What is collagen? Collagen is the main structural protein of connective tissue, making up 30% of all total human body proteins. Widely used for medical purposes such as burn surgery, cosmetic surgery, and dermatological procedures, collagen use has many natural health benefits. Unfortunately, at age 18, collagen production decreases 1% annually, so many people take collagen supplements to counteract this issue.
Some of the best natural health benefits of collagen are the benefits to the skin. The largest organ of the human body, skin naturally stretches to allow for movement, but as we age, the elasticity of the skin decreases approximately 0.55% every year. Because collagen is proven to improve the health of fingernails, hair, and skin, many people use natural collagen cream to moisturize the skin. Collagen face creams also prevent and reverse signs of aging, such as wrinkles, crows feet, and smile lines, as well as increasing skin firmness and tightness.
Collagen isn’t just used for cosmetic purposes. When used to prepare a wound dressing, collagen attracts new skin cells to the injury and promotes faster healing. Collagen wound dressings work best on second-degree burns, necrotic wounds, chronic non-healing wounds, and skin grafts. Collagen tissue grafts are used in arterial reconstruction, vascular prostheses, and peripheral nerve regeneration. Collagen supplements may also be beneficial to those suffering from osteoarthritis, offering a certain degree of pain reduction.
With all of the natural health benefits of collagen, it makes sense that people would want to preserve and improve the levels of collagen production in the body. To keep collagen levels healthy, it is best to eat foods with high levels of amino acids, such as meat, cheese, fish, and milk. Other nutrients, such as Vitamin C and copper may also assist the production of collagen. Avoiding activities that break down collagen, such as smoking, high sugar consumption, and prolonged exposure to sunlight will also help collagen levels remain at a healthy level.
