While there are many benefits of taking collagen supplements to promote more supple, radiant and glowing skin, it often isn’t enough to rely on if your goal is a naturally vibrant complexion. While striving for healthy-looking skin over 40, eating a balanced diet, hydrating frequently, exercising and getting enough sleep is imperative, just as supplementing with several different options is.
We checked in with Jordan Dorn, co-founder of Holistic wellness and supplement brand Zuma Nutrition to learn more about 3 supplements for anti-aging beauty apart from collagen. Read on for tips and suggestions when it comes to clear, youthful-esque skin over 40.
Why Collagen Isn't Enough Alone
First off, (before diving into 3 other healthy skin-loving supplements), Dorn explains why supplementing with solely collagen won't deliver the radiant results you're striving for. "Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body, accounting for nearly one-third of its protein composition," he says, "Collagen gives skin the ability to move, stretch and rebound into shape—known as skin elasticity."
Collagen, Dorn adds, is not just in the skin, but in our glands, organs, bones, heart valves, brain, liver and lungs as well. "Unfortunately, after the age of 30, collagen levels in the body drop 1-2 percent each year, and by age 45 the average person has already lost up to 30%, leading to wrinkles and a loss of skin elasticity," he continues.
"As important as collagen is," Dorn says he does "not recommend taking a typical collagen supplement." Most collagen supplements on the market "come from animals," he notes, "which not only often contain the numerous toxins that industrial agriculture animals are fed, but are also very difficult for the body to use."
The collagen molecule, in its whole form, is an "extremely large molecule" that the body cannot "effectively break down and utilize," he says, which is why he recommends supplementing with 3 other options. "It is far more effective to take the specific nutrients that allow your body to generate its own collagen naturally, as it always has," he adds, noting that the body requires up to "2,000 mg of Lysine, 1000 mg of Proline, and 1000 mg of Vitamin C per day" for collagen synthesis.
L-Lysine
By taking the precursors and building blocks that allow your body to synthesize its own collagen, Dorn says you can "naturally produce collagen daily" and your skin health will "improve significantly because of it," taking on a more tone and firm appearance. L-Lysine is an amino acid that is a "primary building block of collagen" and the body requires up to 2-3 grams a day for optimal collagen synthesis. This, Dorn says, is an amount "that is difficult to obtain from diet alone."
L-Proline
L-Proline is another amino acid that is also an "essential component of collagen and the elastin fibers that support connective tissue," Dorn says. "L-Proline works in concert with L-Lysine to synthesize collagen," and "collagen synthesis requires 1000 mg of proline," he notes. Like L-Lysine, this can be a difficult amount to obtain from diet, which is why supplementing is vital.
Vitamin C
Often hailed as an essential vitamin in any great skincare routine or skin-healthy diet, vitamin C can also help you obtain numerous benefits when taken as a supplement, Dorn stresses. Collagen synthesis also cannot occur without vitamin C. "Vitamin C is responsible for many reactions in the body, specifically the manufacture of the collagen and protein that makes up 80% of our connective tissue," he says, adding that it is "also a powerful antioxidant that can help fight off free radicals and reduce inflammation in the body, another reason why it benefits skin health."
The body requires 1000 mg of Vitamin C in order to manufacture collagen, and Dorn recommends taking this along with L-Lysine and L-Proline to "keep skin looking young and healthy." "I recommend taking these nutrients daily, as they are literally the nutrients that build your skin and soft tissue," he suggests. "They are obviously needed by the body," he concludes, and most people are "not getting enough of these nutrients" to maintain daily collagen production.
