There are published reports that oral collagen supplements in the form of collagen hydrolysate, collagen tripeptide or collagen dipeptide improves the quality of skin and gives anti-aging property. How does it work? How is it metabolized in the body? When supplement is given is there any down regulation of collagen synthesis by fibroblasts?
I would question whether those "reports" refer to appropriately designed studies, using techniques like randomization and placebo control, and whether the sponsors have any financial interests in the outcome. I'm not aware of any that meet these seemingly rather basic criteria. Have any links?
Like most peptides, oral collagen would be partially digested by enzymes like intestinal elastase, and taken up as a "hydrolysate" or as individual amino acids, which are then either absorbed into the body's protein synthesis or broken down for energy. If provided as hydrolysate (pre-digested) it should be taken up more or less as it is, perhaps with minor additional hydrolysis.
In theory it seems difficult to see how it would matter where your amino acids come from. You could get them from oral collagen. Or you could get them from eating steak and lentils. The only thing special I could see regarding collagen hydrolysate is that it would provide them in the exact correct ratios to make more collagen. Its amino acid composition is quite special, consisting mainly of Gly, Pro, and some Lys. So if you're generally low on amino acid reserves, and your body wants to make collagen, I could see that supplementing these specifically in the form of collagen hydrolysate could, under special enough circumstances, in theory, help it out.
But is collagen even the right thing to aim for? I would associate collagen production with fibrosis, more so than with youthful "elastic" skin quality. As far as I'm aware, the elastic qualities of young skin would be associated with the aptly named elastin more so than with collagen, no?
It is true that, according to some published paper ,collagen hydrolized seems to be used from the body as protein supplement,but there are not in my knowledge clinic papers, made by a double blind method ,showing their real effectiveness to slow down wrinkles or fine lines of aged people
activity on aged skin.
Truly debatable.
If collagen is ingested it gets digested. So how will it be able to form new collagen. Some doubts
It is my same thinking! The body will use probably aminoacids only.How and if it may be usefull for the wrinklEs has to be demonstrated "in vivo". I don't think it may be effective.
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Biological Science
- Molecular Cell Biology
- Culture Cells
- Cell Line