Collagen: What Is It and When Should I Start Using It?

As we age, we gradually lose the natural collagen in our body, a natural process. Collagen slowly starts to decline at about the age of 25 onwards.

While we believe wholeheartedly in embracing our beauty at every age, there is nothing wrong with wanting to maintain as much collagen as possible.

Let’s learn more about all the different types of collagen our amazing bodies make, and then learn how we can supplement it to support healthy aging holistically.

What is collagen?

Collagen is an animal protein produced by fibroblasts. This protein is one of the most abundant in the body, as it makes up 25% of total proteins.

Essentially, collagen is responsible for binding connective tissues. This means it maintains the elasticity of your skin, muscles, tendons, and ligaments (and much more), preventing deterioration. In other words, collagen is responsible for reducing the signs of aging, such as wrinkles, muscle or joint pain, or circulation problems.

From the age of 30, the body progressively reduces collagen production, producing only 50% by the time we reach 40 years old. The reduction in production leads to a visible loss of firmness in the skin, in muscle recovery, osteoporosis, and other signs of aging.

Types of collagen

We can find about 28 different types of collagen. Although we usually focus primarily on 5 types.

• Type I Collagen

This type of collagen accounts for 90% of the total collagen in the body.

It is found mainly in skin, tendons, bones, ligaments, the cornea, and teeth and is responsible for providing strength and support to tissues by forming rope-like fibers.

• Type II Collagen

This type of collagen is generally found in cartilage and eyes, maintaining their firmness and elasticity.

Type II collagen tends to be present in collagen supplements focused on joint health or arthritis.

• Type III Collagen

Type III collagen is responsible for supporting muscle fibers as they expand and contract.

• Type VI Collagen

We can find this type of collagen in basal membranes and it is effective in filtering substances and thus protecting the skin and kidneys, in addition to other organs.

• Type V Collagen

Type V collagen participates in forming type I collagen fibers and is found on cell surfaces, in the placenta, in hair, and in the cornea.

Benefits of collagen

Collagen, depending on its type, provides numerous benefits for the human body, mainly keeping it in shape and preventing premature signs of aging.

What parts of the body does collagen benefit?

• The skin

Collagen forms a kind of network that strengthens the skin, creating a firmer and plumper appearance by providing firmness, elasticity, and hydration. Although we mustn’t get carried away, collagen does not act as a miracle supplement to eliminate the appearance of wrinkles. That said, it is useful for reducing them and delaying their appearance.

In addition to improving the skin, collagen is also responsible for strengthening and stimulating the growth of hair and nails.

• Bones and joints

Collagen is also essential in order to keep healthy bones and joints.

Keeping a high level of collagen in the body ensures a reduction in joint pain and improved mobility as it contributes to cartilage regeneration.

In addition, collagen helps maintain and increase bone density, which is useful for people who suffer from osteoporosis.

• Cardiovascular health

Collagen forms part of the walls of blood vessels, contributing to their elasticity and proper functioning.

In addition to these main benefits, collagen also improves other parts of the body, such as

→ Teeth and gums

→ Digestive system

→ Muscles

→ Ocular system

When should I start using it?

Collagen production begins to decline gradually from around the age of 25, by 1% or 2% per year.

It is estimated that, from the age of 40, collagen production reduces to 50% and therefore the body starts to experience aging more noticeably.

From the age of 25 onwards, we recommend incorporating a diet rich in collagen and combining it with supplements (we’ve included our favorites below).

However, if you are under 25 years old, it may be better to consider a supplement other than collagen since your natural production is still quite high, so you won't notice major changes.

How to start taking collagen

Collagen is found in a wide variety of foods, such as:

• Unflavored gelatin
• Tripe
• Certain cuts of pork (like the skin and trotters) and beef
• Fish such as octopus, sardines, salmon or tuna
• Feta or cheddar cheese
• Whole milk or goat's milk

However, where we can find the most collagen is in the cartilage, tendons, and skin of beef, chicken, and veal (among others).

You can also combine your diet with collagen supplements to support its production.

Note: Supplements should never be used as a substitute for a healthy and balanced diet.

Collagen supplements

Although it is important to include collagen in your diet, you can increase collagen consumption by adding high-quality supplements to your daily care routine.

At Beauty Heroes you can find a wide range of collagen supplements that best suit your needs.

• Collagen gummies

A common and easy way to consume collagen is in gummy form. These YINA Lumidrops combine traditional Chinese medicine plants and adaptogens with vitamin C and free-range grass-fed bovine collagen to support skin, hair, nails, and vitality.

• Liquid collagen (collagen tonic)

Another way you can consume collagen is as a drink!

As one user review highlights on the Beauty Heroes website, this one from The Beauty Chef “Tastes amazing! Add some mint and raspberries to make it feel like a cocktail.” - Shannon K.

This tonic, made with organic, bio-fermented probiotic ingredients and antioxidants, aims to visibly improve skin’s health and radiance from the inside out, as well as contribute to healthy hair and nails.

• Collagen powder

Collagen can be consumed as a powder dissolved in water, smoothies, green juices, etc.

This one in particular from The Beauty Chef is berry flavored and contains marine collagen sourced from wild-caught cod.

It helps support elasticity and hydration in order to maintain healthy collagen density and protect deep within the skin.

• Collagen tablets (chewables)

Another quick and easy way to add collagen into your diet is through chewable supplements, like these Plumpers from The Beauty Chef, crafted for convenient, on-the-go skin support.

They are designed to fit seamlessly into a busy lifestyle and require no prep.

With a fun format and great taste, they make it easy to incorporate skin-focused wellness into any daily routine.

Each serving delivers 2,625 mg of hydrolyzed collagen peptides, along with hyaluronic acid and a unique postbiotic strain, thoughtfully created to support the body’s natural collagen processes and help maintain skin hydration and elasticity.

• Collagen cream/serum

Lots of collagen products in the beauty space are designed to be applied topically rather than ingested, like this Hero Product BioIdentical Collagen Serum from Josh Rosebrook, featuring an innovative breakthrough ingredient that has the same molecular structure as our own collagen.

This 100% bio-identical, micro-molecular collagen hydrates, protects, and offers the appearance of improved collagen integrity of the skin when applied regularly.

It is also vegan and sustainable, setting a new industry standard for topical collagen.

How long does it take to see results?

Generally it takes about 8 weeks to start seeing results in the skin.

Although collagen is absorbed quickly in the body, the results take a while to become noticeable.

Following a study that analyzed 1,700 people, it was discovered that the efficacy of collagen was visible after 8 weeks of taking it consistently.

However, it is important to keep in mind that the body decides where it is necessary to direct that collagen supply. So, it can end up in the skin, joints, muscles, etc.

Likewise, after 15 days without consuming collagen, levels of collagen in the body begin to decrease.

And finally…

Now you know the main benefits of collagen, particularly for your skin:

✅ Reduces expression lines (like crow’s feet and smile lines)

✅ Helps prevent pronounced wrinkles

✅ Strengthens and hydrates the skin

But don't forget that it is not a miracle component and that collagen can also be negatively impacted by bad habits or prolonged sun exposure.

If you're looking to make the most of all the benefits of collagen as soon as possible, add a collagen supplement to your wellness routine. See all the collagen support products that Beauty Heroes has to offer.