I cleanse and nourish my skin every day but since I have been adding Sweetlife Wild Marine Collagen Protein Powder to my diet I have noticed the skin on my face is much smoother, firmer, more hydrated and the fine lines around my eyes and mouth are less visible. Even the skin on my body and legs has noticeably improved.

Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body, comprising about one third of total protein. Found in our tendons, ligaments, skin, muscles, bones, and blood vessels, it plays a vital role in maintaining our overall structural integrity. Unfortunately, our bodies produce about 1% less collagen with each passing year, and we’re consuming far less of it from natural sources than we used to.

WHAT IS MARINE COLLAGEN?

Not all collagen powder is “created equal” … ours is extracted from the skin and scales of ethically wild caught fish (not farmed) in clean Japanese waters. It is all natural, has no additives, no preservatives, no sugar, no carbs, no fat and a whopping 91% protein. 

Odorless and tasteless, marine collagen is characterized by high levels of glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline, although it does contain 18 amino acids. As with all sources of collagen, the body cannot simply absorb marine collagen whole and deliver it directly where it needs to go, it breaks it down into individual amino acids, which are then absorbed and utilized by the body. Consuming our wild Marine Collagen Protein Powder is one of the best ways to improve the overall health of your skin, nails and hair, while supporting your digestion, joint and bone health.

Add it to your morning smoothie, mix with yoghurt, or your drink of choice!

HEALTH BENEFITS OF CONSUMING MARINE COLLAGEN

Skin Health

We know that collagen production naturally declines as we age, slowly robbing us of that natural scaffolding that keeps our faces looking nice and plump.

Research on humans seems to confirm that collagen maintains dermal thickness by promoting the number and activity of skin fibroblasts, or cells in the dermis that produce collagen and other fibres, promotes diminished appearance of lines, photo-aging.

Collagen ingestion also supports better water absorption by the skin, leading to better maintained moisture levels.

Nail and Hair Health

Nail defects are a common complaint.  Studies have shown that ingestion of collagen improved brittle nail defects with as little as 7g of collagen daily, they found that nail defects were improved in 86% of participants. It was also reported that the cessation of collagen ingestion resulted in the reappearance of nail defects.

The main component of hair is keratin.  When investigating the effects of collagen ingestion on growth and thickness of hair, it has been found that the thickness of hair increased significantly after collagen ingestion for 62 days, and the thickened hair was stronger. The increase in hair thickness was more evident in women than in men, possibly because the initial thickness was smaller in women. Hair thickness returned to initial size when collagen ingestion stopped.

Promotes Quality Sleep

The most abundant amino acid in marine collagen, glycine, has promising sleep-supporting perks. Research has revealed that ingestion of glycine before bed helps maintain satisfactory levels of self-perceived sleep quality. It also suggested that glycine may help maintain core body temperature, which is associated with better sleep. Erratic spikes and dips in blood sugar can also interfere with quality sleep, which marine collagen (often containing around 10 grams of protein per serving) can help maintain.

Gut Health

Everything from too much stress to a poor diet has the potential to damage the delicate tissues lining the intestines. This contributes to “leaky gut,” a condition in which foreign particles can enter your bloodstream and wreak havoc on your body, increasing inflammation and your risk for autoimmune diseases. The good news is that not only is marine collagen easily digestible, but it may help support your gut health, thanks to two amino acids, glycine and glutamine, which may be particularly helpful, as they both play a role in supporting the tissue that lines the digestive tract. Glycine is particularly helpful in maintaining inflammation, so helpful for managing inflammatory gut conditions; and glutamine is necessary for the health of the lining of your gastrointestinal tract.

What to look for when choosing your marine collagen supplement. 

Look for clean, wild-caught sources, and because marine collagen is typically derived from fish skin or scales, you should also consider where those fish came from.

Safety of Marine Collagen Ingestion

Collagen has long been used all over the world in foods and medicine, indicating that appropriate amounts of collagen is a highly safe material. Furthermore, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Health Organization (WHO) have reported that there is no need to specify a limit for the daily intake of collagen. Thus, the safety of collagen peptide is widely recognized.

Xylitol and Collagen

Experts now believe that a lifetime of overeating sugar can make skin dull and wrinkled. 

At blame is a natural process that’s known as glycation, in which the sugar in your bloodstream attaches to proteins to form harmful new molecules called advanced glycation end products (or, appropriately, AGEs for short). The more sugar you eat, the more AGEs you develop. “As AGEs accumulate, they damage adjacent proteins in a domino-like fashion,”

Most vulnerable to damage: collagen and elastin, the protein fibres that keep skin firm and elastic. Once damaged, springy and resilient collagen and elastin become dry and brittle, leading to wrinkles and sagging.

Besides damaging collagen, a high-sugar diet also affects what type of collagen you have.

The most abundant collagens in the skin are types I, II, and III, with type III being the most stable and longest lasting. Glycation transforms type III collagen into type I, which is more fragile. When that happens, the skin looks and feels less supple. The final blow: AGEs deactivate your body’s natural antioxidant enzymes, leaving you more vulnerable to sun damage—still the main cause of skin aging. The good news about sugar-damaged skin: It’s never too late to turn back the clock.

Prevent new AGEs from forming by taking steps to minimize the damage sugar may have caused to your skin.  Replace your sugar with Perfect Sweet™ xylitol, you will be thankful you did!