Collagen Supplements

One day you climb the stairs without a second thought, the next your knees start to creak. You look in the mirror and notice that your skin has lost some of its tone and firmness. It happens to everyone. Over time, in fact, Collagen production decreases1, while the signs of ageing – less toned skin, less efficient joints – become more noticeable.

And this is where Collagen supplements come in. Want to find out why they can be a valuable support for the wellbeing of your skin and cartilage? Read on!

Collagen Supplements: What Are They For?

Want to know what a Collagen supplement is for? It’s easily explained!

Think of Collagen as the foam in a new mattress. When you first buy it, it’s firm, comfortable and springy, and it bounces straight back into shape whenever it’s pressed. Over time, however, that foam starts to lose its support, becomes thinner and struggles to return to its original shape.

The same thing happens in our body. Collagen keeps the skin, bones, tendons and cartilage strong and toned, but over the years its production slows down, leading to:

• less elastic skin that is more prone to wrinkles
• less flexible joints that are more prone to discomfort
• loss of tone in the connective tissues

A Collagen supplement can help support the body’s natural production of this protein and provide support for the connective tissues, contributing to the overall wellbeing of the body2.

But only on one condition. Want to know what it is? It has to be Collagen in hydrolysed form2.

Collagen needs to be in hydrolysed form because, as it is, it’s too large to be absorbed by the gut. When it is “broken down” into smaller pieces (peptides), the body can use it more easily.

You’ll find Collagen peptides in LuxGea Pelle by Salugea and Cartilagea by Salugea, two supplements made with 100% natural ingredients to support the wellbeing of the skin and cartilage.

Collagen Supplements for the Skin

When we talk about skin, we often think only of the outermost layer, the epidermis. In reality, its deeper structure depends on the dermis, the layer underneath, where Collagen is produced. And this is exactly where Collagen supplements can exert their potential beneficial action.

Imagine the dermis as a factory staffed by workers who specialise in building the structure of the skin. These workers are the fibroblasts.

To synthesise Collagen, these workers need some materials, including amino acids, in particular glycine, proline and hydroxyproline, and vitamin C, which acts as an indispensable supervisor in the assembly process.

As long as production keeps going, the skin stays toned and firm.

But over time, work on the building site slows down. The fibroblasts become less efficient and Collagen starts to decline. The result? More visible wrinkles and loss of tone. The contours of the face tend to change and sag.

Collagen supplements can provide the fibroblasts with the materials they need to carry on their work and give the skin support and hydration3.

In LuxGea Pelle by Salugea, as well as collagen, you’ll find Vitamin C from a natural source, Rosehip, unlike other supplements on the market, which contain synthetic vitamin C.

Collagen and Elastin Supplements

Collagen never works alone: it has an essential partner called Elastin.

If Collagen is like the foam in a mattress, giving it structure and support, Elastin is like an elastic band: it allows the skin to stretch and then return to its original shape. Without Elastin, the skin would lose its ability to stretch and return to its natural shape, just like a worn-out elastic band.

But there’s a problem. Have you already guessed what it is? Elastin synthesis also declines over time.

That’s why a supplement combining Collagen and Elastin can prove to be a strategic choice.

LuxGea Pelle by Salugea contains an innovative ingredient derived from the inner membrane of the eggshell, naturally rich in Elastin, which can have a positive effect on the skin and help support its synthesis over time4.

Collagen and Hyaluronic Acid Supplements

Collagen gives the skin structure and tone, but without the right hydration the skin risks becoming stiff, dull and rough. A bit like a felted wool jumper, the scratchy kind!

This is where its perfect ally comes in: Hyaluronic Acid, an extraordinary molecule with a unique superpower: it can hold up to many times its own weight in water, keeping the skin hydrated and plumped. A bit like an ultra-absorbent sponge.

In LuxGea Pelle by Salugea you’ll find Hyasource® Vita 100 K, a highly bioavailable form of Hyaluronic Acid that is therefore more easily absorbed by the body5.

Collagen and Hyaluronic Acid Supplements for the Skin: Do They Work?

Nobody likes spending money on products that don’t work. And when it comes to skin, it’s important that the results are real, not just promises! Fortunately, the effectiveness of Collagen and Hyaluronic Acid is not just a theory: it is supported by scientific studies.

With age, the amount of Hyaluronic Acid in the skin decreases dramatically. At 75, we have less than a quarter of the amount we had when we were 19 years old6. This leads to dryness, loss of elasticity and more visible wrinkles.

One study7 found that taking 120 mg of Hyaluronic Acid a day for 12 weeks can help support skin hydration, reduce water loss and lessen the appearance of wrinkles.

As for Collagen, a review3 of studies published in Nutrients suggested that supplementation with hydrolysed Collagen can have a positive effect on skin hydration and elasticity.

The results are very promising, so much so that experts suggest further research to fully understand all the benefits of this precious protein.

Collagen Supplements for Joints and Cartilage

Imagine your joints as well-oiled hinges that move effortlessly. Collagen is an essential component of cartilage, the elastic tissue that covers the ends of the bones in a joint and acts as a cushion, absorbing shocks and reducing friction.

Over time, however, Collagen production decreases and the cartilage becomes thinner, losing its ability to cushion movement. The result? Stiffness, joint discomfort and greater vulnerability to mechanical stress.

Just as for the skin, to support the wellbeing of cartilage, Collagen must be in hydrolysed form, so that it can be more easily absorbed and used by the body.

Cartilagea by Salugea contains FORTIGEL®, a hydrolysed collagen made up of bioactive peptides that can support the chondrocytes8 (the cells of cartilage) as well as joint function and efficiency9.

But that’s not all! Cartilagea by Salugea is formulated with a combination of key ingredients for joint wellbeing, including Chondroitin sulphate10, N-acetyl-glucosamine10, Vitamin C from Rosehip and essential minerals such as Manganese, Copper and Selenium.

To give broader support to flexibility and movement.

Food supplements: read the warnings on the label. Our texts are for informational purposes only; they are not intended as guidance for the diagnosis or treatment of medical conditions and do not replace the advice of a doctor.

FORTIGEL® is a registered trademark of GELITA AG

Scientific Bibliography

1 Varani J, Dame MK, Rittie L, Fligiel SE, Kang S, Fisher GJ, Voorhees JJ. Decreased collagen production in chronologically aged skin: roles of age-dependent alteration in fibroblast function and defective mechanical stimulation. Am J Pathol. 2006 Jun;168(6):1861-8. doi: 10.2353/ajpath.2006.051302. PMID: 16723701; PMCID: PMC1606623.

2 Agustina L, Miatmoko A, Hariyadi DM. Challenges and strategies for collagen delivery for tissue regeneration. J Public Health Afr. 2023 Mar 16;14(Suppl 1):2505. doi: 10.4081/jphia.2023.2505. PMID: 37492540; PMCID: PMC10365653.

3 Pu SY, Huang YL, Pu CM, Kang YN, Hoang KD, Chen KH, Chen C. Effects of Oral Collagen for Skin Anti-Aging: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients. 2023 Apr 26;15(9):2080. doi: 10.3390/nu15092080. PMID: 37432180; PMCID: PMC10180699.

4 Sim, WJ., Ahn, J., Lim, W. et al. Anti-skin aging activity of eggshell membrane administration and its underlying mechanism. Mol. Cell. Toxicol. 19, 165–176 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13273-022-00291-5

5 Cyphert, J.M.; Trempus, C.S.; Garantziotis, S. Size Matters: Molecular Weight Specificity of Hyaluronan Effects in Cell Biology. Int. J. Cell Biol. 2015, 2015, 563818.

6 Longas MO, Russell CS, He XY. Evidence for structural changes in dermatan sulfate and hyaluronic acid with aging. Carbohydr Res. 1987 Jan 15;159(1):127-36. doi: 10.1016/s0008-6215(00)90010-7. PMID: 3829041.

7 Hsu TF, Su ZR, Hsieh YH, Wang MF, Oe M, Matsuoka R, Masuda Y. Oral Hyaluronan Relieves Wrinkles and Improves Dry Skin: A 12-Week Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled Study. Nutrients. 2021 Jun 28;13(7):2220. doi: 10.3390/nu13072220. PMID: 34203487; PMCID: PMC8308347.

8 McAlindon TE et Al. Change in knee osteoarthritis cartilage detected by delayed gadolinium enhanced magnetic resonance imaging following treatment with collagen hydrolysate: a pilot randomized controlled trial. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2011 Apr;19(4):399-405. doi: 10.1016/j.joca.2011.01.001. Epub 2011 Jan 18. PMID: 21251991.

9 Zdzieblik D et Al. Improvement of activity-related knee joint discomfort following supplementation of specific collagen peptides. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2017 Jun;42(6):588-595. doi: 10.1139/apnm-2016-0390. Epub 2017 Jan 24. Erratum in: Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2017 Nov;42(11):1237. PMID: 28177710.

10 Meng Z, Liu J, Zhou N. Efficacy and safety of the combination of glucosamine and chondroitin for knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg. 2023 Jan;143(1):409-421. doi: 10.1007/s00402-021-04326-9. Epub 2022 Jan 13. PMID: 35024906.