The Main Destroyers Of Collagen In The Human Body

Collagen is a group of naturally occurring proteins. In nature, it is found exclusively in animals, especially in the flesh and connective tissues of mammals. It is the main component of connective tissue, and is the most abundant protein in mammals, making up about 25% to 35% of the whole-body protein content, according to Wikipedia.org.

Be it skin, muscle, bone, blood vessels or cartilage, collagen provides a mesh scaffolding for areas of regeneration. It combines with the protein Elastin, proteoglycans Glucosamine and with Chondroitin to keep the skin smooth and wrinkle-free. In order for the body to produce collagen, it needs the raw materials in the form of an adequate diet, especially high in vegetable proteins, sulphur containing foods and vitamin C.

The main destroyers of collagen are the sunlight and the stress.

Prolonged exposure to the strong ultra violet rays of sunlight is known to cause irreparable damage to the collagen fibres in the skin, leading to premature aging and wrinkles. Brown pigmentation and skin cancer are also a direct result of sun damage.

Photo by www.sxc.hu.

How to remedy that: high factor sunscreen, a good moisturiser, Vitamin B PABA (Para amino benzoic acid) 1000mg daily, adequate body cover and a diet rich in antioxidants and vegetable protein. Equally important – keep well hydrated with lots of water.

Prolonged and severe illness or trauma causes the body to overproduce hormones to be released by the pituitary and adrenal glands. This causes a tremendous and rapid breakdown of protein, if the diet is not adjusted. Cells in the lower layers of the skin are destroyed, scar tissue forms and contracts resulting in the wrinkled appearance of the skin.

How to remedy that: a diet rich in protein, vitamins B2, B5, B6 and Vitamin C - which is necessary for the formation of connective tissue – and Vitamin E which is instrumental in preventing scar tissue from becoming irreparable.

The lack of the mineral sulphur means lack of collagen too. Next to calcium and phosphorus, sulphur is the most abundant mineral in the body and vital for the production of collagen and the protein Keratin that makes up hair and nails. Large proportion of these two proteins is made up of sulphur. The organic sulphur occurs as part of the earths natural sulphur cycle. It collects in the stratosphere and falls to earth dissolved in rainwater and is abundantly available in the vegetation such as fresh fruit and vegetables that are grown outside, as well as raw milk from the cows that are pasture fed.

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