Discover the Top 11 Fun and Fascinating Facts About Collagen You Never Knew!

1. Tin Man's Collagen Strut

If the Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz knew the secret of collagen, he could have ditched the oil can for a much smoother strut: collagen is not only the primary component of our bones, skin, muscles, tendons, and cartilage, but it also keeps these tissues strong and flexible. Beware though, this magical protein declines rapidly due to excess sun exposure, smoking, too much alcohol, and lack of sleep and exercise.
Source => hsph.harvard.edu

2. The Collagen Quartet

Move aside, Motown, there's a new group in town: The Collagen Quartet - with their youthful energy and soft rhythm, they'll have your skin dancing to the beat of rejuvenation! But enough of this witty banter: Type I and III collagen are the shining stars, making up 80% and 15% of human skin, while Type IV and VII strut their stuff in the basement membrane and anchoring fibrils as valuable supporting acts.
Source => onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Did you know that hemoglobin, the protein responsible for the red color in our blood, is actually a quartet of subunits working together to transport oxygen? Discover more fascinating facts about this marvelous protein!

=> Fun Facts about Protein

3. Fairy Godmother of Skincare

In the skincare world, collagen is like your fairy godmother who magically transforms your parched pumpkin skin into a supple carriage to the ball: studies reveal that both oral and topical collagen supplements not only improve skin moisture, elasticity, and hydration, but also diminish the appearance of wrinkles and roughness, all with no reported side effects from oral collagen intake.
Source => ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

4. Collagen: The Body's Cement

If your body were a house, collagen would be the cement, keeping things together and preventing your walls from turning into jelly: Collagen is the most abundant protein in our bodies, making up one-third of the total protein and playing a crucial role in maintaining our skin, tendons, and bones. Plus, combining collagen peptide supplements with exercise can help keep your bodily "foundation" strong and improve joint functionality! Now that's some good-quality concrete, if we do say so ourselves.
Source => ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

5. Gelatin and Collagen's Awkward Reunion

You know that awkward family reunion where gelatin and collagen peptides see each other and pretend not to know they're related? Yeah, that's because they're two different takes on the same party trick: Gelatin is collagen slowly heated into a fun wiggly form, while collagen peptides powder is a speedier version, where enzymes break down collagen into bioavailable peptides. Surprise: The quicker cousin is actually better for your body, making it a finger-licking, bone-loving, joint-caressing, skin-smoothing supplement!
Source => barebiology.com

6. Vitamin C: Tightening the Vintage Look

Are wrinkles giving you that "vintage" look you never asked for? Here's a juicy secret to help tighten things up: Applying vitamin C to your skin can boost collagen production and prevent sagging, while also maintaining and protecting existing collagen. Opt for L-ascorbic acid with a concentration between 10% and 20% for top-notch results, and chomp on vitamin C-rich fruits and veggies like citrus fruits, tomatoes, peppers, kiwis, and strawberries for a scrumptious skincare routine.
Source => webmd.com

7. Collagen: The Ultimate Sidekick

Collagen may not be able to spin a web like Spiderman or build skyscrapers like Superman, but it's the ultimate sidekick in the grand superhero saga that is the human body: This tenacious protein, while not considered one of the strongest materials in the world, teams up with nutrients like protein, zinc, copper, and vitamin C to maintain and fortify the structure of our bones, skin, and various other tissues, always ready to save the day!
Source => homework.study.com

8. Marine Collagen: A Pirate's Treasure

Ahoy, ye landlubbers! Ready to cast off your landlubber ways and sail the sea of knowledge on a search for treasure? Well, grab your parrots and climb aboard: marine collagen promotes bone health and mineralization! Avast! A 2013 study even showed that fish collagen helps synthesize the bone matrix and could be a first mate in cartilage regeneration and bone healing. Yarrr, me hearties, 'tis a true treasure trove for yer bones!
Source => nuviline.com

9. Swimming Facelifts and Time-Defying Berries

Rumor has it that salmon are nature's swimming facelifts, and berry enthusiasts are in cahoots with Father Time: Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish like salmon and tuna, along with antioxidants in fruits like berries and citrus, can increase collagen synthesis leading to firmer and more youthful-looking skin.
Source => halecosmeceuticals.com

10. Skin's Fast-Pass Water Park

Did you know that your skin is like a water park for molecules, complete with a fast-pass system for VIPs? That's right: collagen in your skin can speed up the dispersion of water and large solutes within the matrix, making water transfer in the dermis much more efficient and ensuring that your skin stays hydrated and supple.
Source => ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

11. Vegan's Kale-lagen Conundrum

Sorry vegans, you can't just kale-lagen your way to a collagen boost: While it is possible to promote collagen synthesis in the body through plant-based sources, actual collagen is always derived from animals – specifically cows or fish – making it non-vegan in essence.
Source => ora.organic