Does your body really need this “elixir of youth”?

Are collagen supplements worth the hype?

The collagen trend is bustling on supermarket shelves and online, from cosmetic injections to oral supplements available for rapid intake. Everything you see these days from foods and creams to pills and powders, all appear to project collagen as the surefire way to gain healthy, glowing skin. In fact, according to a 2022 estimate, the collagen industry alone is worth billions of dollars.

What is collagen?

Collagen is a vital amino acid responsible for maintaining skin health and elasticity. It helps relieve joint pain, prevents bone loss, boosts muscle mass and heart health, and massively promotes the strength of nail and hair cuticles.

But before you spend your hard-earned money on them, it is important to stop and ask yourself, does your body really need it?

Fun Facts

Here’s something that companies all over the world do not want you to know about this miraculous elixir of youth- Collagen is the most abundantly synthesized substance in the body, after water. It is the primary structural protein of the connective tissue, comprising over 70–75% of your skin and the remaining 25% of whole body protein.

They also don’t tell you that your body is more than capable of producing collagen as per its needs! In fact, it’s been doing so forever!

However, due to our fast-paced, modern lifestyle, where stress is an everyday affair, compromising on sleep has become the new norm, and bypassing home-cooked foods for junk, sugary foods is the need of the hour, the body does not get the optimal environment required to synthesize collagen.

The #1 warning sign of low collagen is when you realize your face has become wrinkly, dry, and a tad saggy in a short span of time.

Is supplementation then the solution?

The wise decision would be to take charge of your lifestyle and over time, your body will do the needful in terms of replenishing low collagen reserves. A few ways to ensure this include sleeping on time, exercising daily for twenty minutes, having home-cooked foods, and avoiding excessive work stress that exacerbates cortisol production, leading to lowered collagen synthesis.

In addition, there are many foods that you can include in your diet to hasten the synthesis of collagen.

Foods that help build collagen

1. Vitamin C-rich foods: These include citrus fruits, broccoli, spinach, bell peppers, and cruciferous vegetables like cabbage and cauliflower, and gooseberries.

Since the bioactive component of vitamin C- ascorbic acid is water-soluble, it gets destroyed by heat easily and therefore, vitamin C-rich foods like bell peppers and cabbage provide the greatest collagen-boosting benefits and highest vitamin C absorption, when eaten raw. Microwaving or steaming lessens the vitamin C content of these foods considerably.

2. Raw onions: Onions are not only loaded in antioxidants and vitamin C, but also super rich in sulfur- the principle micronutrient responsible for promoting collagen synthesis in the body.

Therefore, eating raw onions with your meals or tossing chopped onions into salad can go a long way to prevent premature aging and restore the lost glow on your skin!

Three simple daily rituals to help boost collagen production

1. Having copper-charged water

As per Ayurveda and Modern Science, copper is another critical mineral essential for collagen production.

Therefore, drinking water stored in a copper jug/bottle the night before, first thing in the modern can make a vast difference in your skin tone and quality.

In fact, a 2021 study has attested for visible skin regeneration within a matter of few weeks only!

2. Regular body massage

Regular body massage with any cold-pressed oil (groundnut, olive oil, coconut) has the ability to amp up collagen production like nothing else.

This technique known as ‘Abhyanga’ has been recommended in Ayurvedic scriptures for its unparalleled anti-aging effects.

3. Oil Pulling

Among its many benefits, oil pulling is known to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by boosting collagen production.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that this practice increases skin elasticity, and moisture and tones the mouth, producing a discernible bounce and glow to the face. Ayurvedia too propounds oil pulling, also known as “gandusha” for its myriad detox abilities.

Final Words

Incorporating these simple and easy lifestyle changes will help you enjoy glowing, healthy skin, and that too without even spending a single penny on collagen supplements! Along with that, eating home-cooked, whole foods that are locally and seasonally available and rich in vitamin C, sulfur, and copper is equally beneficial.

Thank you for reading!

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