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Collagen Supplements
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 What is Collagen?
Collagen is the most important building block in the entire animal world. It is a simple, natural protein which is widely found in the body. In fact, it is the most common protein in the body (approximately one-third of all protein in the body is collagen) and it makes up roughly 75% of our skin, which is the body’s largest and most visible organ. The skin consists of two layers: The epidermis, which is the top layer and the dermis, which is the second layer. The main component of the epidermis is collagen, and sufficient collagen helps the skin stay supple and wrinkle-free.
Though it is mainly found in skin, it is also widely found in connective tissues, tendons, cartilage, bone and ligaments, and because the body uses collagen to repair itself on a daily basis, it plays an important role in the building and maintenance of these body parts because fibres of Hydrolysed collagen act like scaffolding in the skin, they are woven together like threads in fabric to form a framework in which new cells can grow.
Collagen also helps hair stay firm and not brittle, cuts and wounds heal rapidly, keeps nails strong, is essential for healthy brain tissue and healthy heart and provides numerous other benefits.
Collagen is essential for growth and development of all body tissue and is especially important for healthy cartilage. It not only protects the cartilage, but also supplies the new material for it to rebuild itself.
There are many different types of collagen, but as our product contains three of the most important types, lets look at these in more detail: -
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Collagen Supplements
Collagen is the most important building block in the entire animal world. It is a simple, natural protein which is widely found in the body. In fact, it is the most common protein in the body. |
Collagen Type I: This is the main building block of bone, skin and tendon, as well as being the main type in a scar (mature cicatrix).
Collagen Type II: This is the type most present in cartilage.
Collagen Type III: This type is mainly found in pliable (bendable) organs, such as blood vessels, uterus and the gastro intestinal tract.
Once our bodies become unable to manufacture sufficient collagen to maintain the repair process, a collagen supplement should be taken to assist the body.
WHAT CAN SUPPLEMENTS HELP WITH?
Because collagen is concentrated in some parts for the body than others, it obviously provides benefit to those areas most.
SKIN, HAIR AND NAILS
Wrinkles and skin blemishes benefit the most from collagen. Aging is the main reason for wrinkles, but environmental pollutants, poor health, over-exposure to the sun and lifestyle are all contributing factors. Without sufficient collagen wrinkles and lines form in those places where the skin moves most, such as joints, forehead, lips, etc.
In fact, many people who take collagen notice that their skin becomes softer and more supple, hair gets thicker and nails grown faster.
ARTHRITIS & OSTEOARTHRITIS
Two conditions that seem to respond extremely well to collagen supplements are rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.
Collagen supplements can help the body reduce the pain of arthritis by increasing the mobility of joints, whereas conventional arthritis treatments can produce side effects which affects blood, liver and kidneys.
If you have limited or painful mobility in your hands, arms, shoulders, hips, knees and other joints, or if you experience inflammation or joint pain then collagen supplements could greatly help reduce this.
Collagen naturally contains glucosamine and chondroitin.
CELLULITE
One of the main causes of annoyance and upset amongst women today is the condition known as cellulite.
In layman’s terms, cellulite is basically caused by a breakdown in collagen fibres in the skin. This allows fatty tissue to push upwards through the gaps into the upper layer of skin (the epidermis). The result is the dimpled “orange peel” effect of cellulite. Because collagen supplements work from the inside, it is able to rebuild and repair the gaps which allow cellulite to occur.
SMOKERS
Chemicals in tobacco smoke have been proven to destroy the collagen in the skin. This is most observable by the appearance of multiple vertical lines in the upper lip area of heavy smokers.
INJURIES
Because of the importance it plays in repairing, rebuilding and feeding connective tissue (which is important for strong muscles, skin and joints), it helps regenerate muscle mass which can help athletes recover from exercise and sports-related injuries.
DIABETES
Something which may be of interest to diabetic sufferers, collagen can prevent blood-clotting and can assist in the maintenance of a healthy heart.
HEART DISEASE
Collagen type II can also help reduce heart disease because it contains approximately 14% chondroitin sulphate A.
THE IMPORTANCE OF COLLAGEN TYPE II
Although there are different types of collagen (our product contains three of the main types), due to it’s important role let’s focus on the benefits of Type II.
With arthritis there is a destruction of the joint cartilage itself and all forms of arthritis share the common symptoms of severe pain, loss of mobility and reduced quality of life. Certain types of currently used anti-inflammatories can cause bleeding, ulcers and other potentially harmful side effects.
Collagen type II is regarded as the most “medicinal type”, it contains the most joint supporting and anti-inflammatory properties, and there are other ingredients which make collagen type II more effective than just taking glucosamine and chondroitin on their own.
SCIENTIFIC TESTS
For example, a German scientific study observed that by using collagen supplements a decrease in pain and stiffness associated with arthritis occurred, and it showed a reduction of bone breakdown in women who had osteoporosis.
Also, an American study on collagen type II demonstrated excellent results. Ten patients with severe arthritis were given collagen type II instead of their usual standard medicines. By the end of month two, six out of the ten patients showed very substantial improvements and one in particular showed a complete regression of the condition that lasted 26 months with no side effects.
Regardless of the form of the disease, collagen type II could well prove to be one of the most effective, natural means of arthritis management available today.
WHY TAKE COLLAGEN SUPPLEMENTS?
It is a fact that today’s food and diets do not provide the body with the sort of nutrition that it needs. For example, even if you eat a healthy diet of fresh fruit and vegetables eaten in their natural state (i.e. raw, uncooked), such is the quality of even organic produce these days that foods do not contain the nutrients that they contained as little as 50 years ago, due to the increased use of pesticides, pollution, poor growing conditions and inferior soil quality.
Because of this, as we get older our body’s ability to produce collagen slows down significantly and this slow-down can be seen in brittle hair or many split ends, wrinkles, cuts and bruises that can sometimes take weeks to heal, weak nails, lowered energy levels and importantly, aches and pains in our joints. In short, the amount of collagen produced is insufficient for the body’s demands.
Like most things, collagen is subject to wear and tear, it breaks down over time, and as we age the skin’s ability to replace damaged collagen is reduced and more gaps and irregularities develop, leading to wrinkles.
In fact, from the age of 25 onwards, scientific studies show that collagen reduces at a rate of 1.5%, aside from taking into account things such as lifestyle, diet, pollution, etc, which speed the reduction even further.
When your body receives the boost of collagen supplements it responds significantly and beneficially.
IS IT SAFE?
Collagen has been used in Europe for decades as a dietary supplement and an alternative treatment for arthritis and osteoporosis.
SIDE EFFECTS
It has been subjected to a major study by Harvard University in America, and no serious side effects were discovered or are known to exist for collagen.
Our collagen supplement is manufactured in the UK by a company which has been established for over 30 years, and only the finest ingredients are used under strictly controlled, hygienic manufacturing conditions which comply with UK standards.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO WORK?
Some studies show that some people notice results in just a few days, some wait for up to 8 weeks, but the majority seem to notice results within 4 – 6 months.
In her book Let’s Eat Right To Keep Fit, world-renowned author and nutritionist Adelle Davis says:
“[It] convinced me that it takes approximately 4 months for unhealthy tissue to be replaced by healthy tissue”
Based on this, we recommend you commit to at least a 4-month course for maximum benefit.
IS IT EASY TO TAKE?
Our collagen supplements come in easy-to-take capsules. For best results we recommend that it is taken at night before bedtime because in the first 45 – 90 minutes of sleep your body does most of it’s repair work and it is at this time when it will most benefit from the supplement.
WEIGHT LOSS
Incidentally, this repair process takes an enormous amount of energy to complete and that’s why one may wake up feeling a few pounds lighter! What happens is an individual will burn off some calories by metabolism and make new body repairs during sleep. Therefore, if you are deficient in collagen you can’t burn off fat or repair the body very effectively.
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