Relying on these collagen supplements, do you want to “not look old”? wake up

Who doesn’t want to look young and live forever? However, with the passage of time, loose, rough, dull skin is the inevitable trend. In recent years, “collagen” has become the most popular keyword in the frozen age wave, which has led to waves of rumors about it. Collagen reduction due to cell death? Can eating pig trotters supplement collagen? Can oral and topical collagen make skin better? Time to dissect the truth of these claims!

01

Myth: Collagen reduction is due to the death of living cells. Therefore, to increase the collagen content in the skin, it can only be achieved by adding new living cells.

Truth Interpretation: There are many reasons for the reduction, and the reduction of factory production is the key

The reduction of collagen is caused by a variety of reasons: the collagen content in the skin decreases by 1% per year after the age of 20, and the ability of fibroblasts to synthesize collagen also varies with age decrease with growth; UV light can also activate the degradation of collagen. It’s just that among the many reasons, the amount of collagen has little to do with the number of cells.

Fibroblasts are like factories, and collagen is like a product. Aging can be explained by a decrease in factory output, along with an increase in the number of damaged products and a decrease in the total number of products. The number of human cells is not changed by human factors. Medical aesthetic treatments such as Thermage and Ultrasound only promote those fibroblasts to increase their production efficiency and produce more collagen.

Collagen Abstract Molecular Structure | Figure Worm Creative

02

Rumor: Pig trotters, meat skin and other foods rich in gelatin are rich in collagen. Eating more pig trotters can help the skin replenish collagen, thereby making the skin tighter For smooth, delicate whiteness!

Interpretation of the truth: what to eat is not reliable, collagen can be produced by itself

Collagen is an important structural component in mammals, accounting for about 30% of the total protein in mammals. and protect the function of the body. In the skin, collagen accounts for 70% of the dry weight of the human dermis, and is the main substance supporting the epidermis and dermis structure. The decrease in its quantity or density is the main reason for the collapse of the skin structure, the reduction of skin elasticity, and the formation of wrinkles on the skin surface.

Since the reduction of collagen is one of the factors of skin aging, can the lost collagen from the skin be replenished orally? The answer is no.

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First of all, the collagen that is eaten cannot be directly absorbed by the human body, but must be decomposed into extremely tiny amino acids by the digestive juice in the intestinal tract before it can be absorbed by the intestinal tract; after entering the human body, The fate of these amino acids is also unknown, they are randomly transported to various organs and tissues, and only a small percentage of them are transported to the skin.

That is to say, eating collagen is the same as eating eggs, and will eventually be decomposed into the same thing (amino acids) in the intestines. After the human body absorbs it, only a small part is distributed to the skin. Therefore, oral collagen cannot achieve the effect of “what to eat to make up for what”.

In addition, the amino acids that make up collagen are non-essential amino acids for the human body, and they do not have to be taken orally. Our bodies can synthesize them by themselves, so the focus of research now is not on how to supplement collagen. It’s about how to stimulate the skin’s ability to regenerate collagen. At present, commonly used medical and aesthetic techniques, such as Thermage and Ultrasound scalpel, are to achieve the effect of firming the skin by stimulating the skin to regenerate new collagen.

Therefore, the claim that eating pig trotters to supplement collagen is not tenable at all. In the case of a normal diet, the human body does not need to supplement additional collagen. Even if the pig’s trotters are eaten as a food, it supplements the protein of the human body and cannot be 100% reduced to the expected collagen.

Figure Worm Creative

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Myth: Oral and rubbing collagen makes for better skin. Many internet celebrities and even celebrities are recommending oral and smeared collagen products to the public, claiming that after consumption and use, not only will the face become much firmer and more delicate, but it can also brighten the skin after staying up late, and improve the dullness of the face. It is also anti-aging and anti-wrinkle.

Truth Interpretation: Oral or smear is not a way to supplement collagen

Skin aging is manifested by increased wrinkles, pigmentation, skin thinning, reduced epidermal water content, and decreased elasticity, etc., which are caused by the joint participation of many internal and external factors, among which the reduction of collagen Just one of many factors in skin aging. And can the lost collagen from the skin be replenished by oral or smearing? The answer is no.

The reason why oral collagen cannot work is the same as eating pig trotters to supplement collagen. Instead of spending a lot of money on various oral liquids, capsules and collagen powder, it is better to take A well-balanced diet is effective.

As for smeared collagen, it is even more biased: collagen is a macromolecular substance. As the largest organ of the human body, the main function of the skin is barrier function, like collagen. With a large molecular weight, it is impossible to penetrate the skin into the human body at all, but only stay on the surface of the skin, which will be washed away by the water the next time you wash your face. Therefore, applying collagen is equivalent to applying face oil, which only has a short-term moisturizing effect, and will not significantly improve the skin quality. Therefore, for oral and topical collagen products, you do not have to blindly follow the trend to buy.

Author | Chen Xue Attending Physician of Beijing Tongren Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University

Review | Linjuan Liu, Chief Researcher, Plastic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University

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