Peter John is a nutrition specialist and a PhD candidate in the field of Biomedicine. In his article titled “Role of Collagen in Human Body”, Peter John explores the importance of collagen to each and every one of us.

The human body is a complex system, the constituent parts of which seem to interact so very chaotically and, yet, at the same time, in a very synchronic way. Unfortunately, even the best machines are destined to deteriorate and age with time. Many recent scientific researches have attempted to shed some light on the mechanisms of aging, starting with the tests on autophagy that won the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2016 and ending with physical therapy achievements in the field of the effects of optimal physical loads on muscle aging. Even though at the moment we lack information on the human aging processes, we are finally starting understand how to control theme effectively. Naturally, dietary supplements fall among the most effective means of aging prevention. Sadly, the market of dietary supplements is full of products that have not undergone rigid testing and are thus not safe and sometimes ineffective.

When speaking of beauty and aging, collagen comes as one of the most important dietary supplements. A more detailed review of the effects of this dietary supplement and its components on the skin condition, health and overall well-being is provided below.

Type 1 to 3 collagen comprise approx. 80-90% of collagen in our bodies out of more than 16 types of collagen.One of the main functions of this protein is “to help tissues withstand stretching”, which means that the main goal of collagen is to slow down the decrease in tissue elasticity occurring with the passage of time (1). Researches of supramolecular structure revealed as many as 28 different types of collagen that form many beneficial bio active compounds in our bodies (8).

The natural production of collagen deteriorates with time as the possibilities of our bodies are limited and heavily depend on our lifestyle, e.g. bad habits, smoking, nutrition, environmental and biological factors (hormonal changes when aging, etc.). All of these factors reduce our resources of collagen (2).

Musculoskeletal tissue injuries are some of the most common traumas in society. One does not necessarily have to be an athlete or work heavy physical labor to receive a trauma (e.g.,tendon tear) (2-3). When speaking of collagen, it is important to note the following main functions of this dietary supplement: slowing down the aging processes in the skin, preventing traumas and improving the assimilation of amino acids. The dietary supplement also contains other active ingredients that supplement and strengthen each other and form a sort of synergy with collagen. According to the research, a daily dose of hydrolyzed collagen is 2500–5000 mg per day and it is enough to support and improve the biophysical qualities of skin (elasticity and moisture content) and to decrease the transepidermal water loss and skin goosebumps (4,6). According to independent, double-blind and placebo-controlled studies, even taking 2,500 mg per day for 4 weeks provided statistically significant effects on women aged between 35 and 50 years (4). No adverse effects of taking collagen peptide were noticed after 8 and 12 weeks.

A single ampoule of Fenoq TriCollagen dietary supplement contains 10 g (10,000 mg) of hydrolyzed fish collagen which is the required daily dose that can bring positive effects.

Recent scientific studies analyzing the benefits of type 1 collagen showed its positive effects in stimulating ant iinflammation factors in cases of osteo arthrosis (5).In addition to the most important collagen types, one should also note the effects of other nutrients, such as the well-known vitamin C soluble in water and taken together with collagen (3). The synergy of vitamin C and other ingredients of the tri-collagen dietary supplement can improve the assimilation of collagen and supply the body with the nutrients it lacks. These nutrients often participate in protein synthesis (e.g., group B vitamins: pyridoxine and biotin, also known as vitamins B6 and B7, spirulina, lecithin) (17). Coenzyme Q10 can also be a potentially effective nutrient for both the prevention of diseases and alleviating their symptoms. Such effects are especially relevant to the elderly who experience a lack of various antioxidants and collagen peptides of different types due to their age, eating and lifestyle habits. (1,3,7,10,11,12).

Hyaluronic acid is also a very important active ingredient that protects the horny layer of the skin from becoming too dry even in especially dry weather. Hyaluronic acid is known to prevent moisture loss and stimulate the regeneration of the epidermis (13,14). It acts both directly and indirectly by boosting the effects of collagen and affecting antiinflammation processes,which makes hyaluronic acid one of the key components in all dietary supplements (15,16).

When speaking of the optimum effects of dietary supplements, it is important to understand other factors (e.g. physical load) that play a huge role in addition to the pharmaceutical ones. Properly chosen (proportionate) physical load is known to stimulate the natural production of collagen in the human body. Despite this fact, the amount of collagen we receive with food is often too small. Hence, we need to supplement our bodies with collagen and to improve its assimilation (synthesis) by taking up sports or similar physical activities. (3,9).One must understand that the best effects of collagen can be noticed throughout our entire lives if we take collagen supplements and strive to be more active, apply a proper diet or change our lifestyles for the better.

To sum up, the ingredients of FenoQ TriCollagen dietary supplement and their quantities may have a positive synergy and result in effective increase of skin elasticity and moisture content, prevention of transepidermal water loss and goosebumps. The increased quantity of antioxidants, peptides and amino acids contained in the dietary supplement can affect many of the body functions, e.g.strengthening connective tissues, protecting joints and reducing inflammatory processes.