Collagen beverages are one of the essential instruments in the anti-ageing arsenal of the beauty and wellness industries. Liquid collagen drinks have created a buzz in the skincare and wellness industry. One of the reasons for this is the increasing knowledge that collagen is our body's largest and most plentiful protein, making up a whopping 80 per cent dermis of our skin — which directly contributes to the firmness, suppleness, and elasticity of our skin, and is also responsible for the healthy cushion between our joints.

Due to this reason, many have started consuming collagen skin drinks for its benefits on the skin.

What is collagen?

Collagen is a natural protein in the human body which provides your tissues and muscles with structural support. It is also responsible for your skin's elasticity, meaning the more you look younger and more supple your skin looks, in general.

There are at least 16 Collagen styles. Form I, II, III, and IV are the four principal forms.

Here's a closer look at the four primary collagen forms and their position in your body:

Type I:

This type contains 90 per cent of the collagen in your body and is composed of tightly packed fibres. This provides the skin, bones, tendons, fibrous cartilage, connective tissues, and teeth with structure.

Type II:

It is made of more loosely packed fibres and is contained in elastic cartilage that cushions the joints together.

Type III:

This type encourages muscle, heart, and artery structure.

Type IV:

This form helps with the filtration and can be found in your skin layers.

When you age, your body is generating collagen of lesser and lower quality.

The nutrients which increase the production of collagen

Each of the collagen starts as procollagen. Through mixing two amino acids, the body makes procollagen: glycine and proline.

You will help your body make this vital protein by ensuring you get enough of the following nutrients:

• Vitamin C: The citrus fruit, bell peppers, and strawberries produce significant quantities.

• Proline: The egg whites, wheat germ, dairy products, cabbage, asparagus and mushrooms consist proline in significant quantities.

• Glycine: Large quantities of glycine are contained in the skin of the pork, chicken, and gelatine, but glycine is also present in different foods containing protein.

• Copper: The animal products, sesame seeds, cocoa powder, cashews, and lentils are present in large quantities.

Therefore, your body requires a high-quality protein that contains the essential amino acids to produce new proteins. Meat, poultry, fish, dairy, legumes, and tofu all make excellent amino acid sources.

Need to take collagen supplements?

Unfortunately, our natural levels of collagen are depleting as we age, especially as women reach menopause, leading to the wrinkles and lack of firmness seen in older skin. Our natural collagen production slows by 1-1,5% every year from our early 20s, and by the time you turn 50, most people will have lost about 50% of the collagen in their skin.

Nonetheless, collagen degradation doesn't occur at the same pace for everyone. The prevalence would depend on various factors in the lifestyle, such as diet, exposure to the sun, sleep and stress rates, plus genetics and hormones. That means wearing sunscreen and limiting your time in the sun, as well as living a healthy, balanced lifestyle, can help protect against prematurely dropping levels of collagen-and they should be part of any effective anti-ageing routine-but such actions cannot reverse the process.

How does it work?

It is important to understand that collagen drinks do not add the collagen peptides you drink directly to the dermis, but rather the collagen peptides act as a feedback mechanism to trigger your natural production of collagen.

Collagen molecules are often very large to be ingested into the bloodstream, but collagen is hydrolysed in collagen drinks and other formulations. This means that the molecules of collagen were broken into smaller pieces, called peptides, which have a meagre molecular weight, making them easier to absorb in the gut.

How to choose collagen supplements?

The quick option of a random vitamin or the intake of collagen-rich foods does not automatically recover the elasticity and firmness of your skin. To achieve a bright, radiant appearance, supplements need to be found to provide the right form of collagen and concentration for skin restoration.

To see significant improvements in the texture of your skin, you can always use collagen peptides containing Type I collagen of at least 90 per cent. Research has shown that collagen supplements containing hydrolyzed Type I collagen lead to increased levels of collagen in the skin.

The amount of time it takes for someone to see results after taking liquid collagen varies. Because not all supplements of collagen are made equal though. Unless a supplement to collagen is poorly absorbed, it will have no effect. That's why choosing the right kind of collagen and the right collagen drink made from the highest quality ingredients is very critical.

When do I start taking collagen supplements?

Prevention is always better than cure, so the sooner you start taking collagen, the better. It is recommended for getting the best results from your late twenties to the early thirties. This depends on what your own goals and lifestyle are but taking the drinks in your 30s will usually be advantageous both in terms of change and prevention.

What are the benefits?

You can drink your way to healthier-looking skin with the best collagen drink. This will increase the healthy development of collagen in your body and replenish the collagen that you lose during ageing. The collagen drink benefits include:

• Reduces wrinkles and fine lines
• Improves good hair and nail
• Improves firmness and elasticity in the skin
• Improves the appearance of skin and stretch marks
• Supports connective and joint tissue health
• Helps relieve joint pain and steadiness

It has also been suggested by researchers that collagen gives best results when taken in liquid form than powder or pills. Because it is in liquid form, collagen drinks can quicker and more efficiently deliver higher concentrations of collagen peptides and other nutrients into our bloodstream.

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