What Are The Symptoms Of A Lack Of Collagen?

When your body’s natural production of collagen declines, this can trigger the beginning of a collagen deficiency inside the body. This happens when the body no longer produces collagen naturally by itself; therefore, without any collagen being supplemented into the body, natural collagen will become absent! If the body lacks or lacks collagen, this can affect the body in many ways; both internally and externally. In today's post will be making sure that you are aware of the signs that could be alarming you to a collagen deficiency as well as highlighting the causes and effects. The effects that a collagen deficiency can have on the body can be detrimental to your health in many ways, so here are the signs to look out for to ensure your collagen levels are healthy or stabilised if you are using collagen supplements! 

How will I know my body is feeling the effect of a collagen deficiency?

It can be difficult to notice the signs at first, but as we all get older the changes in our bodies due to less collagen with becoming more apparent if we do not supplement more collagen back into our bodies. It’s nearly impossible to know exactly how much collagen you have present in your body, but when it begins to drop you will experience a range of symptoms. Some people might not experience symptoms at the same rate as others as all of our bodies are different; many people are responsible for prematurely bringing on their collagen decline - which we will discuss next. Here are some of the most common symptoms you might want to be aware of in case you are getting closer to the age where your collagen is likely to benign declining:

• Joint pains
• Stiffness throughout the body 
• Weakened muscles,
• Fatigue / less mobility
• Papery skin
• Wrinkles, creased, age spots
• Hair breakage, thinning, and slow to regrow
• Cellulite
• Dental issues

Please do let these symptoms worry you too much, as keeping on top of your collagen through supplements and taking care of your body (inside and out) can help you navigate through and possibly avoid many of these symptoms! 

At what age does collagen decline?

You can expect your body to begin losing its natural collagen when you are around 30 years of age, which is still considered very young. If you can stay on top of your collagen production by supplementing Bovine or Marine collagen into your daily routine early on, this can prevent a total deficiency in collagen. Even though it is a natural process, to begin losing your collagen when you get to the 30-year age mark, it’s possible to speed up the decline causing premature collagen loss! 

What causes a lack of collagen? 

There are several reasons why your natural collagen production can begin to slow down or stop completely and it’s not just to do with your age! Believe it or not, other causes can contribute to your lack or deficiency in natural collagen…

• Sunlight - Overexposure to ultraviolet light can unravel collagen fibre chains, leading to sun damage and wrinkles. 

• Smoking - Chemicals in cigarettes and their smoke can damage collagen, therefore causing the skin to age prematurely, sag and affect its overall radiance and texture. 

• Sugar - Too much can also affect collagen fibres, causing them to cross-link and tangle; therefore making the skin less elastic over time

It’s not just age that can affect collagen levels, as UV exposure, pollution, bad habits and an unbalanced diet can all speed up the decline process! Whilst age is still the biggest cause for natural collagen to decrease and cease entirely over time, these other factors can speed up the process leaving the body vulnerable and defenceless. 

What happens when the body can't produce collagen?

Collagen has many health benefits, one of them being supporting bone health, therefore if all your natural collagen is dried up then the bones are not going to get that additional support that's more important as we get older. A lack of collagen will mean the bones find it harder to repair themselves, it may take longer or it may completely struggle to repair and regrow entirely on its own without the help of collagen. This is just one instance where a lack of collagen might cause more harm to the body than good! Collagen is not just important for keeping our skin youthful-looking and plump; the benefits of collagen are more than just skin deep. We rely on collagen without realising it at times. It’s responsible for keeping our cartilage, connective tissue and bones healthy and supporting our bodies through the ageing process to help keep us protected and strong! 

If you’d like to do some further reading on why collagen is so important for your body, then be sure to check out our blog titled Is It Okay To Take Collagen Every Day for more insight on this matter. 

Can you regain lost collagen? 

Once your natural collagen levels start to decrease, with age or other external factors, then you cannot prevent or regain your lost collagen naturally anymore! The good news is that suitable collagen supplements are widely available to help you regain control and boost your collagen levels inside the body. If you are experiencing or anticipating your body’s natural collagen to begin dropping then being prepared is the best way of ensuring you do not go into a total collagen deficiency. Whilst your body may not be able to produce new collagen on its own, it can be supplemented into the body with collagen powders or capsules. In addition, the body can also convert amino acids from protein-rich foods into collagen; that is why a balanced diet and collagen supplements can be a great way to keep the body supported so that it does not develop a collagen deficiency. 

If you would like to find out more about collagen or if you have any more questions, then feel free to head over to our Health Insider Blog catalogue. It's regularly updated with new posts focusing on everything from collagen to probiotics and we are sure you will find all the answers you are looking for.