Best Liquid Collagen for Skin Health

As you move through your day, are you slowed down by stiff joints or stomach discomforts? When you pass by the mirror, do you see dull, sagging skin and lifeless hair? As unrelated as these signs may seem, they are all clues you might not be getting enough collagen from your diet.

Recently trending as a wonder supplement for skin and hair, collagen is the most abundant protein in the body, used to construct strong, resilient bones and elastic connective tissue from head to toe.*

We humans make our own collagen; however, this supply diminishes as we age, creating the need to boost our intake from food sources and supplements. Animal products provide complete collagen, but plants can offer up the building blocks that help us construct more of our own through collagen synthesis.

Because collagen fibers are found in deeper skin layers, making topical application futile, the most effective supplements are oral, particularly in a liquid format. A 2018 clinical trial shows a 40% increase in skin elasticity and a 39% improvement in joint mobility from taking a daily liquid oral supplement containing collagen and supportive vitamins and antioxidants.^[1]

Signs Your Skin Has Insufficient Collagen

Collagen naturally breaks down over time, and the quantity—and quality—we are able to build diminishes as we age. People who don’t include animal products in their diets and people with autoimmune conditions are particularly predisposed to insufficient collagen.

Women experience a dramatic loss of collagen production and integrity after menopause due to hormonal shifts. They can expect to lose around 30% of their collagen in the first five years post-menopause as estrogen declines.^[2] 

By age 60, everyone can expect to notice some signs of insufficient collagen or poor collagen structure:

• Joint discomfort or lack of mobility*
• Digestive disturbance*
• Sagging, loose, wrinkly skin*
• Weak fingernails*
• Brittle, thinning, lackluster hair*
• Dry skin*
• Connective tissue conditions, including hypermobility*
• Increased incidence of musculoskeletal injury*

Because collagen is found throughout the entire body, low levels can cause a host of problems and affect individuals differently.* If you’re noticing signs of insufficiency, you can take action to improve the amount and quality of your connective tissue by eating more collagen-rich foods and using high-quality liquid collagen supplements.*

What are the Benefits of Collagen for Skin?

Our most noticeable connective tissue is, of course, our skin. Collagen is important for maintaining supple, healthy-looking skin and helping to minimize premature lines and wrinkles.*

Collagen for women is a unique concern due to the dramatic reduction in production and quality at menopause.* Ramping up collagen intake before this hormonal shift can help to mitigate some of the effects of lower collagen production.*

Supplementing with high-quality collagen can support these noticeable outcomes:

• Firmer, more elastic skin*
• Minimized lines and wrinkles*
• More even skin tone*
• Supple, hydrated skin*
• Improved wound healing*

Because collagen works via different mechanisms in the body, you can take several actions to generate noticeable improvements in skin—improved blood flow, stronger molecular structure, and better hydration retention.*

Why Supplement with Liquid Collagen*?

Unfortunately, the human body cannot directly utilize the complete collagen from animal food sources. Instead, the collagen is disassembled through digestion into smaller amino acid pieces, called peptides, for absorption through the intestinal wall.*

The peptide building blocks are transported in the bloodstream throughout the body, and deposited for collagen construction wherever there is a need. Although we might want to take collagen just to improve facial skin elasticity, your body’s master plan might be to utilize a new supply of collagen to help strengthen your joints first.*

Choosing a high-quality supplement like Collagen Bright ensures your body receives plenty of bioavailable collagen peptides, plus the vitamin C necessary for collagen synthesis.* The comprehensive formulation includes hyaluronic acid, biotin, and cordyceps mushroom to support nourishing levels of collagen in the skin and hair.*

A collagen-rich diet is a great start, as bone broth, bone marrow, sardines, chicken skin, and organ meat are readily available. Whenever possible, choose versions of these foods that have a lower toxic load—organic, grass-fed and finished, and wild-caught.

Because the body still needs to break down this animal sourced-collagen before it can put the pieces back together to create new collagen in your tissues, the usable conversion rate is fairly low.

Pair with vitamin C and zinc-rich foods like broccoli and cashews to help your body make usable collagen naturally.* For a higher dose, consider supplementing with liquid collagen, which is already in usable form and is easy on the stomach for smooth digestion.*

How to Choose a Collagen Supplement

While collagen has always been a crucial component of a healthy body, it’s been trending in the nutraceutical market for only the past decade or so.

As a result of recent interest in this skin-boosting supplement, consumers are now bombarded with collagen pills, powders, creams, and gels, often with confusion about how to effectively use them.*

To receive the benefits collagen has to offer, choose a high-quality liquid supplement for daily use. Because the FDA does not test dietary supplements for efficacy, consumers should research established brands and stick with reputable suppliers.

Keep in mind that the effects of collagen supplements won’t be seen overnight. The amino acid peptides will be incorporated into newly produced collagen at just the right time in the growth cycles of your skin and hair. With regular use, you should see results in approximately 3-6 months.*

The Vitamin C-Collagen Connection

Collagen is a complex protein, composed of amino acids such as proline, glycine, and hydroxyproline.* Its fibril structure also requires the proper amounts of vitamin C, zinc, copper, and manganese.*

The best liquid collagen supplement will include an elevated dosage of vitamin C and other ingredients to support your body’s natural protein production process.*

Without adequate vitamin C, your body will not be able to convert your collagen supplement into a usable, beneficial form.* Vitamin C is essential for cross-linking connective tissue, so make sure your food sources are complemented with broccoli, oranges, or strawberries, or a bioavailable Liposomal Vitamin C supplement.*

RELATED CONTENT: WHAT IS COLLAGEN AND HOW DOES IT SUPPORT YOUR ENERGY?

Takeaway

Collagen is at work throughout your body, creating strong connective tissue from your bones to your eyes—but it’s currently enjoying fame as a skin-boosting supplement.*

As the body’s most prevalent protein, collagen is crucial for a variety of structures and functions, from comfortable, mobile joints to hydrated, elastic skin.* Unfortunately, we lose collagen with age, autoimmune conditions, Ultraviolet light, high-sugar diets, and cigarette smoke exposure.

Eating collagen-rich animal foods like bone broth and marrow can supply your body with complete collagen, but your digestive system still has to break down the raw material into usable amino acids before turning it loose in the bloodstream.*

Supplementing with a high-quality, comprehensive liquid collagen formulation is the best way to provide plenty of bioavailable protein building blocks and support plump, healthy-looking skin and full, healthy hair.*