Jerusalem Post

ByDR. MAYA ROSMAN

Recently, more food products are being enriched with collagen. Dr. Maya Rosman explains why it won’t improve your skin’s appearance – and how to actually get collagen from food.

Precisely toward winter, it is important to talk about our skin, because perhaps a bit contrary to logic, in winter the skin tends to dry out more and sometimes even peel.
The gimmick of supplements that supposedly help the appearance of the skin has been with us for years, and although it involves high financial cost, there are those who continue to use and buy them. The most prominent among them is collagen.
The marketing of collagen, as a supplement on its own, or inside yogurt / bread / other products, as a factor that improves the skin – is simply a huge and regrettable deception.

So this time I want to elaborate on this, and explain a bit about other important factors that should be paid attention to during this period.

What is collagen?
Collagen is the protein of the body's connective tissue, and it is the most common protein in our body. It constitutes 30% of the weight of the skin, and 80% of the proteins that make up the facial skin are collagen.
So it is indeed very important, but the important detail that tends to be withheld from us is that the body produces collagen according to the amount it needs. Starting at age 30, there is a decrease in the amount of collagen produced in the body, a natural process that occurs over time.

And another very important detail to remember: The amount the body produces is not dependent on supplements. The amount of collagen the body produces can be harmed if the diet is extremely lacking in protein, and also by other nutritional factors such as deficiencies in vitamins C or E and also in zinc.
So why is collagen still important in preventing wrinkles? Collagen is usually combined with another protein called elastin, which gives the skin and tissues their elasticity. When there is a decrease in collagen, the skin loses its volume, which leads to the formation of wrinkles.

What is needed for the body to produce collagen in adequate amounts?
Here is the important part: If you want the body to produce enough collagen, then you need to pay attention mainly to two main nutritional factors that affect the body’s ability to produce collagen, and they are:
1. Protein – collagen is a very simple protein, and the body can easily produce it from other proteins we consume in our food. If the diet is not correct and proteins are lacking, this may impair the body’s ability to produce collagen.
The main necessary proteins are called glycine and proline – and they are found in large quantities in most of the “regular” proteins in our diet.
2. Vitamin C – a lack of vitamin C can lead to a decrease in collagen production. Vitamin C is essential to the collagen synthesis process, and if you don’t consume enough fresh vegetables, skin damage may occur. Studies conducted in the past concluded that this is the most important vitamin, and that vitamin C has a critical role in collagen synthesis, because it acts as a cofactor for the enzymes responsible for producing collagen.
To eat a diet that supports collagen production, it is important to combine foods that provide the proteins and amino acids needed, as well as the essential nutrients mentioned.
• Beef contains essential amino acids for collagen production.
• Chicken contains protein and glycine, very important for collagen production.
• Fatty fish such as salmon and sardines contain high protein and omega-3 which assists the process.
• Eggs are a good source of quality protein (mainly the egg yolk), which contains essential amino acids for collagen production.
• Legumes – soybeans, lentils, chickpeas and garbanzo beans contain plant protein and can be an excellent addition to the diet.
• Nuts and seeds – such as cashews and almonds, contain essential amino acids.
• Fruits and vegetables with vitamin C – such as red pepper, kiwi, oranges, strawberries, and broccoli.

The collagen supplement gimmick
Where does the word “collagen” not appear? Not only in facial creams, shampoo and soap, but also in capsules, powders as supplements, and even in dairy products and certain milk drinks today there is added collagen. Almost everywhere. And the truth is, it’s not really surprising. After all, it’s a very, very cheap material, and if it helps sales, then why not.
But can taking a collagen supplement help prevent wrinkles or prevent hair loss? Science so far indicates that the effect of collagen supplements does not necessarily help prevent wrinkles.
According to a survey by the Weizmann Institute published at the Davidson Institute – most studies on this subject are funded by the supplement companies themselves, something that should be noted before taking the results seriously. Most of the clinical trials on collagen supplements are funded by the industry itself, which raises concern about bias in the “research” results.
The message is – the body produces less collagen after a certain age, no matter how many supplements we consume.
The body simply does not use them, but rather “throws” them away and uses them for other things. The collagen it needs is built from the nutrients that arrive normally through the diet. Balanced eating with proteins and essential vitamins is the recommended way to maintain skin health. There is no evidence that taking a collagen supplement can cause the body to produce more collagen or prevent wrinkles. Supplements may be unnecessary and do not always justify the financial expense.
If you want to improve skin health, it is probably best to invest in external materials like creams or peels; this is the most effective way to make the body produce new collagen naturally, instead of relying on supplements.
Bottom line – save your money. Just eat healthy.