Things That Deplete Natural Collagen Production In Your Body

When we’re thinking of skin elasticity and something that keeps our body looking younger and glowing–we think of collagen. But what is collagen, really? Why do we need it? And what are the habits that deplete the natural collagen production in our body that we feel the need to replace it?

What is Collagen?

Collagen is a type of natural protein that our bodies naturally produce. It is also a major component of the human body because it makes up different types of our skin, bones, muscles, and joints. It’s not just responsible for our skin’s plumpness, it keeps our hair strong, our bones healthy, our joints properly lubricated, and our digestive system working well. It is more than just a protein that makes us glowing and beautiful.

When we’re young, our bodies produce an ample amount of collagen. But in our mid-20’s, we start to produce less collagen. During our mid-40’s, the collagen we produce might be less than 30% already. This would greatly depend on our lifestyle and the environment that we’re in.

Things That Deplete Natural Collagen Production

Collagen is a very important protein. Without it, our cells can lose structure and become weaker and thinner. It can cause a lot of skin problems as well, such as wrinkles, visible fine lines, dark circles underneath your eyes, dry skin and even cellulites.

Even though collagen supplements are highly available in the market, it’s good to nip the problem in the bud in order to avoid collagen’s depletion. Below are a couple of things that deplete your collagen and some of it’s possible solutions:

1. Coffee

If you’re a heavy coffee drinker, which is about two to three cups (or more) a day, it can stimulate the production of cortisol which is known as the stress hormone. It can accelerate the aging process by thinning out your skin and it can be the culprit for skin woes such as fine lines and other signs of skin aging.

The best thing that you can do is to find substitutes for coffee. A good example of this is matcha, which has calming benefits and is rich in antioxidants.

2. Alcohol

What makes alcohol the culprit to the depletion of collagen is that drinking it can be dehydrating. When you are dehydrated, the fibers in collagen can start to crack and adhere to one another which leads to dry and flaky skin. When your skin is dry, you are prone to wrinkles.

Things That Deplete Natural Collagen Production

I know that alcohol is part of our healthy lifestyle, especially wine. But don’t forget to hydrate yourself or go for a mocktail instead.

3. Sleep

Lack of sleep can be a culprit for a lot of health issues, including the depletion of collagen. When you’re not getting enough sleep at night, your body does not repair damaged cells and collagen in its optimal levels.

You should have a minimum of 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep daily. If possible, eat two hours before bedtime and aim for no gadgets before bedtime in order to relax your senses before going to bed.

4. Sugar

Sugar is known as very toxic and is deemed to be bad for our body. The worst part is that it is equally bad for our skin. Refined sweeteners can help speed up the depletion of key skin proteins like elastin and collagen.

The solution here is to substitute refined sugars with natural sweeteners that the body can properly use. Such as honey, maple syrup, and even dates. These substitutes contain more minerals and antioxidants that can help your skin look better and has a lower glycemic index compared to white sugar.

Things That Deplete Natural Collagen Production

5. Pollution

This one is almost unavoidable because it’s all around us. Exposure to pollution can also break down collagen and can cause premature aging. In order to lessen the effects of pollution against our collagen production, you can opt for an air and water purifier at home, have oxygen-producing houseplants, and to always have a healthy diet.

6. Sun

Daily, we only need about 20 minutes of sun exposure in order to encourage the natural production of vitamin D in our skin. But if we are overexposed to the sun and worse, it results to a sunburn, it can damage our skin. Staying too long under the sun causes collagen to break down faster than the usual.

What you can do to avoid this is to make sure that you’re wearing sunscreen all the time to block those unwanted UV rays.

These are only some of the few things that deplete the natural collagen production in our body. While it’s good to take supplements or aid the collagen production with healthy and nutritious food, preventing the depletion process is the first priority.

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