The Ageing Process

As we age, our bodies naturally change. With our age comes wisdom and the years of smiles and laughter become more noticeable on our face; our years of movement and activity take a toll on our joints; and our bones start needing more support after carrying us through all our stages of life. Throughout life, our bodies are constantly renewing cells and repairing the body's organs and other internal structures. Over time, the constant replacement becomes less precise and effective, so the body's appearance and abilities change as well. Ageing is natural and beautiful, but our lifestyles and diets can influence how easily we can transition to our elder age and still retain our youthful spirit, appearance, and mobility.

Collagen in the Body

Our bodies use collagen, the body's most abundant protein, to preserve our youth and aid our bodies in their daily movements. Collagen provides support for the connective tissues, bones, joints, muscles, and ligaments, as well as encouraging healthy and strong hair, skin, and nails. Overall, collagen is our natural fountain of youth! However, after the age of 25, our bodies do not produce nearly as much collagen and the aging process gradually becomes more noticeable and our bodies' limitations eventually change to adapt. While we may not naturally produce the same levels of collagen as we did in our youth, we can support our diets with collagen supplements to counter the change.

Overview of The Types of Collagen

Note: NuMedica Collagen Replete contains Type I & III bovine collagen peptides.

There are sixteen types of collagen present in the body, which make up approximately a third of the body's protein composition. These sixteen types of collagen can be categorized into four main groups dependent on the body systems that they support and their structure.

Type I

This is the most plentiful category of collagen in the body, consisting of almost 90% of what is found in the body. Its densely packed fibers provide strong support for skin, bones, ligaments, connective tissues, fibrous cartilage, and your teeth.

Type II

This form of collagen is less densely packed than Type I, which allows it the elasticity to support the elastic cartilage protecting your joints.

Type III

This form of collagen supports the structure of your muscles, arteries, and organs.

Type IV

This final form of collagen is also less densely packed and aids in filtration and is common to the layers of the skin around the body.

What else supports collagen production?

Proper diet to encourage collagen production within the body and additional collagen supplements can work to increase the collagen in the body and potentially reduce signs of ageing. Collagen begins as something called "procollagen", which is made by glycine and proline, in a process that uses Vitamin C. Your diet can support this process with the proper nutrition.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is an essential nutrient that works in repairing the body's tissues. Many foods are richly abundant in Vitamin C, such as in citrus fruits, bell peppers, and strawberries.

Protein

Proteins are made of amino acids, which serve as the "building blocks." Many animal-based products are rich in protein, such as egg whites, dairy products, meat, and yogurt.

Glycine

Glycine is a kind of amino acid. It can be found in animal skin, like pork and chicken, and in gelatin and other protein-rich foods.

Copper

Copper is another essential nutrient for the body. It works alongside iron to make red blood cells, and slo helps the body in absorbing iron. Foods rich in copper are organ meats, sesame seeds, and many types of beans.

The Bottom Line

Collagen is an essential protein that is produced by our bodies to maintain our connective tissues, joints, bones, tendons, muscles, and ligaments, as well as our youthful hair, skin, and nails. However, as we age, our bodies' levels of collagen gradually decrease and the signs of ageing become more pronounced. Our diets and lifestyles play drastically into how affected we are by the ageing process and how easily our bodies transition into new stages of life. Collagen Replete contains 3,000 mg of collagen peptides per serving, from grass-fed bovine hide, which may support these parts of the body lacking the same collagen support we naturally produced in our youth.