While collagen peptides aren’t new, celebrities usually use the supplements more frequently than anyone else. If you’ve been thinking about trying it, then it’s a good idea to know what collagen peptides are and if they’ll make a difference in your skin. The last thing you want to do is make changes to your skincare routine that don’t do anything for you.
What Are Collagen Peptides?
Collagen peptides are supplements that are meant to replace the collagen that you’ve lost through aging or any other instance. They’re usually made from cows or fish sources so they’re not considered vegan. If you have allergies or intolerances, you should also find out where your collagen is sourced before consuming it.
For those who are vegan, some manufacturers have collagen-boosting supplements that are made from vegan sources. While these won’t contain collagen, they commonly combine citrus and leafy greens that usually encourage collagen production.
The idea behind collagen supplements is that you may benefit more from ingesting collagen than simply applying products to your skin. They’re supposed to increase the amount of collagen in your body when your system breaks the supplements into smaller chains that can be rebuilt into collagen. You should note that while it’s difficult to argue with the people who’ve experienced good results with collagen peptides, this hasn’t been studied or scientifically proven.
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Why is Collagen Important to Your Skin?
Your body naturally contains collagen. The protein can be found in your skin, hair, nails, ligaments, and tendons. It’s important because collagen helps to maintain the elasticity and structure of your body. Its effects are most obvious in your skin because collagen is what keeps your skin smooth and supple. Collagen also helps with the removal of dead skin cells, provides a protective covering for your organs, and helps your blood clot.
Unfortunately, your body’s supply of collagen isn’t unlimited. Poor lifestyle choices and illness can interfere with how well your body manufactures the protein and its production naturally declines as you age. The collagen you already have starts to break down more quickly and what little your body produces is usually of a lower quality.
Interestingly, you can start to lose collagen from as early as your mid-twenties. When this happens, you’ll start to lose skin tone and notice wrinkles, dullness in your skin, sagging skin, larger pores, and rougher texture of your skin. It’s no wonder then, that most people search for a way to keep their collagen production up.
Can Collagen Peptides Benefit Black People?
According to a couple of studies, Black skin generally has a larger supply of collagen than other ethnicities. The collagen bundles are also thicker and more tightly packed – which means they may be harder to break down. As a result, Black people may lose collagen more slowly than other people as they age.
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The process may be further slowed in those with darker skin because the melanin may shield the collagen that’s present from the constant attack of UV rays. Of course, if you have lighter skin, you may not have the same level of protection – even if you consistently use sunscreen.
However, this protection won’t last forever. Regardless of how dark your skin is, your collagen is likely to start breaking down and you’ll see the effects of it, eventually. To combat this, skin experts usually suggest making changes to your diet that encourage collagen production. These changes can include incorporating more protein, vitamin C, and antioxidants in your meals. Staying hydrated and avoiding smoking will also help.
Additionally, you can use skincare products that promote collagen production and protect your skin from UV damage. Ingredients like retinoids, hyaluronic acid, aloe vera, and Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs) can help.
For some people, though, the idea of consuming collagen directly is more appealing as they won’t have to wait for their bodies to make it. That’s where collagen peptides come in as they can be available in the form of supplements or beverages. When looking at the reviews, though, collagen peptides can be more effective for some people than others. Since no studies have been done on the use of collagen peptides, it can be hard to say definitively if it will work for Black people, in particular.
If you’re interested in trying collagen peptides, your best bet is to talk to your doctor and do some research. Even if there’s nothing that will stop you from trying collagen peptides, it doesn’t mean that it will make as big a difference as you would like to see or that it will be more effective than making the usual dietary changes that doctors recommend. It’s also important to note that the improvements are unlikely to be immediate. You usually need to keep taking the supplements for at least three months.
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How to Choose the Right Supplement
With all these collagen supplements available, you might wonder how to choose what’s right for you. You should discuss each in more detail with your doctor but there are a few things for you to consider. Tablets are easy to take with you and consume but they usually have a lower dose of collagen than the other options. Some people prefer this, however, because high doses can upset their stomachs.
Collagen supplements are also available in a powdered form that is stored in sachets or jars. The sachets are usually easy to carry around and you can combine the powder with water, juice, tea, coffee, or smoothies. While the collagen dose is generally higher, these powders often contain other great nutrients like vitamins to help with collagen absorption.
You can also get your collagen supplements in liquid form. These drinks usually come in sachets that you can drink as is or combine with another beverage. They have high doses of collagen as well as other nutrients like vitamin C which are meant to help your body absorb the collagen.
The additional nutrients in each supplement option can also be a factor in making your decision. If you need more of certain vitamins in your diet, it might not be a bad idea to choose a collagen supplement that has them as well.
It’s hard to be certain that collagen peptides will make a significant improvement in your skin’s collagen content. The only way to know for sure is to try it for a few months to see if it works for you. As always, talk to your doctor first to ensure that they’re safe for you.
