Do you need Collagen?

Why Collagen is important to your body...

Collagen occurs in many places throughout our body. So far, 28 types of collagen have been identified and described. The five most common types are:

• Collagen I: skin, tendon, vascular ligature, organs, bone (main component of the organic part of bone)
• Collagen II: cartilage (main component of cartilage)
• Collagen III: reticulate (main component of reticular fibers), commonly found alongside type I.
• Collagen IV: forms bases of cell basement membrane
• Collagen V: cell surfaces, hair and placenta

Collagen is vital to the body as the main component of tendons, ligaments, cartilage, teeth and bones. The skin gets its strength and elasticity from this component. Blood vessels are strengthened by it and it plays an important role in tissue development. When blood vessels collapse, usually when an attempt is made to draw blood or establish an IV, it is most likely due to a breakdown of collagen.

Besides being an important part of connective tissue, it also plays a major role in other things like cell differentiation and shape. Healing is another part of it's function. It is a major part of the regeneration and healing of broken bones and blood vessels growing to feed healing areas.

To emphasize the importance of collagen, lets imagine for a moment, an elaborate beadwork piece. The piece is held together with thread but it is not seen. Pull the thread out and the beads fall apart. The thread is an absolute necessity to hold the beadwork together. So, too, is collagen a necessity to hold our bodies together and help them heal. Many people only know of collagen as part of cosmetic surgery and skin care creams. They do not realize just how important a role it plays in every part of our bodies.

Disclaimer - The information presented here should not be interpreted as or substituted for medical advice. Please talk to a qualified professional for more information about collagen.