Looking healthy is a common desire. We are flooded with images of beauty and tips on achieving this. Collagen supplements are a current enticing tool. Are they worth the expense? Watch NZDSI president Dr Louise Reiche in the collagen debate on Fair Go’s programme tonight on TV One or on TVNZ On Demand.
The skin is the largest organ in our body. Our general health, daily habits and lifestyle impact on our skin’s quality and appearance. Visible ageing changes such as wrinkling and dry skin are partly determined by our genetics and our age. Diet and the environment are also major factors.
Food we eat is broken down by our gut into small molecules that can be absorbed through the gut wall into the bloodstream and distributed throughout the body. Cells absorb those building blocks to construct what the body needs. Collagen protein is a rope-like structure which provides strength to our skin, muscles and bones. Collagen is rich in glycine, lysine, proline and hydroxyproline, but is an incomplete food protein because it lacks tryptophan which our bodies cannot make and thus require from the diet. Collagen in our diet or in supplements can be broken down and reused for making new collagen or other proteins. Manufacturing strong collagen in our body relies on additional nutrients (“cofactors”) such as Vitamin C and various minerals. Consuming lots of collagen could create a nutrient imbalance and without other necessary cofactors the collagen production could either fail or be poor.
Having a balanced diet by eating a wide range of foods, ensures we will get plentiful nutrients, such as proteins, vitamins and anti-oxidants and are less likely to suffer imbalances, which can be the risk from taking supplements. The Mediterranean diet - predominantly fresh vegetables and fruit, nuts, legumes and seafood, some white and smaller quantities of red meat, is the diet associated with best health outcomes and delayed ageing. Transport and storage reduces fresh food quality so choose locally grown and seasonal vegetables. They are cheaper, and better for our environment and support our local communities economically.
Sun exposure is the biggest environmental factor contributing to visible skin ageing. So habitually protecting your skin from the sun is key: seek the shade, wear a broad brim hat, wraparound sun glasses, high ultra-protective factor (UPF) clothing and a broad spectrum SPF50+ sunscreen to all exposed skin when going outdoors. Regularly having a good night’s sleep, regular exercise, drinking plenty of water, avoiding smoking, and minimising alcohol consumption are additional ways to keep healthy and have healthy looking skin.