The collagen supplements and cosmetics with this ingredient have become a real attraction for many consumers. But as we always like to go one step further, we have consulted with Dr. Eduardo Fonseca Capdevila, Head of the Dermatology Service of the Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de La Coruña to tell us what collagen really is, what it is for and if it has any Health benefit resorting to these supplements.
QUESTION : What is collagen and how does it work on the skin?
ANSWER : Collagen is a protein of which there are 21 types, found throughout the body, but especially in the skin and bones. Collagen is found in the skin and constitutes the main component of the dermis, where it is synthesized by fibroblasts. Its main function is to keep the skin attached to the lower planes and to support the vessels, nerves and other components of the skin. The structure that collagen forms in the dermis is very complex, its fibers being arranged in various layers with different orientation (as if it were a tissue), thus fulfilling its functions of adhesion and resistance to stretching.
That is, so that we understand it, collagen is what provides structure, elasticity and resistance to our tissues and organs.
QUESTION : Is diet relevant to maintain collagen levels in the skin?
ANSWER : A rich and varied diet, like a Mediterranean diet, is enough to maintain normal collagen synthesis. In any case, supplements of vitamins C and E, iron, selenium or certain amino acids may be necessary in situations of deficit.
QUESTION : What can we do to prevent its loss over time?
ANSWER : The decrease in collagen is a manifestation of skin aging. Known and preventable causative factors include exposure to ultraviolet light (from sunlight or man-made sources) and tobacco and alcohol use.
QUESTION : Are there treatments and cosmetics to recover it?
ANSWER : There are many treatments and cosmetics in order to recover collagen, but their effectiveness is questionable, especially if you want to achieve a persistent recovery.
QUESTION : Why does taking collagen supplements not guarantee that we will regain elasticity in the skin?
ANSWER : Collagen molecules are not absorbed in the digestive tract due to their complexity , but are degraded and their elemental components are absorbed. Absorption through the epidermis is also not possible and if they are injected they are rapidly degraded, so their effect is temporary.
So that we understand, when collagen reaches the stomach - either through food or collagen supplements - it is broken down into other much smaller substances that the body then rebuilds according to its needs, which can be again in form of collagen but not necessarily. As the dietician-nutritionist and popularizer Juan Revenga explains very graphically "Undoing a house into its constituent bricks (digestion of collagen into amino acids) and pretending that then each of those bricks (absorbed amino acids) is destined to build the same house from which they were part (to form collagen again) is as ridiculous as throwing the parts of a car from the moon… and pretending that they land little montaditas on Earth. ".
