Collagen is well known as a beauty supplement, but did you know that collagen is actually a protein?

When we look closer, we see that proteins are made up of amino acids. Amino acids transport and store nutrients, impact metabolism, aid in cell detoxification, and impact healing and tissue repair, among other things. They are essential for many bodily functions and for general maintenance within the skin and connective tissues.

In our collagen alone – type 1 and 3 – there are 19 amino acids, and glycine and proline make up over 50% of the amino acids in collagen.

GLYCINE: The anti-aging, immune boosting, muscle building star.

This article from Dr. Axe details the magic that is glycine. “You use glycine every day to strengthen your body and, frankly, allow it to work properly. This amino acid is essential for many different muscle, cognitive, and metabolic functions. It helps break down and transport nutrients like glycogen and fat to be used by cells for energy, and in the process, it supports strong immune, digestive and nervous systems.

In the human body, glycine is found in high concentrations in the skin, connective tissues of the joints and muscle tissue. One of the key amino acids used to form collagen and gelatin, glycine can be found in bone broth and other protein sources.”

Benefits of glycine

Supports and repairs joints
Fortifies the immune system
Helps to build muscle
Rebuilds the digestive lining
Promotes restful sleep
Enhances energy
Slows the signs of aging
Calms the nervous system

PROLINE: The regenerative, skin-loving wonder.

Proline is essential for the formation of collagen and plays a large role in skin healing. Like glycine, proline helps to seal and heal the gut lining, resulting in improved digestive health, something so many of us struggle with.

Again, Dr. Axe shares the wonderful benefits of proline in this article. “What are the main roles of proline? Functions of proline include helping form collagen, regenerating cartilage, forming connective tissue, repairing skin damage and wounds, healing the gut lining, and repairing joints.”

Benefits of Proline

Helps Heal Wounds and Repair Skin
Supports Digestive Health
Helps Prevent Joint Pain
Supports the Cardiovascular System
Contributes to a Healthy Metabolism and Fights Inflammation

The best way to boost your glycine and proline levels? Take a high-quality collagen supplement like Adashiko.

To learn which collagen supplement is right for you, click here.

With three different options in our supplement family, people often ask us which product will suit them best. Our product development team have put a lot of time and effort into creating our collagen powders. At the forefront of each product is our Japanese peptide collagen, an incredible ingredient with a whole host of benefits.

Did you know that Adashiko was created by Japanese cosmetics developer Yuko Arquette? Yuko worked for Japan’s leading cosmetics company, Kanebo Corporation, for twelve years and worked closely with a leading Japanese pharmaceutical company to develop Adashiko.

ALL THREE of our powders – Pure, Ultra, and Joint, support the following:

Strong, fast-growing nails.

Thicker, more resilient hair.

Skin hydration and radiance.

A reduction in fine lines, wrinkles, and pigmentation.

Increased skin firmness all over the body.

Full-body support; healthy joints, ligaments, and fascia.

Healthy gut lining.

Our Pure collagen is just that: 100% peptide collagen. Pure is an excellent option for anyone who wants to improve their skin and receive the benefits listed above. Choose Pure if:

You want a fantastic all-rounder.

Your main focus is preventative aging.

You are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Our Ultra collagen contains four additional ingredients selected to provide extra anti-aging and antioxidant support: elastin, hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, and Co Q10. Choose Ultra if:

Your primary concern is anti-aging.

You wish to see the most benefits in your skin.

You’re after the most potent collagen health blend on the market!

Adashiko Joint also contains additional ingredients specifically chosen to support the body, including glucosamine, MSM, chondroitin, and hyaluronic acid. Choose Joint if:

You lead an active lifestyle, playing sport or exercising frequently.

You are recovering from an injury or recent surgery (or you are going to have surgery).

You suffer from a joint condition such as arthritis or osteoarthritis.

You suffer from general aches and pains.

Collagen supplements are everywhere, and there’s a lot of talk about the role collagen plays in aging, but what exactly IS collagen? And what does it do? Here are some quick facts about this incredible ingredient.

1. Collagen is a naturally occurring protein found in skin, ligaments, fascia, bones, muscles, tendons, blood vessels, and the gut.

2. Collagen is the most dominant protein in the body, making up 30% of total protein.

3. It is a structural protein, and it gives shape, strength, and support to tissues in the body. It also assists the body with cell turnover.

4. Collagen is comprised of essential amino acids like glycine and proline. Did you know that glycine is essential for a healthy gut lining, strong immune system, and muscle building?

5. As we age, our collagen stores decrease by around 1-2% per year.

6. Sun exposure, smoking, and high sugar intake break down collagen, reducing levels further.

7. Collagen is produced by cells called fibroblasts (connective tissue cells). The right collagen supplement can stimulate fibroblasts and boost natural collagen levels.

8. Collagen is not just about anti-aging and skin: it is also amazing for general health.

9. Correct collagen supplementation has a whole host of benefits: healthy skin, hair, and nails; improved joint function; reduced arthritic pain; a healthier gut, and more.

10. Most collagen supplements contain large collagen molecules (derived from animal sources) that are unable to be absorbed by the body.

11. Peptide collagen, however, is easily absorbed and utilised by the body. This type of collagen has been hydrolysed to reduce the molecule size.

To learn more about creating beautiful skin with collagen, check out this blog post.

The warmer months call for shorter hemlines, bare arms, and a glowing complexion. After spending the better part of the year covered up, it’s no wonder so many of us are apprehensive when it comes to revealing a bit of skin. Creating healthy skin is a year-round commitment, but thankfully there are a few things you can to do prep for summer in a flash.

Face

A quick way to bring life to your skin is to exfoliate. A very cheap, easy way to do this is to use a damp facecloth or muslin cloth to remove your cleanser, and very gently work it over the skin’s surface to remove dead skin cells, debris, and tiny particles of makeup. Be extra gentle around the eye area. Avoid harsh scrubs which can irritate the skin at a cellular level and cause collagen to break down (yes, really).

Post-exfoliation is the perfect time to apply serums and active products. Adashiko Collagen & Noni Gel is a beautiful multi-purpose anti-aging serum that will further the exfoliation process, tone, hydrate, and soothe the skin. The lightweight texture makes it ideal for all skin types, even acne-prone skin. Apply a thin layer morning and night – also perfect as a makeup primer.

Sun protection is a crucial part of any skin care regime, even more so through summer when we spend more time outside. There are so many incredible facial sunscreens on the market these days, and many foundations also contain sun protection, so there is no excuse not to protect your skin. Don’t forget the neck and décolletage. Layering an SPF moisturiser and a light layer of mineral makeup that also has SPF will keep your skin safe and give you a natural coverage.

Body

Again, get exfoliating! The skin on the body can handle a bit more of a decent scrub, but take care on the delicate chest area. Exfoliating gloves from the chemist are excellent and very cost-effective – use with a gentle sulphate-free body wash. If you’d prefer a scrub, whip up a DIY sugar, salt, or coffee scrub with an olive or coconut oil base, apply to damp skin in the shower (turn the shower off and give your skin a good massage), and rinse. You’ll be left with silky soft, moisturised skin.

A little bit of colour can do wonders. Sunbathing is a sure-fire way to fast track aging on both the face and the body, so the only safe tan is a faux tan. If you’re not the self-tanning type, try a gradual tanner for a hint of colour, or a tinted body gel or lotion to give a flash of bronze. Perfect for baring legs in skirts and shorts.

Nourish your skin and moisturise daily straight after your shower or bath. Body butters and oils are fantastic for dry, scaly skin, and lotions are great for normal skin. Coconut oil makes an excellent body moisturiser and of course smells delicious – just give yourself ten or fifteen minutes before dressing to allow the oil to absorb.

Think long-term

It’s no surprise we’re huge advocates of daily peptide collagen supplementation. The benefits extend well past the line-smoothing, plumping effects on the face: collagen is also excellent for full body health, reducing pigmentation, and improving the appearance of cellulite and stretch marks. If you’re not on the collagen bandwagon yet, there’s no better time than now to start. Read more about the benefits here

We’re all familiar with the external benefits of collagen, like strong hair and nails, and smooth, youthful skin, but did you know that collagen is a fitness super supplement?

Collagen makes up the connective tissue for the bones, cartilage, joints, organs, arteries, muscles, and comprises the building blocks of skin, hair, and nails. It creates support and elasticity throughout the whole body. As we age, our collagen production slows, and we can see and feel the effects.

If you lead an active lifestyle, adding collagen to your diet can help you in a number of ways.

Speed up your recovery time

Used post-workout, collagen is an excellent supplement to give the body a boost and help lean muscle repair, especially after resistance training. Many of our clients say it reduces or eliminates their DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness).

How to use it: Add two scoops of Adashiko Collagen to water in the hour after your workout (to find out which product suits you best, click here ). Even better, add it to your protein shake for an extra boost. Our collagen can also be added to oats, tea, coffee, soup, etc.

Improve injury discomfort

This 24-week clinical trial showed improvement of joint pain in athletes who were treated with collagen as a dietary supplement. The results suggest that athletes consuming collagen can reduce parameters (such as pain) that have a negative impact on athletic performance. If you have an injury that is holding you back in your chosen sport or in the gym, collagen is the perfect way to support your body assists it in repairing, rebuilding, and healing tissues.

How to use it: Take two scoops of Adashiko Collagen – preferably the Joint formula – once a day in water, tea, coffee, or food. It takes four to six weeks of daily use to notice the benefits, and regular use is essential to maintain the results.

Strengthen your fascia, ligaments, and joints

Keeping our bodies strong is crucial for healthy aging. Staying active and doing regular resistance training is a great start – this is beneficial to retain lean muscle and keep our bones strong as we age. Peptide collagen supplementation is also excellent to maintain a healthy body and keep our internal structures like fascia strong. Learn more about collagen and fascia here. Already dealing with aches, pains, arthritis, or osteoarthritis? A joint-specific collagen supplement like Adashiko Joint will help enormously. Find out more about the benefits of collagen for arthritis pain here.

How to use it: Take two scoops of Adashiko Collagen – preferably the Joint or the Ultra formula – once a day in water, tea, coffee, or food. It takes four to six weeks of daily use to notice the benefits, and regular use is essential to maintain the results.

Aging is inevitable, but we can age well and slow the process with lifestyle interventions. Here are our top tips for healthy aging.

Exercise

Regular physical activity has many benefits for the body and mind. Resistance exercise helps to retain lean muscle mass which declines as we age, and it also helps bone density. Find a sport or activity that you enjoy, and aim to do it at least once a week.

Even a twenty-minute daily walk or yoga session will help your body (and your stress levels).

Take collagen

Regularly ingesting peptide collagen like Adashiko helps to keep you looking and feeling young. Collagen works from the inside out to strengthen the support in the layers of the skin, muscles, joints, and ligaments. Replenishing collagen stores with a premium pure collagen supplement is a completely safe, natural, affordable and highly effective way of achieving full-body wellness and strength, beautiful glowing skin, stronger nails and hair, and increased joint mobility.

Protect your skin

While a small amount of sun exposure is important for Vitamin D production, too much sun will cause premature skin aging, and can even cause skin cancers. Sun damage can show up in the form of wrinkles, sagging skin, pigmentation, oversized pores, dullness, and dryness. Wear an SPF on your face, neck, and decolletage every single day – even when the sun isn’t shining – to protect your skin and keep it looking young.

Sunglasses go a long way towards preventing lines from squinting, and many women swear by a silk pillowcase to prevent lines while sleeping.

Focus on whole foods

Diet plays an enormous role in healthy aging. Eating “clean” simply means avoiding packaged food and eating whole foods wherever possible – aim for a balanced diet comprised of veggies, fruit, lean protein, healthy grains and fats, and plenty of water.

Sugar speeds up the breakdown of collagen and the aging process, so reduce the white stuff and learn to read food labels. Eating antioxidant rich foods like dark green veggies, berries, green tea, high-quality dark chocolate, nuts, and sweet potato can help your body fight the free radicals which cause aging.

Keep it clean

Reduce your toxic load by avoiding cigarette smoke, alcohol, conventional cleaning products, processed meats (recently classified as a Class 1 carcinogen by the World Health Organisation), and pesticides on your fruit and veg. Our environment is increasingly toxic and filled with many chemicals and carcinogens that contribute to illness and the aging process.

Reduce stress

Keeping calm in the face of chaos doesn’t come naturally to many of us, but reducing stress is very important for general health and preventing illness. With our increasingly busy lifestyles, it is key to learn stress management techniques so we can stay centered when things inevitably get crazy. For you, this could be yoga, meditation, affirmations, exercise, tai chi, or any activity that helps to acheive mind body balance.

Peptide Collagen For Glowing Skin

Could collagen really be the key to beautiful, hydrated, glowing skin? With a recent boom in popularity, collagen supplementation is the next level of skin care for women and men who want to fight the signs of ageing and achieve a flawless complexion. However, quality is essential.

Choosing the right collagen supplement is as crucial as taking it regularly. Peptide collagen, known as Super Collagen, is the best-absorbed version of collagen available and is effective when taken at a high daily dose. Peptide collagen molecules are small enough to be properly absorbed by the body after ingesting. Other forms of collagen simply can’t be utilised by the body, and won’t have any effect or benefits at all. Choose carefully, and invest in a high-quality product that will produce real results.

Adashiko products contain pure peptide collagen from Japan. With an advanced low molecular weight of 3000 Daltons, Adashiko is the best-absorbed version of collagen on the market. As well as being efficacious in the body, it is also highly dissolvable with zero taste or odour.

A 2015 placebo-controlled study by the Journal of Cosmetology showed that oral collagen supplementation significantly increased skin hydration after eight weeks. The collagen density in the skin also significantly increased, and results persisted for twelve weeks after the trial.

Some of our customers report changes in their skin after as little as two weeks into their Adashiko regime. To achieve optimal results, we recommend taking Adashiko as long-term anti-aging support – not just for the face, but for the full body.

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