If you’re looking for a natural supplement to support healthy skin, you might want to consider trying collagen supplements. Collagen is a protein found naturally in the skin skin, hair and nails which provides structure and support throughout the body. Some say collagen supplements can help keep you looking youthful — but do they really work that way?

Several studies have found that taking collagen supplements daily or adding collagen-rich foods to your diet offers several benefits and really helps improve skin, joint, hair and bone health.

Here’s everything you need to know about what collagen is, where to find it, and how you might benefit from collagen supplements — plus the downsides you should be aware of. Supplements like collagen can help, but remember you’re focusing on food sources for other vitamins and minerals it’s the easiest way to stay healthy.

Read more: The best collagen powders

What is collagen?

Before discussing its benefits, what is collagen? In short, collagen is the most plenty of protein in the human body and represents one third of all proteins. It serves as a connective building block that holds muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones, and skin together. It holds your muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones, skin together and promotes healthy joints and connective tissues.

I am almost 30 known types of collagenbut type I is the most widespread (exists in all connective tissue and represents 90% of all collagen in the body). Types II, III, and IV are also common and are found in various parts of the body, including the joints, kidneys, ears, and blood vessels.

All of this leads us to another pertinent question: What is collagen good for? Your body naturally makes collagen by combining several amino acids (such as proline and glycine) with zinc, vitamin C and copper. As you get older, production slows down and the existing collagen in your body begins to break down at a faster rate.

When this happens, you may notice that your skin becomes more wrinkled, your tendons and ligaments become less flexible, and your muscles shrink. To prevent or delay these effects, some people compensate for what their body has lost by eating collagen-rich foods or collagen supplements.

Adding collagen to your diet

If you want to boost your healthy collagen production, you should make sure your diet includes foods with these essential ingredients:

• Bone broth
• Fish and shellfish
• CHICKEN
• Pig skin
• eggs
• Beans
• CITRUs
• Bell peppers
• NUTS

A well-balanced diet with a combination of these foods is the best way to increase the collagen protein in your body. You may also consider taking collagen supplements (usually collagen powder or capsules) if you are not getting enough collagen from diet alone.

For best results, experts recommend taking a collagen supplement one hour before your workout, but always check the label and talk to your doctor before starting any new health routine.

The benefits of collagen

Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s explore some of the benefits of collagen supplementation.

Builds stronger bones

Bones are full of collagen, but as you age, the protein begins to break down — and so does your bone health — leading to decreased bone strength and density. By incorporating collagen supplements into your diet, you could preventing bone loss and reduce the risk of bone problems, including osteoporosis and fractures.

Reduces joint pain

Collagen also works together with cartilage to keep your joints working properly. Over the years, as it wears down, it can lead to stiff and painful joints and put you at greater risk for osteoarthritis. The good news is that you are taking collagen supplements was found to reduce joint pain in physically active people. It can also serve as a pain reliever for people with existing joint problems.

Improves skin

Your skin also contains collagen, which gives it elasticity and hydration when you’re young. But as you mature, your skin becomes looser and more wrinkled due to the depletion of collagen levels. Interesting, studies have shown that adding more collagen to your diet can increase skin elasticity, firmness and hydration, visibly reducing the effects of aging.

Promotes healthy hair

Collagen is created with some of the same amino acids that are used to build keratin, the protein that makes up hair. Because of this connection, it exists some evidence the fact that consuming more collagen can help the health of your hair by promoting growth, reducing thinning and slowing graying.

Add muscle mass

Muscle tissue is made up of up to 10% collagen. When the collagen in your body starts to break down, you can lose muscle mass and develop a condition called sarcopenia (age-related muscle loss). Fortunately, studies have shown that taking a collagen supplement, along with increased protein intake and routine resistance exercise, can help people with sarcopenia build back muscle strength.

Disadvantages of collagen supplements

Despite these benefits, there are also a number of downsides to collagen supplements that you should be aware of before incorporating them into your routine.

Contains animal products (and sometimes allergens)

Traditional collagen supplements and all dietary supplements in general are made from animal products, so they are not suitable if you follow a plant-based diet. There are some vegan collagen options on the market, but it’s not clear how they compare to those made from animal products. Similarly, if you have food allergies, be sure to read the label on collagen supplements carefully. In some cases, they may contain common allergens such as fish or eggs.

Regulation is a gray area

Collagen supplements are regulated as foods (not drugs) by the US Food and Drug Administrationthat is, their ingredients and production are not monitored by an official governing body. These products are not subject to the same strict regulations and approval process as pharmaceutical products, so it can be difficult to learn about the quality, purity and safety of the ingredients.

Efficacy studies are limited

Although there have been studies on the effectiveness of collagen (many of which we have cited above), more research needs to be done. Also, some of the existing studies were funded by companies which produce collagen supplements, which can raises ethical questions about bias.

Supplements similar to collagen

It is difficult to find other supplements that can replicate the effects of collagen because its amino acid composition is different from other proteins. You could try increasing your intake of glycine and proline, the key amino acids that are involved in creating collagen. They are most often found in protein-rich foods such as meat and poultry, but are also available in supplement form.

If you’re most interested in how collagen can help improve your hair, nails, and skin, you might want to consider keratin or biotinwhich usually come in the form of shampoos and salon treatments, but are also sold as dietary supplements. Biotin is also found in certain foods, including legumes, egg yolks, nuts and avocados.

For more tips on supplements, here are five fitness supplements that are proven to work. Addition, check out these three alternatives to melatonin for a better sleep, without drowsiness the next day.