Collagen is gaining popularity over the past few years all over the world and the trend is catching up on India. While there are a lot of misconceptions about Collagen and what it actually is, let’s make sure that not all Collagen supplements are created equally. When you’re looking for the best quality and results, go for something that has evidence based research as well as legitimate claims and shows you where the Collagen is sourced from.
There is a lot of research that supports the many benefits of Collagen supplements, and it’s time to bust myths about Collagen with proper research.
Skin Benefits :-
Collagen is a major component of your skin. It plays a role in making your skin look younger by increasing elasticity and hydration. However, as you age, your body produces less Collagen, leading to fine lines, dry skin and the formation of wrinkles.
Here are some studies proving that Collagen supplements are beneficial for your skin.
In 2019, the J Drugs Dermatol published a review of oral Collagen’s effects on the skin, showing that Collagen peptides will support skin elasticity and hydration levels and promote youthful texture.
In one study, women who took a supplement containing 2.5–5 grams of Collagen for 8 weeks experienced less skin dryness and a significant increase in skin elasticity compared with those who did not take the supplement.
Another study found that women who drank a beverage mixed with a collagen supplement daily for 12 weeks experienced increased skin hydration and a significant reduction in wrinkle depth compared with a control group
The anti-ageing effects of Collagen supplements have been attributed to their ability to stimulate your body to produce Collagen on its own
Additionally, taking Collagen supplements may promote the production of other proteins that help structure your skin, including elastin and fibrillin.
Hair Benefits:-
Hair is primarily made up of the protein keratin. Your body uses several amino acids to build keratin — some of which can be found in Collagen.
There are 11 nonessential amino acids that are produced naturally by the body and 9 essential ones that you need to obtain from your diet. Collagen is primarily made up of 3 non-essential amino acids: proline, glycine, and hydroxyproline.
Proline is also the main component of keratin. Therefore, consuming proline-rich Collagen should provide your body with the building blocks it needs to create hair.
Free radicals can affect the rate at which your hair grows as well as the quality of your hair. One study found that Marine Collagen was able to fight four different free radicals, while another study observed that the protein may be a more effective antioxidant.
Bone and Joint benefits :-
Collagen helps maintain the integrity of your cartilage, which is the rubber-like tissue that protects your joints.
Some studies have shown that taking Collagen supplements may help improve symptoms of osteoarthritis and reduce joint pain overall.
In one study, 73 athletes who consumed 10 grams of Collagen daily for 24 weeks experienced a significant decrease in joint pain while walking and at rest, compared with a group that did not take it.
In another study, adults took 2 grams of Collagen daily for 70 days. Those who took Collagen had a significant reduction in joint pain and were better able to engage in physical activity than those who did not take it.
Just as the Collagen in your body deteriorates as you age, so does bone mass. This may lead to conditions like osteoporosis and osteoarthritis.
In one study, women took either a calcium supplement combined with 5 grams of collagen or a calcium supplement and no collagen daily for 12 months.
By the end of the study, the women taking the calcium and collagen supplement had significantly lower blood levels of proteins that promote bone breakdown than those taking only the calcium.
Muscle benefits :-
Collagen is essential to keep your muscles strong and functioning properly.
In one study, 27 men took 15 grams of Collagen while participating in an exercise program daily for 12 weeks. Compared with men who exercised but did not take Collagen, they gained significantly more muscle mass and strength.
Researchers have suggested that taking Collagen may promote the synthesis of muscle proteins like creatine, as well as stimulate muscle growth after exercise.
In conclusion :-
Collagen supplements are generally safe, quite easy to use, and definitely worth trying for their potential benefits. Taking Collagen is associated with a number of health benefits not just for your skin and hair but also for your muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments and more. To shop high quality Marine Collagen supplements formulated in Japan, visit injawellness.com.
What is Matcha?
Matcha comes from the plant camellia sinensis, the same plant that black, oolong and other green teas come from.However, what makes Matcha unique is the rigorous and intense method in which it is produced.
Matcha is harvested by hand once per year. Roughly six weeks before harvest, the tea fields are covered from the top in traditional straw or black vinyl sheets. This slowly and gradually decreases the amount of sunlight that the plants receive over time. As a result of this lack of sunlight, the tea leaves begin to increase amounts of both chlorophyll and amino acids; It is known that Matcha contains 137 times the antioxidants, 15 times more nutritional value and burns 25% more calories as compared to regular green tea.
Only the two leaves at the tip of each new shoot are picked. They are then steamed to preserve the colour and nutrients, and to stop the enzymatic action within the leaves, then thoroughly dried in large cages with heated blowers. Once dry, they are sorted by grade (with the youngest, greenest, most tender leaves earning the highest marks).
Then the laborious and immensely time-consuming task of de-stemming and de-veining happens. If the leaves are rolled out they become a premium green tea named Gyokuro, while the leaves that are laid out to dry become Tencha. Tencha is then kept refrigerated until it’s ready to be ground, using large granite wheels that rotate very slowly and gently, into a very fine powder known as Matcha. It takes more than an hour to grind 30 grams. It is this grinding process from which Matcha—抹 茶, literally, “ground tea”—gets its name from. Matcha is then packaged and sent around the world.
INJA Matcha contains organically grown Matcha sourced from the foothills of Shizuoka, Japan, which is known for centuries of Matcha production. The climate in Shizuoka makes it perfect to grow and harvest Matcha. The rigorous process of finely milling the delicate tea leaves makes INJA Matcha replete with a host of benefits to offer. Shop INJA Matcha on injawellness.com
Forever young! That is how we want to be. But the sad truth of life is that we age. We get wrinkles, our skin becomes loose, our bones become brittle, our joints become creaky and painful and a whole other host of problems crop up. While we will never stop ageing, we can prevent ourselves from looking old. In recent times a variety of methods to prevent wrinkles and maintain a youthful appearance have become popular.
If you haven’t already figured it out, this blog is about INJA Life Collagen, so most of the articles too will be related to collagen and collagen supplements. In this article I’m going to compare the effects of Botulinum toxin (a toxin injected into facial muscles to reduce the formation of wrinkles) with the effects of collagen on skin.
Let’s start with explaining what Botulinum toxin is. Botulinum toxin (BTX) is a Neurotoxic protein produced by the Bacterium Clostridium Botulinum and related species. There are seven types of botulinum toxin, named type A–G. Type A and B are used commercially and medically. Botulinum toxin types A and B are used in medicine to treat various muscle spasms and diseases characterised by overactive muscle.
It is also frequently used in cosmetic surgery and is extremely popular among the stars of Hollywood and Bollywood. It is considered safe and a rather effective method in reducing facial wrinkles and fine lines. The botulinum toxin is injected in small quantities into the muscles under the facial wrinkles and frown lines. The drug/toxin relaxes these muscles and smoothens the overlying skin. This causes the wrinkles and frown lines to disappear. Type A of the purified botulinum toxin is used to paralyse various facial muscle groups to reduce wrinkles and give a younger looking appearance to people. The treated muscles gradually regain function, and generally return to their former appearance within three to six months after the treatment. Muscles can be treated repeatedly to maintain the smoothed appearance. However this drug has various side effects like pain, bruising, paralysis of the nerves that control the eyelid (drooping eyes), etc
In comparison Collagen is one of the most abundant proteins found in our body. It forms the building blocks of our skin, hair, nails, etc. As we age our body slows down the production of collagen. As a result our skin loses its elasticity. This results in the formation of wrinkles and fine lines. By taking hydrolyzed collagen supplements one can help the skin to continue renewing and replacing the skin cells and maintain a youthful glow. Collagen improves skin smoothness and increases elasticity. It prevents and reduces the formation of wrinkles. Scars from acne and dark spots can also be reduced by taking collagen supplements.
Researchers and health officials have found that taking collagen supplements is safe as they are natural and healthy. They can be easily consumed and absorbed by the body to improve the appearance of your skin and ensure a youthful complexion always.
Let’s have a quick overview of the advantages and disadvantages of both.
- Origin
When compared collagen is a natural and healthy protein that is found in our body while botulinum toxin is a highly toxic substance and can only be used in small quantities.
- Procedure
The botulinum toxin treatment has to be performed by a certified doctor and repeated to maintain the youthful appearance. Collagen supplements are available easily at any health store. Moreover hydrolyzed collagen supplements in powder form are easy to consume and are absorbed by the body easily.
- Frequency
The effects of botulinum toxin last for 3-6 moths. Therefore to maintain a youthful appearance you have to repeat the procedure every few month. Collagen should be consumed for around 3-4 months to experience the benefits. However it has no adverse effects and can be taken as supplement with your diet for a longer period of time.
- Suitable
The botulinum toxin treatment is usually done by older adults to mask the signs of aging and to maintain a youthful look. Collagen supplements, although taken by adults, can be added to ones diet to boost the collagen levels in the body from the age of 15. Collagen supplements should be taken by people who have a low protein diet, people who want to strengthen their joints and bones, etc.
- Side effects
Continued botulinum toxin procedures can have side effects like pain, bruising, allergic reactions, paralysis of the nerves that control the eyelid (drooping eyes), muscle stiffness, etc. Marine collagen is made out of the skin and scales of fish. Therefore the main side effect is an allergic reaction to the fish. However there are no other ill effects of taking a collagen supplement in your diet.
Bottom line is when a 100% natural collagen supplement like INJA Life is so easily available and can be added to our diet to help us look young and maintain a an overall healthy lifestyle, why would you want to go in for a risky medical procedure?
