Collagen – 5 Nutrients to Boost Skin Collagen

Collagen is an essential protein needed for smooth and beautiful skin, but it also plays a vital role in other parts of the body. It is necessary for maintaining healthy blood vessel walls and supporting a healthy skeleton.

Collagen levels decrease with age, leading to wrinkles and skin that appears less firm. From the age of 21, collagen in the skin decreases by approximately 1% per year, making the skin less elastic. After menopause, the rate of collagen loss accelerates, with around 30% of the skin’s collagen being lost in the first five years post-menopause.

The gradual decline in collagen over time also results in tendons and ligaments becoming less flexible, joint pain due to cartilage losing its quality, and digestive issues, as the lining of the digestive tract becomes thinner.

There are several types of collagen, I–IV, and all types, like other tissues in the body, require proper nutrition to be formed. To produce high-quality collagen, you must ensure you are not deficient in these five key nutrients.

1. Consume animal-based collagen

Collagen consists of 19 amino acids that you need to produce it. Without the raw materials, it becomes challenging to form high-quality collagen. Collagen is particularly rich in the amino acids proline and glycine but lacks cysteine, so eating regular protein is often insufficient to produce collagen. Bone broth and tendons are some of the best sources of collagen's unique amino acids. Bone broth is particularly rich in collagen. Research shows that vegans have 10% less ability to produce collagen compared to omnivores. The bone broth we sell is organic and comes from animals raised on 100% grass and herbs. They are fed 0% soy, wheat, or corn.

2. Avoid vitamin C deficiency

Scurvy, the disease sailors suffered from during the exploration voyages of the 1400s, was caused by a lack of vitamin C. Without sufficient levels of vitamin C, sailors were unable to produce healthy collagen, leading to bleeding and inflamed gums, poor wound healing, and increased susceptibility to infections. While scurvy is now rare in the Western world, vitamin C remains crucial for rejuvenating the skin's collagen. If your intake of vitamin C is used up neutralizing free radicals from pollution, oxidative stress, cigarette smoke, or other factors, there won’t be enough left to produce high-quality collagen. We recommend MegaFood's whole food vitamin C with all its cofactors intact.

3. Zinc is needed to produce collagen

Zinc is a mineral with numerous essential functions in the body. It contributes to the normal function of the immune system and is important for hair, skin, and nails. Zinc also supports normal fertility and reproduction. To produce collagen, certain types of proteins are required, and zinc is necessary for their formation. Foods rich in zinc include oysters, shellfish, and meat. Dark chocolate also contains some zinc. MegaFood offers a zinc supplement that we consider the best we’ve tried.

4. Copper boosts collagen

Copper is a mineral that contributes to the normal pigmentation of the skin and hair. A deficiency in copper increases the risk of premature graying. Copper also protects cells from oxidative stress and supports the normal function of the immune system. In 1973, researcher Loren Pickart discovered that copper levels are high in young people but decrease with age. Copper is essential in the process of collagen production and helps maintain normal connective tissue. Thorne likely has the purest copper available on the market.

5. Avoid silica deficiency

Silica, sometimes referred to as silicon, is essential as it activates certain enzymes needed to form a matrix of collagen fibers. These enzymes are also important for skin elasticity. Hair and nails with higher silica content become stronger and less brittle. Clinical trials on humans have shown that silica supplementation improves skin, hair, and nails. Dr. Mercola has developed a silica product with a bioavailability of 64%, compared to the 2–3% found in bamboo and horsetail.

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