Natural Collagen Production, Functional Keratin & CoenzymeQ10
By Skin Care Editor | August 10, 2009
How Does the Body Produce Collagen?
For many years, researchers tried to learn; how does body produce collagen. Once they learned how it was formed by living things, they began to try and synthesize it. In other words, they tried to create it artificially in the laboratory. Just recently, they succeeded.
They had a great deal of difficulty, because of collagen’s triple helix structure. Each time that they tried to synthesize it, the helix would unravel. The details would be a good lecture topic for a chemistry class.
You may be interested in the subject from a strictly scientific standpoint. Or, you may be interested in conquering one of the causes of an aged appearance. That is decreased production of the skin’s collagen fibers. Either way, you should find the following informative.
Collagen bundles are found all over the body. The formation process may vary somewhat, but this is what basically happens.
Specialized cells secrete pro-collagen molecules into the matrix between the cells. A number of pro-collagen molecules bind together to form tiny fibrils. The fibrils organize themselves into fibers, which are then attached to anchor cells.
Vitamin C must be present as a co-factor or the fibers will not be strong and elastic. A person must get enough protein in their diet or the cells will be unable to secrete the pro-collagen molecules. So, you see, in order for the process to work, the body must be well nourished.
Once the fibers are formed, they can be damaged. Stretching, as would happen during a sudden weight gain, can break the fibers, causing stretch marks. Inflammation in the tissues surrounding the fibers can cause them to degrade. That’s one of the things that happen in rheumatoid and osteoarthritis.
When it comes to the skin, there are two factors involved. First, the body produces fewer new collagen fibers as we get older. Second, there are more free radicals and fewer antioxidants to neutralize them in older skin. So, the radical molecules can damage the fibers.
Free radical damage is one of the causes of aging throughout the body. It is sometimes referred to as oxidation. Some oxidation is inevitable. Otherwise nothing would ever degrade or break down. Ideally, we would want to keep the level of oxidation to a minimum.
Antioxidant-rich creams, if used on a regular basis can help us prevent the degradation of collagen fibers by free radicals. Some antioxidants, like coenzyme Q10, can even repair damage that has already occurred.
Many of the anti-aging creams on the market contain hydrolyzed collagen. Those are of no benefit. The processes used to soften the structural protein unravel the helix and the body can’t use it.
A few of the better creams on the market contain “Functional Keratin”, a different protein complex that has been shown to stimulate new production of the skin’s collagen fibers. The best creams contain Functional Keratin and coenzyme Q10 to address two of the causes of an aged appearance; free radical damage and decreased fiber production.
So, now we know; how does body produce collagen. We also know that we can keep the production going to delay the outward signs of aging.
To learn more about skin care products that contain both Functional Keratin & CoenzymeQ10 to promote & nourish the body’s own collagen production click here.
Topics: Anti Aging, Collagen & Elastin, Skin Firming, Skin Wrinkles | Comments Off
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