"Building"
Collagen
for Shiny Hair,
Radiant Skin
& Strong Nails
by Dawn Thorpe Jarvis, M.S., R.D., L.D.N.
Garden of Life ® Senior Director of Nutrition
Science & Educational Content
Collagen is the most abundant
protein in the human body and is
often described as the glue that holds
everything together. Collagen, in the
form of elongated fibrils, is mostly
found in fibrous tissues such as tendons,
ligaments and the dermis of the skin
where it acts as a structural scaffold.
It is also abundant in the cornea of the
eye, cartilage, bones, blood vessel walls,
the gut lining, intervertebral discs in our
backbone, and also in teeth and nails.
There are three key “beauty” proteins in the body; collagen,
elastin and keratin. Collagen is the key structural protein that
works with elastin to provide the skin with strength, smoothness
and elasticity while keratin is what protects the outer layer
of the skin, keeps our skin waterproof and makes up 95 percent
of our hair. When we are young, we have an abundance of these
three proteins which is why children and teenagers have beautiful
shiny hair and smooth skin. Unfortunately, as we age, our body’s
production of collagen and other structural proteins starts to slow
down, our skin starts to lose its elasticity and, sadly, we start
to notice sagging skin and wrinkles.
8 Extraordinary Health ™ • Vol 28
Do Collagen Creams Work?
Needless to say, there are countless anti-aging creams that
contain collagen claiming to plump up the skin and hopefully
turn back the clock. What most people don’t realize is that
collagen is a fairly large molecule that cannot be absorbed whole
through the skin unless it undergoes extensive processing to
break it down. Most of these creams simply stay on the skin and
do not build collagen within the body.