glue that holds everything stuck together.
- It makes up our skin, hair, nails, bones, and joints.
- It keeps our skin smooth and taut.
- It enables our joints to function without pain.
- It gives strength to our teeth and bones.
Our body would have no shape and strength if we didn’t have collagen.
Where Does Collagen Come From?
Our body makes collagen naturally. When we are young, the body makes a lot of it, but as we age, the body makes less collagen. That is why:
- Skin starts to wrinkle.
- Thinning of hair.
- Joints can become stiff or sore.
This is part of the natural ageing process. Food, lifestyle, and supplements can, however, help to support collagen levels.
Collagen Types
There are several types of collagen in the body, but the three significant ones are:
- Type I: Found in skin, bones, and tendons. This type adds strength.
- Type II: Found in cartilage (the soft tissue within the joints). This type helps us move.
- Type III: Was found in skin, muscle, and blood vessels. This type adds structure.
Together, these types help keep our bodies strong, supple, and healthy.
Collagen Deficiency Symptoms
What happens if our body does not make enough collagen? If the body does not make enough collagen, it shows up in several ways often described as symptoms of low collagen.
Since collagen is the main structural protein that supports skin, bones, muscles, joints, and even the gut, its deficiency can lead to visible and internal changes.
The following are the most common collagen deficiency symptoms:
- Joint Pain and Stiffness: Collagen is the padding inside your joints. Without collagen, bones rub against each other, causing pain and stiffness.
- Skin Ageing: Drooping cheeks, wrinkles, fine lines, and loose skin are the biggest signs of low collagen in skin.
- Hair and Nail Problems: Nails are brittle, and they grow more slowly. Hair is weaker and thinner.
- Delayed Healing: Lack of collagen symptoms also include cuts or bruising that take longer to heal since collagen helps repair tissues.
- Digestive Problems: Low collagen levels can make your gut lining thinner and lead to problems like bloating or poor digestion.
- Muscle Weakness: Collagen also keeps muscle fibres firm, so you may feel weakness as time passes.
Cause of Collagen Deficiency
Why does collagen decline? Here are the main causes of collagen deficiency:
- Ageing: After age 25, the production of collagen slowly reduces. The body at age 40 loses up to 25% of its collagen.
- Poor Diet: Insufficient protein, vitamin C, or minerals like zinc and copper inhibit collagen synthesis.
- Sun Exposure: Collagen fibres are destroyed and wrinkles are formed by UV exposure.
- Smoking and Alcohol: Smoking reduces oxygen delivery to the skin, and alcohol dehydrates and damages collagen.
- Stress and Poor Sleep: Stress hormones and lack of sleep prevent your body from synthesising new collagen.
- Health Conditions: Some autoimmune disorders and specific genetic conditions can also decrease collagen.
How to Keep a Healthy Collagen Level
The good news is that you may slow down the signs of collagen deficiency and even stimulate your body to produce more. Here are some simple ways:
- Eat Collagen-Boosting Foods: Bone broth, chicken skin, fish, eggs, greens, and citrus fruits.
- Ensure Adequate Vitamin C: Present in oranges, lemons, kiwis, and bell peppers, vitamin C is essential for collagen formation.
- Use Collagen Supplements: Hydrolysed collagen powder or capsules can enhance skin and joints.
- Protect Your Skin from the Sun: Always apply sunscreen when outside.
- Quit Smoking and Limit Alcohol: These are two huge enemies of collagen.
- Sleep Well: Night is when your body repairs itself and produces collagen.
- Exercise Daily: Boosts blood flow and helps provide collagen’s necessary nutrients.
Final Thoughts
Collagen is the body’s secret glue. Without it, your joints will hurt, you’ll see wrinkles, or your hair and nails will be soft. These are the body’s pleas for help that manifest in the signs of collagen deficiency.
The main causes of decreased collagen include age, diet, sun exposure, and bad habits like smoking and drinking. But the best part is that you control your destiny. Eat well, sleep well, take care of your skin, and supplement if need be.
With adequate amounts of good collagen, you can retard ageing, feel stronger, and maintain healthier skin, hair, and joints. Don’t forget: it’s never too late to nurture your collagen.
