Who Took My Collagen and How Can I get it Back?

Dr. Rebecca Booth
Gynecologist, Author of The Venus Week:  Discover the Powerful Secret of Your Cycle...at Any Age

Hormonal aging is one of the least known or discussed causes of wrinkles, dry, and sagging skin. Knowing the impact of waning estrogen on our skin can provide you with understanding of how combat some of the fallout of hormonal aging.

Today I became brave enough to buy one of those tiny but powerful magnifying mirrors in order to better check my eye makeup (I'm still in denial of my 50-something declining vision). It's frightening to face in (15X) focus the reality of the deepening crow's feet. What I know about this I have explained to many of my patients for years: with menopause it is the loss of elasticity that causes these changes; in the face, in the joints, in the walls of our arteries...and of course in the vaginal tissues. The fact is that estrogen has a very powerful role in the promotion of our human elastic glue: collagen. This means that with hormonal aging (accelerated by menopause) we women stand to lose more than our reproductive responsibility.

It may sound like vanity to wax poetic about the plumped up lips I have envied in my estrogen-ripe OB patients, or the flowing hair of my 14 year old as she matures into her femininity. But what of other areas that seem less shameful to miss: bone and joint flexibility, moist eyes, resilient ligaments, and so many other features that seemingly come "unglued," as collagen declines with hormonal aging? It simply isn't fair for the females of our species to abruptly lose such an important substance... and why? Of course estrogen enhances flexibility in the pelvic bones to help with vaginal delivery, and I can understand that the "glow" of peaking estrogen in skin is useful as a signal of who is fertile (and who is not) for the warrior or hunter returning home on a brief leave from his duties, but what is the evolutionary benefit of the matriarch becoming a "little old lady" as a result of her menopause-accelerated loss of bone matrix collagen?

Men have a very gradual decline in testosterone (also a collagen supporter) as their gonads do not have a programmed retirement; this helps them maintain their bone density, muscle strength, even experiencing less wrinkling compare to same aged women for whom Mother Nature has relieved reproductive duty. It's an unfair advantage, and it can put women out of sync with men... a potential problem on many levels.

What can be done?

• Avoid collagen killers: Smoking, too much sun, diabetes, poor nutrition, stress (from excess cortisol), and poor hydration.

• HRT (hormone replacement therapy) can dampen the effect of declining skin elasticity, loss of bone density, and even positively effect elasticity in arteries; but there are well-defined risks along with these benefits. Ask your doctor to help you understand the full risk-benefit profile if you feel you are in need of HRT.

• A diet high in plant protein (soy protein, hummus, nuts, nut butters, foods made with almond flour, etc) can offer the support of plant estrogens, or phytoestrogens, which have been demonstrated to have a positive effect on collagen.

• Omega 3 fatty acids (fish oils and flax seed oils) are excellent "lubricators" of joints (to help with flexibility), improve dry eye, and a host of other metabolic and mood elevating properties.

• Vitamin D: (at least 1000 IU a day) now being thought of as a hormone as it has so many varied effects on body systems, can contribute to a healthy, flexible, bone matrix...and has positive effects on skin as well.

• Calcium: 1000mg prior to, and 1500 mg a day, after menopause through diet or supplements; best spread out through the day, as the body cannot absorb more than 500 to 600mg at once.

• Vitamin C: 400mg day can help support healthy collagen.

• Exercise: Muscle development can stimulate new growth of collagen and prevent atrophy, or loss of muscle mass that can contribute to sagging tissues and declining bone density.

• Biotin: 1000 mcg a day may help support hair and nail strength that often decline with menopause.

• Phytoestrogen supplements: With the decline of estrogen at menopause plant estrogen supplements can help offset the fallout. For a woman not on HRT, 70 mg of isoflavones a day may help support collagen and promote bone health.

• Topical vaginal estrogens: Very effective for vaginal dryness and loss of elasticity, ask your doctor to consider if a prescription is right for you.

As bone density is strongly tied to collagen content, a bone density test can be said to roughly reflect a body's collagen. I'm just as afraid to step into my office bone density (DEXA) machine (now that I've hit menopause), as I was to pick up the magnifying mirror. My inspiration? My dear friend and patient Melinda: slender, late-forties, osteopenic, not on hormones; just had her test. She is devoted to exercise, eats the right foods, takes the right supplements, corrected her low vitamin D level 2 years ago, and despite my trepidation, her density is up...and she has glowing skin! With an understanding of the challenges and a strategic plan, you can hold off the collagen loss...even if you don't have you-know-who's lips.

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Commercial collagen

Sunday December 11, 2011

By KATHERINA MARIE
educate@thestar.com.my

STEAMED with chilli and garlic, the tilapia fish makes for a delicious meal, but a Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) researcher has discovered that the spiny-finned freshwater fish is a rich source of collagen.

The discovery offers consumers a halal alternative for the important protein, which is traditionally obtained from pigs and cows.


The collagen was discovered by UPM Faculty of Food and Science Technology lecturer and researcher Prof Dr Jamilah Bakar.

She then introduced it to biotech company Bionic Lifesciences, which included the ingredient in its bird’s nest product.

The improved final product was displayed at the Biomalaysia 2011 Conference and Exhibition in Kuala Lumpur recently. Bionic Lifesciences director Prof Mohd Saleh Yahya and UPM deputy vice-chancellor (Research and Innovation) Prof Mohd Saleh Jaafar signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to seal the collaboration between the company and varsity to commercialise the product.

Prof Mohd Saleh said UPM’s objective for the collaboration is to enhance research and development for the biotechnological processes.

“This collaboration will help to provide technical assistance and knowledge and will be beneficial for UPM students to further their research on collagen,” he said.

Prof Jamilah shared that she had spent 12 years on the research.

“I actually started my research with gelatine which is used in almost all the food products and from there, I discovered that gelatine is obtained from collagen by hydrolysis,” she said.

“Collagen is used widely in the food industry as a food supplement in capsule, beverage and tablet forms.

Students and visitors looking at the raw collagen sample and the range of products it could be used for at the signing ceremony.
“Society is starting to realise the importance of collagen in maintaining skin health, improving immunity, activating muscles and treating joint pain,” she said.

She added that prior to this, collagen had to be imported from China and Korea as there was no local source.

“We are the first in the region to produce halal aquatic collagen.

“The cosmetics industry can use it for its anti-ageing properties and include it into facemasks, hair products, nail products, creams and even directly into beverages because it is halal,” she added.
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Inovasi & Kreatif: Kolagen kulit ikan tilapia untuk kosmetik, kesihatan
Oleh Syifarida Muhamad Zaki
bhvarsiti@bharian.com.my
2011/12/08

GAMBAR atas, JAMILAH (tiga dari kanan) bersama wakil UPM dan Bionic Lifesciences dipameran BioMalaysia di Kuala Lumpur, baru-baru ini. Gambar bawah, PENGUNJUNG pameran BioMalaysia melihat kolagen akuatik dihasilkan UPM.
MASYARAKAT kini mula menyedari kepentingan kolagen bagi memelihara keremajaan dan keanjalan kulit serta mendapatkan bentuk badan menarik.

Justeru, tidak hairan pelbagai rangkaian produk kesihatan dan kecantikan yang mengandungi protein itu mendapat sambutan memberangsangkan. Namun, kebanyakan produk berkenaan diimport dan dikhuatiri sumber kolagennya daripada khinzir atau haiwan lain yang diragui status halalnya.
Menyedari isu itu, sekumpulan penyelidik Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) menjalankan kajian menghasilkan kolagen daripada kulit ikan tilapia.
Kami ialah yang pertama di rantau ini yang menghasilkan kolagen akuatik yang benar-benar diyakini status halalnya. - Prof Dr Jamilah Bakar Pengarah projek kajian itu, Prof Dr Jamilah Bakar, berkata kolagen akuatik berkenaan boleh digunakan dalam bentuk minuman atau makanan, contohnya, produk minuman burung walit.

Penyelidikan 12 tahun itu juga bakal dikomersialkan menerusi kerjasama antara UPM dengan Bionic Lifesciences Sdn Bhd (Bionic Lifesciences) yang antara lain membabitkan pembinaan kilang pengekstrak kolagen halal daripada kulit ikan tilapia yang pertama di rantau ini.

Jamilah berharap hasil penemuan itu memberi perspektif baru kepada pengguna kolagen halal dalam produk kosmetik atau makanan tambahan selain menyokong industri halal negara.

“Masyarakat kini mula menyedari kepentingan kolagen yang berfungsi memelihara kecantikan kulit, mempercepatkan penyembuhan luka serta membantu memulihkan kekenyalan otot dan masalah sendi.
“Pelbagai rangkaian produk berasaskan kolagen dijual di pasaran, namun difahamkan tiada sumber kolagen yang dihasilkan dalam negara dan menyebabkan ia banyak diimport dari China dan Korea Selatan yang diragui status halalnya.

“Kami adalah yang pertama di rantau ini yang menghasilkan kolagen akuatik yang benar-benar diyakini status halalnya,” katanya ketika ditemui selepas majlis menandatangani memorandum persefahaman (MoU) antara UPM dan Bionic Lifesciences sempena Pameran BioMalaysia di Kuala Lumpur, baru-baru ini.

MoU itu ditandatangani Timbalan Naib Canselor (Penyelidikan dan Inovasi) UPM, Prof Ir Dr Mohd Saleh Jaafar manakala Bionic Lifesciences diwakili Pengarahnya, Ir Mohd Salleh Yahya.

Mengulas teknologi pengekstrakan kolagen akuatik itu, Jamilah berkata ia membabitkan empat peringkat iaitu pembersihan kulit ikan, pengekstrakan menghasilkan kolagen, pembersihan kolagen dan penghasilan serbuk kolagen.

Katanya bagi peringkat pertama, kulit ikan dibersihkan untuk menghilangkan kotoran dan lendir menggunakan beberapa bahan kimia tidak berbahaya.

“Ketika proses pengekstrakan, ia juga menggunakan beberapa gabungan bahan kimia bergantung kepada kulit ikan dan kolagen yang ingin dihasilkan. Sesetengah kulit ikan akan menghasilkan kolagen yang bergred tinggi dan yang lainnya menghasilkan kolagen bergred sederhana dan rendah.

“Kos untuk mengekstrak juga berbeza kerana menggunakan bahan kimia yang berbeza bergantung kepada jenis kulit ikan,” katanya.

Beliau berkata proses pembersihan bahan kolagen juga dilakukan dalam beberapa peringkat bagi meningkatkan peratus kandungan kolagen bergantung kepada produk yang ingin dihasilkan sama ada untuk makanan atau farmaseutikal.

“Kolagen untuk produk farmaseutikal agak remeh dan memerlukan tiga hingga empat proses berbanding makanan,” katanya.

Jamilah berkata, peringkat terakhir membabitkan kaedah pengeringan dan pembekuan dan kebanyakan kolagen dihasilkan menggunakan kaedah pengeringan bagi menghasilkan serbuk kolagen sebelum dibungkus dan dikategorikan mengikut produk yang ingin dihasilkan.

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