What Does Collagen Do for Your Hair: The Secrets Revealed

As we approach our 30's, 40's and beyond, the daily morning reflection of our aging appears. Many of us would love to go back to our sexy, thick, full head of hair and younger-looking skin.

Maybe you've tried various lotions and potions for your hair, face and hands that promise to turn back the hands of time? Many of these potions contain collagen. A protein that is abundant in our bodies.

Unfortunately, our natural production of collagen lessens as we grow older. In the case of our hair, collagen may help to create more keratin (a protein that is in hair), collagen can also serve as an antioxidant and strengthen the skin on our head.

If you want to strengthen and cover your growing scalp, collagen may be the secret weapon.

Collagen supplements in different forms have more become more popular. More and more women are discovering this natural 'fountain of youth'.

Supplementing with collagen through powder, capsules, bone broth, coffee and tea creamer and diet, help stimulate your body’s production of collagen.

In this article, we will take a look at the role of collagen in your body generally, as well as another claimed beauty benefit, which is healthier hair. What does collagen do for your hair? And how does it work?

1. What Is the Role of Collagen in General?

Collagen is a protein found abundantly throughout the human body. In fact, it accounts for around 30% of your entire body’s protein, from your bones, muscles, and joints, to your skin, hair and nails. It is the cement that holds everything together and is very strong and flexible.

It is a complex matrix structure made up of amino acids which are namely, glycine, proline, hydroxyproline, and arginine, also known as peptides. Working together, they create fibroblasts which quite literally act as scaffolding to give strength and structure to your body.

As you get older though, your body's production of collagen declines. From around the age of 25, your body’s collagen starts to deplete by around 1.5% each year. This process accelerates throughout your 30’s and 40’s with a more rapid decline from 50 years onward.

Here are the most commonly known roles of collagen:

•Helps keep the skin firm, supple, and smooth
•Aids in making your joints strong, flexible, and mobile
•Improves your bone's mass, strength, and flexibility
•Assists in keeping your muscles strong and functional
•Provides structure to your arteries that carry blood from your heart to the rest of your body
•Helps with weight loss

2. What Does Collagen Do for Your Hair?

Experts believe that collagen has beneficial effects on hair health and growth, and they are as follows:

a. Keratin Production

One of the answers to what does collagen do for your hair lies in the connection between the amino acids found in collagen, and another protein that you may be familiar with, which is keratin.

Both collagen and keratin are fibrous proteins which provide structure and strength.

While collagen is more abundantly present in the body, skin, and connectives tissues--keratin is more abundant in hair and nails. This is why collagen has always been linked to youthful skin in the same way that keratin is linked with healthy, lustrous locks.

What’s interesting is that the amino acids that are present in collagen are used by your hair follicles to produce keratin, which promotes healthy hair growth, strength, and elasticity.

b. Healthy Scalp

Another reason that collagen plays a significant part in your hair’s health is that your hair follicles are housed in the dermis layer of the skin.

Collagen is known to be responsible for the structural integrity of the dermis. A healthy dermis supports the blood vessels found there, which in turn helps vital nutrients reach the hair follicles leading to better-nourished hair.

Collagen is also a powerful and natural antioxidant which can help with hair growth and regeneration.

UV rays, smoking, pollution, and even normal metabolic processes produce free radicals that damage your hair follicles and lead to hair loss. Hair can grow like it used to thanks to the neutralizing effect that collagen can have on these free radicals.

c. Healthy Gut

The role of collagen in the gut includes helping to reduce inflammation, healing stomach ulcers, aiding in digestion, and regulating stomach acid secretion. Hair loss can often be the cause of problems such as iron deficiency, autoimmune disorders, and hormonal imbalances--along with our natural reduction in collagen production.

A healthy digestive system will ensure that your body is absorbing the nutrients, vitamins, and proteins that your body (and hair) needs to stay healthy. Collagen also keeps us fuller during or after meals, thereby needing to eat less. This could lead to natural weight loss and a healthier body. Hair health, like everything else, starts from the inside.

3. Healthier Hair from Collagen

It’s no wonder that collagen is talked about so much. With such an important and widespread role in the body, the decline of collagen is clearly linked to the aging process. We see this aging process in the visible and invisible signs and challenges that go with it.

Collagen is at the forefront of research when it comes to searching for that mystical elixir of youth.

However, we know the body responds better when we build up our collagen protein levels from within, rather than applying them to our face or hair externally with the use of in creams and treatments.

Dietary supplements that provide an extra daily dose of collagen have been gaining popularity over the years and already have many fervent fans. With health and beauty benefits ranging from more youthful looking skin, thicker and more lustrous hair, healthier heart, gut, and joints, we think taking collagen each day is definitely worth a try.