In addition to using supplements, eating foods rich in vitamin C and antioxidants also helps protect and rejuvenate the skin through promoting collagen production.
Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body, the main component of the skin. Collagen helps skin cells regenerate and restore themselves. When collagen levels are high, skin is soft, smooth and firm.
Both collagen concentration and quality affect the skin. As we age, the body reduces production of certain types of collagen, and the quality also decreases. Changes in collagen structure weaken the bonds between skin layers. This can lead to loss of elasticity in the skin and other connective tissues, causing wrinkles and laxity.
Here’s how to boost collagen in your skin to help slow down the signs of aging.
Additional products
Most collagen supplements go through a hydrolysis process, which breaks down collagen into peptides, making it easier for the body to absorb and use. Collagen supplements can come in tablet, capsule, and powder form.
A 2021 Brazilian meta-analysis found that 90-day hydrolyzed collagen supplementation may reduce wrinkles and improve skin elasticity and moisture. A 2020 Iranian review also found that collagen peptides in dietary supplements directly affect collagen structures in the body called fibroblasts.
Axit hyaluronic
Hyaluronic acid is a compound that promotes collagen production. Dermal fillers, intended to reduce wrinkles in the skin, often contain hyaluronic acid. A 2020 study in Korea found that a combination of hyaluronic acid and purified polynucleotides enhances the quantity and quality of collagen in the skin, enhancing skin elasticity. Authors of a 2021 study in Japan also found evidence that hyaluronic acid capsules also improve hydration.
Hyaluronic acid treatments are available as injections, topical creams and ointments, and dietary supplements as capsules. Users should follow product instructions when using hyaluronic acid, as it may cause side effects such as pain, itching, bruising, and swelling.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is essential for collagen production. Vitamin C deficiency can lead to collagen deficiency, causing a serious condition known as scurvy. The human body cannot produce vitamin C, it needs to be supplemented from the diet such as citrus fruits, green or red bell peppers, strawberries, and broccoli. If your vitamin C levels are low, your doctor may recommend supplements.
Supplementing vitamin C from food helps produce collagen. Image: Bao Bao
Aloe vera gel
Aloe vera gel is often used to treat skin after sunburn or soothe rashes. Aloe vera gel also moisturizes, reduces deep wrinkles, and increases hyaluronic acid and collagen levels. People can use products containing aloe vera as a topical cream or gel or as an oral supplement.
Ginseng
Ginseng is a plant that offers many health benefits. They have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that prevent aging in skin cells. Results of a 2020 experiment in Korea showed that red ginseng can reduce the stiffness of fibroblasts, a structural part of collagen. The authors concluded that it can improve skin elasticity.
Antioxidants
Antioxidants help protect the body from free radicals, molecules that the body produces during metabolism. Exposure to chemicals, such as those in cigarette smoke, can also introduce free radicals into the body.
Many antioxidants can protect and rejuvenate the skin by promoting collagen production. Antioxidants are found in many plant-based foods such as blueberries
green tea, licorice, mulberry, pomegranate, coffee extract…
Retinol and other carotenoids
Carotenoids, such as retinol and beta carotene, are antioxidants that can promote skin health. They are derivatives of vitamin A. Research shows that topical retinoids protect the skin from the sun by preventing UV rays from breaking down collagen. Food sources of vitamin A include beef liver, sweet potatoes, spinach, pumpkin, and carrots.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), using a cream or lotion containing retinol also slightly improves skin texture. However, it does not penetrate deeply enough to tighten sagging skin.
Light therapy
Red light therapy and other types of light therapy increase collagen development and improve wrinkles and skin elasticity.
In 2021, researchers in the US examined the effects of red light combined with near-infrared light on skin cells in the laboratory. They found that it stimulates collagen and elastin production, thereby preventing wrinkles and other skin changes commonly associated with aging.
Protects skin from the environment
Weather conditions and certain lifestyle habits affect the level and quality of collagen in the skin. Experts say exposure to UV rays damages collagen in the skin in a similar way to aging.
Prevent skin damage due to lack of high-quality collagen by protecting skin from the sun. You should apply sunscreen and wear clothes that cover your body when outdoors, and wear sunglasses to protect the skin around your eyes. Avoid smoking because the chemicals in cigarettes affect the body’s collagen production. Limit caffeine because it has the ability to reduce the body’s ability to produce collagen.