Hey everybody, welcome back to Landlikem5, the podcast where we take questions you always want to ask and talk about them in a way that's easy to understand. We are your hosts, I'm Tim, and I'm Kevin. So Kevin, today we're talking about something that is becoming increasingly popular, and that is collagen. We hear about collagen in various marketing channels for cosmetics and for food, but what exactly is collagen?
So the Eli5 way of explaining it is to say that collagen is like the glue that holds our body together. It's a protein, actually the most abundant protein in our bodies. It actually makes up from 25 to 35% of the whole body protein content of all mammals. It's found in your bones, in your muscles, in your skin, and tendons.
It really gives our skin strength and elasticity, and it helps replace dead skin cells. So it's also very crucial for the health of our joints and tendons. So what makes collagen special, and in particular, what makes it different from other proteins? Well, all proteins are made of these chains of amino acids, but unlike many other proteins, collagen consists of amino acids bound together to form a triple helix known as a collagen helix.
And this triple helix structure is really what gives collagen its incredible strength. So imagine it as a tightly coiled spring that's really hard to pull apart. This structure is what makes collagen so strong and able to support all our different tissues. Now we use collagen as an umbrella term, but aren't there different types of collagen?
And can you tell us more about that? Oh yes, indeed. There are at least 28 types of collagen. Actually, we keep finding more, but over 90% of the collagen in the human body is something we call type 1 collagen.
And you'll find most collagen falls into this categorization of types 1, 2, and 3. Maybe we can just stick to explaining the three main types then. Sure. So type 1, the most abundant one, is found in our skin, in our tendons, and bones, and is known for its strength.
Type 2 is found in your cartilage and helps absorb shock in your joints. And type 3 supports the structure of your various muscles, organs, and arteries. That's helpful. Now people talk about collagen often in the context of aging.
Why does our collagen production decrease as we age? So as we get older, our body's ability to produce collagen kind of slows down. This is a natural part of aging, but lifestyle factors like sun exposure, smoking, and a poor diet can accelerate collagen breakdown. You know, UV rays from the sun can damage a lot of collagen fibers, leading to premature aging, while smoking reduces blood flow to the skin, impairing collagen production.
So is there a way to slow down this process or prevent this loss? Well, we can't stop aging, but we can certainly slow down your collagen loss. Protecting our skin from the sun, that's a really big one, making sure you're not smoking, and making sure that you are eating a diet rich in antioxidants can help preserve a lot of collagen. You can also eat foods high in vitamin C, for example, that can boost your body's collagen production.
And keeping your collagen levels up can basically really help keep your skin looking youthful, reduce any joint pain, and even prevent bone loss. It's also been able to support hair and nail growth, and can even improve your gut health. And people talk about it being really good for your skin. Why is this?
Yeah, that's because collagen provides structure to your skin. And when we lose collagen, our skin loses its firmness and elasticity, leading to the formation of wrinkles and fine lines. So that's why collagen is often associated with youthful looking skin. Okay, so that's why collagen supplements seem to have been growing in popularity.
Are there any risks or side effects to them? No, collagen supplements are generally considered pretty safe. Plus some people may experience some, you know, maybe some digestive side effects or allergic reactions. It's always best to consult with a healthcare provider before starting any new supplement.
And some people say that collagen plays a role in women's tendency to bruise more easily than men. Is this true? Yes, actually, women generally have thinner skin than men, which means they have less collagen. And so this can make women more prone to bruising.
Some hormonal differences also affect the skin thickness and collagen distribution. Okay, now let's talk about collagen in foods. How does collagen affect the taste and the texture of food? Oh, well, collagen can definitely make foods richer and also improve texture.
When cooked, collagen breaks down into gelatin, which is why slow cooked meats become pretty tender and juicy. It's also used in food manufacturing for, you know, a lot of gelling type properties. Oh, that's interesting. So what is the relationship between collagen and gelatin then?
Gelatin, which we know is commonly used in food and industry, is actually just collagen that has been cooked. Or maybe more scientifically put, gelatin is collagen that has been irreversibly hydrolyzed using heat or other basic solutions or even weak acids. Okay, now finally, the word collagen, where does it come from? Ah, so collagen comes from the Greek for the word glue, cola.
The word means basically like a glue producer. It actually refers to the early process of boiling the skin and sinews of horses and other animals to obtain said glue. Now, collagen adhesive was used by Egyptians about 4,000 years ago, and even Native Americans used it in bows about 1,500 years ago. Overall, actually, glue has a long history.
The oldest glue in the world carbon dated as more than 8,000 years old and was found to originally have been collagen. Wow, that's interesting. Did you learn something new? If you did, send us an email.
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