Essential for skin, bladder, and blood vessel elasticity... Collagen drops sharply after age 40

It is commonly believed that collagen should only be maintained to prevent skin aging. However, collagen is also distributed in muscles, blood vessels, and gums, so to maintain health in old age, it is important to preserve collagen well.

If ▲your skin easily becomes dry, ▲your heels are severely cracked, ▲you involuntarily leak urine, ▲your teeth are spaced apart, ▲your vision is blurry, or if three or more symptoms related to blood circulation are present, it may be a sign of collagen deficiency inside the body. Collagen plays an important role in maintaining moisture and elasticity. It is an essential component found in blood vessels, joints, gums, and other areas, accounting for one-third of the total proteins in the body.

As aging progresses, the activity of fibroblasts that produce collagen in the body decreases, leading to less collagen production. This causes various problems. The most immediately visible symptom is dry and sagging skin. In addition to rough skin texture, long-term effects include loss of elasticity, resulting in double chins and sagging cheeks. Cracking of the heels also worsens.

Sudden or worsening urinary incontinence can occur. More than 80% of the bladder's sphincter and muscles are made of collagen. As aging causes a reduction or clumping of collagen in the bladder, elasticity decreases, leading to a decline in the ability to store and control urination, ultimately resulting in urinary incontinence.

A deficiency in collagen can lead to decreased elasticity of blood vessels. A lack of collagen also threatens the health of the eyes and mouth. Cataracts are a condition where the lens, which adjusts the focus of objects in the eye, becomes cloudy.

Most of the lens and the lens capsule surrounding it are made of collagen. As the lens ages, the collagen degenerates and becomes cloudy, leading to the development of cataracts. In the case of teeth, 18% of the main component, dentin, and most of the gum tissue (60%) are collagen. A deficiency in collagen weakens the periodontal ligament (gum ligament), causing gaps to form between the teeth. When bacteria proliferate in these gaps, it can lead to various gum diseases.

Collagen begins to decrease by about 1% each year starting in the mid-20s, and by the time you reach your 40s, it has reduced to about half of what it was in your 20s. Therefore, continuous efforts are necessary to maintain collagen levels. It is advisable to stay well-hydrated, and to prevent the destruction of collagen within the skin, you should pay attention to UV protection.

<Source: Health Chosun>