By now, you've likely heard of antioxidants and their many perks. The term "antioxidant" bursted on the scene in the 1990s when scientists linked free-radical damage to the early signs of aging with antioxidants being the so-called cure. Antioxidants caused a big wave in wellness aging and the supplement market took notice big time.
Fast forward to now, we've been introduced to all kinds of exotic foods that have supposed super powers against aging. Remember loading up on goji berries, green tea, and pycnogenols? There are literally tons of foods with super powers, and most of us have been around long enough to know that you just need to eat a healthy balanced diet and plenty of foods with vitamin C (after all... vitamin C is the king of all antioxidants).
Well, we're here to fill you in on two more nutrients that should be included in your balanced diet, and for very good reasons for your skin health: Hydrolyzed collagen (HC) and hyaluronic acid (HA).
Since most of us don't fall in the "scientist" category, we generally think of antioxidants as any brightly colored vegetable or fruit, or some exotic extract from the Amazon rainforest. You may be surprised to hear that (HC) and (HA) are a superfood duo turning the heads of those interested wellness and healthy aging.
How collagen acts as an antioxidant
Simply put, antioxidants protect us by giving electrons to free radicals so they won't steal them from other important molecules in our bodies. Collagen, in it's hydrolyzed form (like our Amino Collagen C + Hyaluronic Acid), has a great "ability to donate an electron or hydrogen to stabilize radicals."(3) This is because of the very small weight of the molecule.
Antioxidants work to stabilize free radicals, preventing their scavenging from healthy molecules.
How does collagen help with skin health?
How collagen affects skin health is one of the most asked questions regarding collagen nutrition. HC is highly bioavailable, and when ingested, will increase collagen-derived amino acids in the blood stream. With this nutrition readily available, the body uses it to the maximum benefit.
With this abundance of collagen-derived peptides in the blood, our bodies are primed for new collagen production as well as protected against the break down of the collagen that's already there. There have been numerous studies on the effects of ingestible collagen and skin health over the past 20 years. As recently as early 2020, a Swiss study correlated it with significant improvement to skin properties related to elasticity, moisture, and water loss. The best part was that the good results came with no side effects.**
Oxidative stress takes its toll on our healthy cells, and over time, leads to the appearance of aging on the skin.
How does hyaluronic acid act as an antioxidant?
Hyaluronic acid (HA) is the scavenger of scavengers. It's widely regarded as "nature's moisturizer" and a powerful defender of nearly all cells against oxidative damage. With plenty of HA in our body, it has this amazing ability to protect the vital fat layers of our cells which are so prone to breakdown from free radical scavenging. And, when it comes to our skin, we want that fat! (6)
As a side note, your body produces hyaluronic acid on its own, but, just like collagen, your natural ability to produce it diminishes with age. Thankfully, there are ways to boost production through diet.
Where the magic happens
Scientists recently discovered that antioxidants often work best with other nutrients or other antioxidants. This is where the magic happens with HC and HA. Separately, each nutrient is a great addition to the diet to fight aging, but when put together, forms a power duo that works wonders for the signs of aging.
More good news is that HC and HA make our current good habits even more effective. That is, if you've been drinking plenty of water and eating nutritious foods, adding HC and HA to you diet will increase your body's ability to hang on to that moisture and use those nutrients to their full potential.
(Like, it can make eating all that kale more worth it...)
The results will be felt within your entire body, and most visible on your skin.**
How do I add HC and HA in my diet?
Honestly, it can be tough to get direct, natural sources of HC and HA. Bone broths from animal products will render the highest levels of hyaluronic acid, although the collagen it supplies is not hydrolyzed. Only hydrolyzed collagen is broken down into small enough amino acids for the body the readily use.
Your best bet is by adding a scoop or two of our Amino Collagen C + Hyaluronic Acid to your diet each day. Each scoop contains 5,000mg of non-GMO hydrolyzed marine collagen and 50mg of vegan-sourced hyaluronic acid. Plus, it supplies a bonus dose of vitamin C to further enhance HC and HA activities.
Why it's awesome...
"I have been using this product over a year now. My nails are longer and stronger, my skin simply looks healthier." —Debra W.
Cites and References
- Proksch, E et al. “Oral supplementation of specific collagen peptides has beneficial effects on human skin physiology: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study.” Skin pharmacology and physiology vol. 27,1 (2014): 47-55. doi:10.1159/000351376
- Proksch, E et al. “Oral intake of specific bioactive collagen peptides reduces skin wrinkles and increases dermal matrix synthesis.” Skin pharmacology and physiology vol. 27,3 (2014): 113-9. doi:10.1159/000355523
- Aguirre-Cruz, Gabriel et al. “Collagen Hydrolysates for Skin Protection: Oral Administration and Topical Formulation.” Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland) vol. 9,2 181. 22 Feb. 2020, doi:10.3390/antiox9020181
- Nurilmala, Mala et al. “Characterization and Antioxidant Activity of Collagen, Gelatin, and the Derived Peptides from Yellowfin Tuna (Thunnus albacares) Skin.” Marine drugs vol. 18,2 98. 31 Jan. 2020, doi:10.3390/md18020098
- Papakonstantinou, Eleni et al. “Hyaluronic acid: A key molecule in skin aging.” Dermato-endocrinology vol. 4,3 (2012): 253-8. doi:10.4161/derm.21923
- Ke, Chunlin et al. “Antioxidant acitivity of low molecular weight hyaluronic acid.” Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association vol. 49,10 (2011): 2670-5. doi:10.1016/j.fct.2011.07.020
- Chi, Chang-Feng et al. “Antioxidant and functional properties of collagen hydrolysates from Spanish mackerel skin as influenced by average molecular weight.” Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) vol. 19,8 11211-30. 31 Jul. 2014, doi:10.3390/molecules190811211