Collagen Supplementation: An Overview

Collagen comes in many forms (at least 28!), and it is incorporated into nearly all of our body’s tissues. In fact, over 30% of all the body’s proteins are in the form of collagen. Unbeknownst to most people, collagen is the most abundant protein in the body. Where we really come to care about collagen is in our skin, hair, bones, cartilage, and joints. However, as we age, our bodies produce less and less collagen, leading to undesirable wrinkles, dry skin, aching joints, and brittle bones.

Differences in Skin with Sufficient or Insufficient Collagen.

Collagen, like other proteins, is made up of amino acids, which are the building blocks of skin, tendons, muscles, and most other essential bodily structures. A key feature of collagen’s amino acid composition is a high concentration of the anti-aging amino acid, glycine, which has recently demonstrated robust effects in the prevention of aging (1). What is truly unique about collagen is its triple helical structure, just like a braid of hair or a steel cable; it is strong but elastic, firm yet pliable. As you can see, these are the properties that make collagen so vital for maintaining healthy joints and youthful skin.

Taking a collagen supplement has been shown to effectively combat declining collagen levels, as well as maintain and improve already healthy skin and joints. Much of the damage incurred on skin comes from radiation exposure, in other words, sunlight. Pyun et al. (2) found collagen supplementation to greatly improve skin hydration, elasticity, and color after exposure to sunlight. Kim and colleagues (3) concluded that collagen supplementation “is not only an anti-wrinkling agent but also a potent candidate as a [skin] moisturizer.” Collagen has also demonstrated significant improvements in joint discomfort in both those who are young and active (4) as well as the general population (5). Finally, collagen supplementation has been shown to inhibit the deterioration of bone health in aging individuals (6). If we haven’t shown you enough, let’s take a few extra steps.

Collagen: The Science

As stated, collagen is a triple helix structure. It consists of 3 polypeptide chains, or “many amino-acid” chains, all wrapped around one another. Every third amino acid is glycine, while the other two spaces are most often filled by prolines or lysines. Glycine, due to its small size, provides a degree of flexibility and elasticity, while proline and/or lysine, the larger amino acids, deliver rigidity and strength. Each triple helix collagen structure aligns itself next to another, conjoined by a proteoglycan (a protein bound to carbohydrate molecules), until a small fibril is formed. This fibril may stand alone, or, in the case of thicker tissues such as tendons or ligaments, many more collagen fibrils intertwine to form a fiber, similar to that of a steel cable in design.

The amino acid sequence and form of collagen.

In the amino acid sequence, GLY indicates a glycine, while PRO and HYP indicate other amino acids, in this case, proline and hydroxyproline (a proline with an extra oxygen and hydrogen atom).

Another important player to consider when it comes to bodily tissues is hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid has a less complex structure than collagen – it is a straight line of glucosamine and galactosamine, two sugar-amino acid compounds. Hyaluronic acid is very concentrated in “wet” areas of the body, such as the skin, synovial fluid (joint lubricant), cartilage, and bone (the bone marrow houses and makes all the important immune cells that make up our blood system, so it is in fact very “wet!”). Its pivotal role in these wet areas of the body makes hyaluronic acid a very important component for improving joint, skin, and bone health.

Collagen and hyaluronic acid are intimately related and overlap in their function; hyaluronic acid is actually “stored” within collagen. Each fiber (such as a tendon) in our body is made up of thousands of collagen chains, which are held together by proteoglycans. This structure is made up of hyaluronic acids. Therefore, hyaluronic acid and collagen are the building blocks that build the tissues and sinews that hold our body together.

Collagen Fibrils Conjoining with the Help of a Proteoglycan.

For an example of the intimate relationship between collagen and hyaluronic acid in our body, let us consider the knee. There is collagen surrounding the end of the femur (thigh bone) and tibia (shin bone) in the form of an articular cartilage. Articular cartilage is the type of cartilage that comes into contact with another cartilage in a joint. Hyaluronic acid keeps the cartilage malleable, so that it serves to protect the joint from damage due to friction between the weight-bearing bones. It is also present in the synovial fluid, which reduces the friction by providing lubrication within the joint space. Collagen is also found in the ligaments (connecting bone to bone) and tendons (anchoring muscle to bone) surrounding the knee, as well as in the joint capsule (connective tissue surrounding the entire knee joint), which keeps synovial fluid inside the joint. Of course, collagen is also present in the femur and tibia themselves, providing over 90% of the bones total protein (7).

We derive collagen powder from animal collagen, from cow hide, fish or chicken. Multiple studies have shown consumption of collagen powder can improve the conditions of skin, bone, hair and joints. More specifically, collagen powder intake can improve the turgor of the skin, decreasing the dryness and wrinkles seen in skin. Collagen powders, like Radiance with a complex matrix of collagen peptides have shown to also provide improvement to overall joint health.

Collagen has a well-established market within the female-targeted, multi-billion-dollar beauty industry. However, is there a market niche for collagen targeting men? Men also suffer from dry skin, wrinkles and joint issues; would they not benefit from the skin and joint improvements? Most supplements geared towards men are for the sole purpose of building lean body mass and building more muscles. And there seems to be a large void in the health and supplement industry that targets skin and joint benefits for men. We need to encourage the men to be taking in collagen, as their joints can wear down and their skin can lose elasticity over the years, no less than women.

Collagen powders contain a mix of multiple types of collagen: types I, II, III, V, X. Type I collagen is the most abundant protein found in humans (and in all vertebrates). It is the strongest type of collagen, the building blocks of the skin. If you're looking for a collagen for supporting skin health, type I is a must. Type II collagen is the major collagen found in cartilage, important for the connective tissue around the joints. Type III is a major component of our skin and organs and is often found in the same locations as type I. Type V is one of the minor collagen components, forming interstitial collagen fibers. Type V collagen co-exists with type II collagen in joint cartilage, while supporting healthy collagen fibers of type II collagen. Type V collagen also functions to create the cells of a pregnant women's placenta, which is literally the start of life. Type X is present in normal joint cartilage and is known as the “network-forming collagen.”

Breaking down the collagen powder by types, one can see how collagen can be beneficial to the overall health of skin, hair and joints. In all honesty, most men would admit that they desire younger-looking skin and healthy-appearing hair. And as these men also focus on building muscles, we need to remember to adequately support the connective tissues and the cartilage in the joints that connect the muscles. This will prevent injury while lifting weights and will allow more stability and greater range of motion as men take on more active sports with their aging bodies.

Most of the men’s supplement shelves are taken up by muscle building supplements, such as aminos and protein powders. However, it is time that more attention is given to men building healthier joints and skin by ingesting literally the building fibers of the joints and skin. So, the next time you are thinking of adding a new supplement to your shelf, reach for a collagen powder product and build a stronger and younger you.