What is Collagen?

What is Collagen?

What is collagen? Collagen is a kind of protein that function like a glue to grab components inside the body. It is a main component of skin, hair shaft, nails, vein, hair, joints, cartilage bone, muscle, and ligament. Moreover, collagen can be found in other components of the body, every human body can create collagen naturally. Normally, the body absorb collagen from eating meat such as fish, plants, or dairy products. It will be dissolved and split, then regenerated into protein or collagen to increase the strength and elasticity of various organs of the body. Collagen makes skin more flexible, moisture, soft, fit, and firm. It also helps to protect the strength of the cartilage. As it is in the dermis, so applying general cream has no direct effect on the skin. Our body better produce collagen when younger age, and produce less when we get older age. It found that the synthesis of collagen is lower in elder and in those who have factors that cause collagen to deteriorate or be destroyed easily.

Type of Collagen

There are several types of collagen with difference functions in the body. Type of Collagen you should know are Type I, II, III, and IV.

Collagen type I: this type contained the most in your body, can be found in skin, bones, tissues, arterial wall, and hair. It helps to enhance the elasticity, to protect tissues from tear, and to heal wounds on the skin well, so that the skin of person who has enough collagen is beauty, smooth, and wrinkles free.

Collagen type II: it contains elasticity, mostly found in bones, joints, windpipe, and rib. Its function is entirely difference from the type I, and it helps to reduce the rate of deterioration of cartilage around the joints. Collagen type II can be found in the cartilage and spinal bone with its function to bear the weight and strengthen the joints when moving.

Collagen type III: can be found around skin, muscles, internal organs, and artery. Collagen type III is mostly found in arterial wall, but lesser found in joints. It is difference from the Collagen type II.

Collagen type IV: found similar to the Collagen type I or found underneath the skin layer or dermis and in infant’s tissues during a pregnancy. It is a specific collagen mostly found around the fascia lata and fat. Moreover, this type of collagen contributes to the functioning of the nervous system and the blood vessels as well.