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.

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.