Extraordinary Health Magazine Extraordinary Health Vol 28 | Page 11

The way to build collagen within the body is to provide the
body with the right nutritional building blocks. As collagen
is a protein, it is important to eat enough quality clean protein
to provide the amino acids necessary for building these
important structural body proteins.
Dietary supplements for collagen building have become popular
in recent years, but just like collagen skin creams, whole collagen
supplements cannot be absorbed. The digestive system breaks
down collagen just like any other protein and uses the constituent
peptides and amino acids for whatever purposes it needs, which
may or may not include making collagen.

Building Collagen Through Diet
There are collagen protein powders on the market that are
usually obtained from cow hide or chicken bones which are
then processed and treated with enzymes to predigest them,
but you still run into the same issue. These building blocks may
be used for anything once they are absorbed—it’s a lottery
what they will be used for, if and when they are absorbed.
Collagen is only found in animals and there is no plant source of
collagen in plants. However, there is good news for vegans when
it comes to building collagen and maintaining beautiful radiant
skin as there are many plant sources of the co-nutrients needed
for building collagen in the body.

What Nutrients Help Build Collagen
Many of the current leading hair, skin and nail supplements
include Biotin, vitamin C and Silicon which are important
co-factors needed to build collagen. Silica is usually obtained
from sand or rocks and is not typically derived from organic
food or plant sources such as bamboo shoots which provide silica
with its natural co-factors.
Vitamin C is essential for collagen production and plays an
important role as an antioxidant protecting the skin from free
radical damage, along with anti-aging benefits. When people
are deficient in vitamin C their collagenous tissues will start to
breakdown. Vitamin C helps us to utilize proteins in the diet which
are needed to build collagen, keratin and elastin. Food sources
of vitamin C, notably Amla berries, have been used in traditional
Aryuveda for skin health for centuries.
Biotin, which is actually vitamin B7, is sometimes referred
to as vitamin H (for hair) and is a common ingredient found
in supplements for hair, skin and nails. Organic Sesbania
grandiflora is a natural plant source of biotin.
As skin ages, reactive oxygen species, associated with many aspects
of aging, lead to increased production of the enzyme collagenase,
which breaks down collagen. Antioxidants and polyphenols are
very vital to protect the skin from this free radical damage and help

Bottom line: You can’t eat collagen to build collagen
because you can’t absorb it, but you can help your body
to make collagen and the other beauty proteins by
consuming the right diet along with key co-nutrients
needed for collagen production in the body. Some
products contain collagen peptides, which are made
when collagen is processed and treated with enzymes,
but again there is no guarantee when they are digested
that the body will use their components to build collagen.
So the nutritional message for healthy skin and building collagen
is simple. Eat a diet with adequate amounts of quality protein,
whether it be vegan protein or animal protein, as long as it is
clean quality organic protein, and be sure to get all the important
vitamins, minerals and co-nutrients needed for building collagen.
Our skin health reflects our diet and our internal health. Radiant
skin requires us to consume a healthy diet providing not only
protein but all the nutrients needed for building and protecting
healthy skin which includes vitamins A, C and E along with all the
B vitamins plus minerals, especially Zinc and Silicon.

prevent aging by inhibiting the breakdown of cells by oxidation.
They also help to protect the skin from sun and smoke damage.
Beneficial antioxidants such as organic turmeric, high-polyphenol
pomegranate and various teas including organic green teas and
organic rooibis teas are greatly favored for their antioxidant, antiinflammatory and anti-aging skin benefits.
So the next time you look in the mirror, remember these
wonderful botanical whole-food nutrients are beneficial
for building collagen and supporting healthy hair, skin
and nails.

Vol 28 • Extraordinary Health™ 9