Collagen and vitamin C are both important for our health. Collagen, the most abundant protein in the human body and plays a structural role, is found in our hair, skin, nails, bones and even our muscles. It is also found in the cartilage within our ligaments that hold the joints together, allowing them to move freely.
From our mid-20s, and certainly by the time we’ve reached our 40s, we start losing the ability to manufacture collagen as abundantly as when we were younger. Our natural collagen levels decline and, as a result, we may notice that our skin begins to show visible signs of ageing such as fine lines, wrinkles, sagging and a loss of elasticity, and plumpness. We may also notice that our joints feel stiff and painful.
Vitamin C is a water-soluble antioxidant vitamin that is vital to our overall health, and needs to be consumed daily through our diets and supplementation. Vitamin C plays various roles in supporting the work of the immune system, keeping both our DNA and cells healthy and functioning normally.
Vitamin C is also essential for the health of our skin, cartilage, blood vessels and bones – all places where collagen is found. In fact, the body cannot produce collagen without vitamin C. Collagen supplements help keep their natural levels topped up, alongside vitamin C supplements which help ensure the body uses collagen efficiently.
Vitamin C helps in the production of collagen by promoting the production of cells called fibroblasts. Fibroblasts are found within the skin and help to produce the fibrous connective tissues that keep our skin and joints healthy and supple, by secreting collagen.
Vitamin C is essential for the health and abundance of fibroblasts and fibroblasts manufacture collagen; vitamin C is considered an important cofactor in collagen production. In other words, without vitamin C, we wouldn’t have fibroblasts, without fibroblasts, we wouldn’t have collagen.
