Maybe you’ve seen collagen advertised in food, skin cream, pills, or powders. The word is spreading about this nutrient that is important for a healthy, vibrant body.
But collagen isn’t anything new. You’ve been making it your whole life. Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body. It’s found in your muscles, bones, tendons, ligaments, organs, blood vessels, skin, intestinal lining, and other connective tissues. Collagen is the substance that holds the body together. It forms a scaffold to provide strength and structure.
We can classify collagen into two basic categories:
- Endogenous collagen, that is the natural collagen, synthesized by the body. Endogenous collagen has a number of important functions. Breakdown and depletion is linked to health problems that will be discussed in this article.
- Exogenous collagen is synthetic. It comes from an outside source, such as supplements. Exogenous collagen is used for medical and cosmetic purposes, including the repair of body tissues.
I have covered more about what collagen is, types of collagen and its benefits in previous articles: https://angylineeuproducts.co.ke/benefits-of-collagen-for-joint-repair/
When Your Collagen Levels Decrease
There is no blood test or another way to measure the amount of collagen in your body. However, you can tell when your body doesn’t have enough. As you age, your body naturally makes less collagen. Other factors that contribute to loss of collagen include, but not limited to smoking, poor diet, over exposure to the sun’s UV rays. Some health conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus just to mention a few, may also cause loss of collagen.https://www.verywellhealth.com/collagen-supplements-4164818
The slow-down can start in your mid-to-late 20s. That causes a variety of conditions that we usually accept as part of getting older:
Wrinkles
Collagen gives your skin its structure and strength. As you age your collagen stores slowly become depleted. As a result, your skin begins to lose some of its structures leading to the formation of wrinkles, especially on the face. If no measures are taken to reverse this process, wrinkles quickly spread throughout the entire body. This leads to the sagging of skin. Your wounds heal more slowly as well.
Stiff tendons and ligaments
The main difference between tendons and ligaments is that they connect different parts of the anatomy. Tendons connect muscles to bones, while ligaments connect bones to other bones. Dense connective tissue is what makes up tendons and ligaments and consist of a higher density of collagen fibers. Gradual loss of collagen therefore leads to stiffness in the tendons and ligaments and hence loss of flexibility.
Muscle Aches
Collagen binds muscles to ligaments and bones. Collagen deficiency causes the weakening of collagen fibres and muscle connections. As a result, muscle mass decreases, you become weaker and you begin to experience more aching muscles and additional friction.
Joint Pain
Cartilage is a thin tissue between your joints. Cartilage is made of collagen, which is why collagen plays such a significant role in joint function and mobility. Collagen deficiency in the body leads to a deterioration of your joint integrity and stability. As a result, you may begin to experience excessive friction which may eventually progress to degenerative diseases like osteoarthritis.
Leaky gut syndrome
Intestinal lining gets thinner. You may have more digestion problems. Leaky gut syndrome is a digestive condition that affects the lining of the intestines. In leaky gut syndrome, gaps in the intestinal walls allow bacteria and other toxins to pass into the bloodstream.. This leads to widespread inflammation and possibly trigger a reaction from the immune system.
Supposed symptoms of leaky gut syndrome include bloating, food sensitivities, fatigue, digestive issues and skin problems.
Blood Pressure
Weakened collagen causes abnormal blood pressure. Your blood vessels’ walls are made up of collagen. Since your native collagen production depletes with age, it becomes excessively difficult for your body to regulate the flow of blood effectively. You may then encounter problems associated with abnormal blood pressure including chest pain, fatigue, chronic headaches and dizziness. Weakened and depleted collagen levels may greatly reduce the quality of your life.
What is the way forward then? Collagen supplements
Aside from aging, however, the top reason people don’t have enough collagen is poor diet. Your body can’t make collagen if it doesn’t have the necessary elements, namely amino acids.
As you age, however, your body may no longer absorb nutrients as well or synthesize them as efficiently. To make sure your body has enough ingredients to make collagen, you may need to change what you eat or take dietary supplements.
Most collagen food supplements are safe to use. Our collagen peptides are extracted from cow bone and skin through a steaming process, hence the product is natural and of good quality. Magnesium in our product helps the body to absorb collagen more effectively. Magnesium is also good for muscle relaxation, controlling high blood pressure and migranes.
And then there are these ones: Collagen Vascular diseases
There are some collagen diseases that are a bit more serious. Collagen vascular disease is a group of diseases that have to do with our connective tissues and immune system. Issues related to collagen vascular disease include Scleroderma, Systemic Lupus (SLE), Rheumatoid Arthritis, Dermatomyositis, and others. These diseases can be inherited genetically from one’s parents or can develop as autoimmune disorders. They can affect your skin, bones, joints, and blood vessels.https://www.healthline.com/health/collagen-vascular-disease
When it develops as an autoimmune disorder, it means your body’s immune system accidentally attacks its own tissues that are healthy. Unfortunately, no one knows exactly why or how this happens.
Having collagen vascular disease means you have inflammation in your collagen and surrounding joints. Many of these diseases are actually more common in women than in men, but regardless it typically affects adults once they reach their 30’s and 40’s. It is rare for children to develop any of these diseases, but occasionally they can be diagnosed with Lupus.
How are collagen vascular diseases diagnosed?
- Blood tests: Your blood sample will be analyzed for hormone levels and the presence of other diseases that may lead to infertility.
- Urinalysis: Your urine will be checked for the presence of infection, blood or increased protein.
- X-ray: Traditional X-ray images can identify changes in your joints.
- CT scan: This test uses X-rays and a computer to make detailed images of the organs that may be affected by your condition.
- Biopsy: A small sample of tissue may be taken and analyzed under a microscope to determine the extent of any organ involvement.
Treatment and management
The treatment for collagen vascular disease varies according to your individual condition. However, corticosteroid and immunosuppressant medications commonly treat many connective tissue diseases.
Corticosteroids
Corticosteroids reduce inflammation throughout your body. This class of drugs also helps normalize your immune system. Corticosteroids can have major side effects in some people, including weight gain and mood changes. Some people may have an increase in blood sugar while taking corticosteroid medications.
Immunosuppressants
Immunosuppressant medication works by lowering your immune response. If your immune response is lower, your body won’t attack itself as much it did before. However, having a lowered immunity can also increase your risk of becoming sick. Protect yourself from simple viruses by staying away from people who have colds or the flu.
Physical therapy
Physical therapy or gentle exercise can also treat collagen vascular disease. Range of motion exercises help you retain your mobility and may reduce joint and muscle pain.
Natural food supplements
The most common and effective natural anti inflammatory is Turmeric with Black pepper. You can make your own drink at home regularly or buy it in capsule form from our Shop for ease of administration.
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