The Foundation Collagen, Elastin and Hyaluronic Acid :Normal, healthy skin has a smooth surface, is firm and hydrated, and has an even color and tone. But why does our skin change when we age?

To answer this question, we need to go beneath the surface, below the epidermis (the outer layer of your skin) into the derma — what dermatologists refer to as the “extracellular matrix.” This is where the real action happens.

There are three main
components of healthy skin

When we’re young, these three components are all abundant. They make up your extracellular matrix to provide the foundation for smooth and vibrant skin:

COLLAGEN — which provides structure for firm, smooth skin (70% of your skin is collagen)
ELASTIN — which supplies skin elasticity and rebound
HYALURONIC ACID — which keeps the skin hydrated and moist (50% of your body’s concentration of HA is in the skin)

A decline in the body’s production of these three is what leads to dry, dull, wrinkled, and sagging skin as we age.

But what you need to know is that both internal and external factors can damage the collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid in your skin, causing accelerated skin aging and the appearance of signs of aged skin that include:

FINE LINES AND WRINKLES / SAGGING SKIN
DRY SKIN / COARSE AND ROUGH SKIN
LOSS OF ELASTICITY AND PLUMPNESS
UNEVEN TONE / BROWN SPOTS / CREPEY SKIN*

* Skin that is thin and looks finely wrinkled, like crepe paper. This skin is thin and fragile, and sags and feels loose. It is common under the eyes, on the neck and the upper inner arms.

Why Does Skin Wrinkle with Age?

Intrinsic aging is the natural aging process that takes place over the years, regardless of external influences. According to Dr. Nancy Lin, Ph.D, we produce 1-1.5% less collagen on average each year starting around age 20, and the loss only accelerates from there. As a result, our skin becomes thinner and more fragile. There’s also a similar decline in the production of elastin and hyaluronic acid.

Without supplementation we produce, on average, 25% less collagen by age 40 than we did in our youth, and by age 60, our bodies are producing a shocking 50% less collagen [1,2].

Some wrinkle formation is inevitable, as a result of intrinsic aging, but it is slight compared to the accelerated aging effects of these external factors.

1.5 %

LESS COLLAGEN

produced each year after the age of 20

25 %

LESS COLLAGEN

produced each year after the age of 40

50 %

LESS COLLAGEN

produced each year after the age of 60

This is what’s really behind
accelerated skin aging:

UV (ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION)

STRESS AND POOR SLEEP

AIR POLLUTION

POOR DIET

SMOKING

ALCOHOL

It’s the combination of intrinsic aging and the external factors that can cause the accelerated loss of collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid.

Turning Back the Clock

It’s a simple three-step supplementation process that addresses both the production of new collagen and the preservation and protection of the body’s current collagen stores.

3 STEPS TO HELP RESTORE YOUTHFUL SKIN FROM WITHIN!

STEP 1

GET THE RIGHT COLLAGEN

Human skin is made of Type 1 collagen. Most collagen powders include the wrong form of collagen for skin, settling for cheaper, less effective Type 3 collagen from bovine (cow) sources.

STEP 2

ADD COLLAGEN PRODUCTION BOOSTERS

STEP 3

ADD SKIN PROTECTION FACTORS

Step 1: Choosing the Right Collagen

Shopping for collagen can be confusing. There are so many different options, and collagen marketers don’t make it any easier. However, it’s not as complicated as it seems, if you just shop with the desired benefit in mind.

Here’s a breakdown of what you need to know when choosing a collagen supplement by benefit. There are actually at least 16 different types of collagen, but most collagen is either type 1, 2, or 3.

The most important thing you need to know is that 80% of the collagen in your skin — the collagen that helps minimize fine lines and wrinkles — is Type 1. And by far, the most abundant source of Type 1 collagen is fish.

Hydrolyzed Collagen Peptides

As Dr. Lin explains in the video above, what’s really in collagen powders is called “collagen peptides.” For collagen to be best absorbed into the body, it first needs to be broken down into smaller units of protein, called peptides, which are two or more amino acids linked in a chain. These tiny peptides are easier to digest and absorb, and exactly what your body needs to efficiently make new collagen.

This is why collagen peptide powders are so popular today, as opposed to bone broth or other sources of collagen. Collagen peptides are the best source of collagen because they are fully hydrolyzed — broken down into those peptides for better absorption. Bone broth and other gelatin forms of collagen are only partially hydrolyzed, so they must be broken down further in the body to be absorbed.

Best Collagen for Joint Health

Type 2 collagen accounts for the majority of the collagen in your joint cartilage, including the connective tissue that protects your bones at the joints. It’s in your spinal disks too. Basically, Type 2 is a great collagen for your joints. If you’re looking for improved joint health, then your best bet is to find a supplement that contains Type 2 collagen derived from chicken cartilage.

Best Collagen for Gut Health

Type 3 collagen is found naturally in large quantities in the intestines, muscles, and blood vessels. Many people take it as a supplement for muscle building or gut health and repair. Most Type 3 collagen in supplements is bovine collagen.

Best Collagen for Skin

Marine (fish) collagen is mostly Type 1, which is the same type that makes up the majority of the collagen in your skin. According to Dr. Lin, the amino acid profile in fish collagen lines up much better with the requirements for the production of collagen in human skin than other collagen sources.

Over 50% of collagen is made up of three amino acids: glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline. These three amino acids are the most important when it comes to collagen synthesis for the skin, and marine collagen peptides contain a higher percentage of each than any other collagen source.

Marine collagen also has the smallest particle size of all collagen, making it far easier to absorb than bovine or porcine collagen – a full 1.5 times better than bovine, in fact!*

Smarter’s Marine Collagen Blend Offers Real Results!

Smarter’s Marine Collagen comes exclusively from fresh fish sources identified as sustainable by the Aquaculture Certification Council for safe, premium-quality collagen peptides.

The collagen used in Smarter Skin Collagen has been studied for its ability to improve skin hydration in humans. After 8 weeks of supplementation with marine-derived collagen, study participants showed a measurable increase in skin moisture levels.

This same study also measured the effects of marine-derived collagen on collagen fragmentation and the content of collagen and glycosaminoglycans (connective tissue components that contain amino groups and perform various functions throughout the body). It was concluded that “oral supplementation with specific collagen peptides improves s kin hydration as well as the density and structure of the collagen network in the dermis” and “very clearly and significantly increased the amount of glycosaminoglycans in the epidermis in a dose-dependent manner.”