In plain words
Collagen is the body's main structural protein. It forms the strong fibers in skin, tendons, ligaments, bone, and the walls of the uterus. During pregnancy, collagen in the cervix and pelvic tissues changes to allow birth and recovery. After a cut, a tear, or a surgical incision, the body lays down new collagen as the wound heals. The process takes months, and the new tissue usually stays a little weaker than the old. Mothers often hear about collagen in relation to healing, and in the context of food. Research on what food does for collagen in the body is still limited.
The deeper version
Collagen is a triple-helical protein, predominantly types I and III in skin and tendon, and its synthesis and remodeling depend on fibroblast activity, , and tissue inhibitors of these enzymes. Wound repair proceeds through hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation (fibroblast migration, angiogenesis, epithelialization, and collagen deposition), and remodeling over months to a year, with scar tensile strength reaching only a fraction of uninjured tissue. In pregnancy, cervical and pelvic collagen remodeling is driven in part by the same inflammatory mediators that drive . Dietary collagen is digested to peptides and amino acids, and the evidence that dietary collagen increases collagen synthesis in humans is limited and mostly from small trials. Claims in consumer marketing are not supported by clinical outcome data.
Where it comes up
- Bone brothNourishment and Traditions
- Eating for tissue healingNourishment and Traditions
- Healing a tear or stitchesPostpartum: Your Body
What mothers here say about collagen
No one has posted under this term yet.
Sources
- Shoulders MD, Raines RT — Collagen structure and stability. Annual Review of Biochemistry 2009
- Gurtner GC et al. — Wound repair and regeneration. Nature 2008