Reversing Skin Aging with Collagen Peptides [11 Studies Later]

Summary

This video explores the anti-aging effects of collagen peptides, a popular supplement in the beauty industry. After analyzing 11 studies, the presenter discusses the scientific debate around collagen's efficacy due to its low levels of certain essential amino acids. However, recent research indicates that peptides are absorbed into the bloodstream, potentially aiding skin cell function. Despite varying study quality and industry funding, there's consistent evidence suggesting collagen peptides can reduce signs of aging. The presenter, now in their 70s,权衡s the research and decides to continue supplementation, citing its low cost and potential benefits, and invites viewers to join as a 'physionic Insider' for more in-depth analysis.

Takeaways

• 🔬 The speaker has analyzed 11 studies to determine the effectiveness of collagen peptides in reducing or reversing skin aging.
• 🥚 Collagen peptides are considered a poor source of essential amino acids, which are crucial for skin cell repair and growth.
• 🧬 Newer mechanistic studies suggest that the body absorbs amino acids not only as single units but also as di- and tri-peptides.
• 🔑 Collagen peptides may bind to cell receptors, influencing internal cell signaling and gene expression, which could lead to the production of new skin proteins.
• 🧪 Some studies show improvements in wrinkle volume, number of wrinkles, and skin elasticity with collagen peptide supplementation.
• 💸 Most of the studies analyzed are industry-funded, which may raise concerns about potential conflicts of interest.
• 📊 Non-industry funded studies also support the positive effects of collagen peptides on skin health.
• 🤔 The speaker is cautious but opts to supplement with collagen peptides due to their potential benefits and relatively low cost.
• 📉 The research on collagen peptides could be improved with more rigorous study designs and less potential for bias.
• 💊 A meta-analysis suggests that effective doses of collagen peptides for skin health range from 2.5 to 5 grams per day.

Q & A

What is the main topic discussed in the transcript?

The main topic discussed in the transcript is the use of collagen peptides as a supplement for reducing and potentially reversing skin aging.

Why is there controversy over the use of collagen peptides?

There is controversy because collagen peptides have low levels of some key amino acids, leading to the belief that consuming whole high-quality proteins might be more effective for skin repair and growth.

What does the transcript reveal about the absorption of amino acids in the body?

The transcript reveals that contrary to previous assumptions, the body does not only absorb single amino acids. Instead, di- and tri-peptides, which are two and three amino acids still bound together, are also detectable in the blood after protein consumption.

How do collagen peptides potentially benefit the skin?

Collagen peptides may bind to receptors on the surface of skin cells like keratinocytes and fibroblasts, leading to changes in cell signaling and gene expression that promote the production of new skin proteins, including full collagen fibers.

What does the human data show regarding the effectiveness of collagen peptides on skin aging?

The human data, despite some studies having methodological issues, generally shows improvements in wrinkle volume, number of wrinkles, depth of wrinkles, and skin elasticity in those who supplement with collagen peptides compared to placebo.

Are there any concerns regarding the funding sources of the studies mentioned?

Yes, most of the studies are industry-funded, which may raise concerns about conflicts of interest. However, there are some non-industry funded studies that corroborate the results.

What is the speaker's personal stance on collagen peptide supplementation?

The speaker, despite acknowledging the potential for conflicts of interest and the need for better study designs, personally opts for supplementation due to the consistency of results across studies and the relatively low cost and potential benefits.

What is the recommended dosage of collagen peptides according to the meta-analysis mentioned?

The most frequent effective dosages across the studies included in the meta-analysis were between 2.5 and 5 grams per day.

Does the speaker mention any additional questions about collagen peptide supplementation?

Yes, the speaker mentions additional questions such as whether different sources of collagen are more or less effective and what happens when one stops taking collagen peptides.

How can one access the extended version of the video and other related content?

The extended version of the video and other related content can be accessed by becoming a Physionic Insider, with the link to join provided below the transcript.

Outlines

00:00

🧬 Collagen Peptides: The Fountain of Youthful Skin?

The paragraph delves into the exploration of collagen peptides as a potential anti-aging solution in the beauty industry. The speaker has been intrigued by the claims of collagen's benefits for over 14 years and has conducted an analysis of 11 studies to determine the effectiveness of collagen peptides in reversing or slowing down skin aging. The controversy surrounding collagen's efficacy stems from its low levels of certain essential amino acids, which are crucial for skin cell repair and maintenance. However, recent studies have shown that the body absorbs not only single amino acids but also di- and tri-peptides, challenging the previous belief. The paragraph also touches on the mechanistic benefits of collagen peptides, such as their ability to bind to cell receptors and stimulate the production of new skin proteins, including collagen fibers. Despite some studies being poorly designed or funded by the industry, there is a consistent trend suggesting that collagen peptides may improve skin health. The speaker concludes with a personal note on the importance of considering supplements like collagen peptides, especially as one ages and experiences more noticeable signs of skin aging.

05:02

🧪 The Science and Effectiveness of Collagen Peptides

This paragraph continues the discussion on collagen peptides, focusing on the scientific evidence and effectiveness of supplementation. The speaker acknowledges that while the evidence is not mixed, there is a good consistency across studies showing the benefits of collagen peptides in reversing signs of aging. However, the speaker also points out the limitations in study designs and the potential conflicts of interest due to industry funding. Despite these concerns, there are non-industry funded studies that corroborate the positive effects of collagen peptides. The speaker, who is in their 70s and has noticed skin aging, expresses a personal preference for supplementation, citing the relatively low cost and potential benefits. The paragraph concludes with a mention of a meta-analysis indicating that doses between 2.5 and 5 grams of collagen peptides are most frequently studied, though the speaker personally opts for a higher dose. The speaker also hints at further discussion on topics such as the effectiveness of different collagen sources and the effects of discontinuing supplementation, which are covered in an extended version of the video available to subscribers.

Keywords

💡Collagen Peptides

Collagen peptides are hydrolyzed proteins derived from collagen, which is a structural protein found in the skin, hair, and nails. In the context of the video, they are discussed as a supplement that may help reduce or reverse skin aging. The script mentions that these peptides have been touted in the beauty industry for their potential to improve skin health by providing essential amino acids that the skin needs for repair and maintenance.

💡Amino Acids

Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, and essential amino acids are those that the body cannot synthesize on its own and must be obtained through diet. The video discusses the importance of these amino acids for skin cell repair and growth, particularly for keratinocytes, which are skin cells responsible for the production of keratin, a protein that helps protect against water loss and provides structural support to the skin.

💡Keratinocytes

Keratinocytes are a type of skin cell that produces keratin, which is crucial for maintaining the skin's structure and function. In the video, the role of keratinocytes is highlighted in the context of how collagen peptides might aid in skin health by influencing these cells' ability to produce new proteins and maintain skin integrity.

💡Fibroblasts

Fibroblasts are cells that play a central role in the production of extracellular matrix and collagen, which are vital for skin elasticity and structure. The video suggests that collagen peptides might interact with fibroblasts, potentially leading to improved skin health and a reduction in signs of aging.

💡Die and Tri Peptides

Die and tri peptides refer to chains of two and three amino acids, respectively, that remain bound together after protein digestion. The video script challenges the previous belief that amino acids are absorbed only in their single form by presenting evidence that die and tri peptides can be detected in the bloodstream after protein consumption.

💡Skin Aging

Skin aging refers to the natural process of the skin losing its elasticity, firmness, and resilience over time, often resulting in wrinkles, fine lines, and a dull appearance. The video's main theme revolves around the potential of collagen peptides to mitigate or reverse these signs of aging, as evidenced by various studies analyzed within the script.

💡Supplementation

Supplementation in the context of the video refers to the intake of collagen peptides as a dietary supplement to potentially improve skin health. The discussion includes the effectiveness of supplementation, the optimal dosage, and the considerations one might have when deciding to take such supplements.

💡Clinical Human Science

Clinical human science in this video refers to the studies and research conducted on human subjects to understand the effects of collagen peptides on skin health. The script mentions the need to consider both mechanistic studies (which look at the biological processes) and clinical studies (which involve human subjects) to draw conclusions about the effectiveness of collagen peptides.

💡Methodological Issues

Methodological issues refer to potential flaws or weaknesses in the design and execution of scientific studies. The video script points out that some studies on collagen peptides have methodological issues, such as lack of blinding or the use of supplement mixtures, which could affect the reliability of their findings.

💡Funding Sources and Conflicts of Interest

Funding sources and conflicts of interest are discussed in the video as potential biases that may influence the outcomes of research studies. The script notes that most studies on collagen peptides are industry-funded, which could raise concerns about the objectivity of the results. However, it also acknowledges non-industry funded studies that corroborate the findings.

💡Meta-Analysis

A meta-analysis is a statistical approach that combines the results of multiple studies to draw overall conclusions. In the video, a meta-analysis is mentioned to determine the effective dosage of collagen peptides, with the most frequent doses across studies being between 2.5 and 5 grams per day.

Highlights

Collagen peptides are touted as age-reversing in the beauty industry.

The speaker analyzed 11 studies to determine the effect of collagen peptides on skin aging.

Collagen is a poor protein source due to low levels of essential amino acids.

Mechanistic studies show that not all amino acids are absorbed as single units.

Collagen peptides may bind to cell receptors, leading to changes in gene expression and new skin protein production.

Some studies show improvements in wrinkle volume and skin elasticity with collagen supplementation.

Most studies on collagen peptides are industry-funded, which may raise concerns about bias.

There are non-industry funded studies that corroborate the positive effects of collagen peptides.

The evidence suggests that collagen peptides can reverse some signs of aging.

The speaker personally uses a higher dose of collagen peptides than the average recommended.

A meta-analysis indicates that the most effective doses of collagen peptides are between 2.5 and 5 grams.

The speaker discusses the potential for different sources of collagen to have varying effects.

The speaker raises the question of what happens when one stops taking collagen peptides.

The speaker invites viewers to access an extended analysis for more detailed information.

The speaker humorously suggests that they look young for their age, despite being 'in the triple digits'.

Transcripts

in all 11 years I've been on this Earth

I've seen ingredient after ingredient

touted as age reversing in the beauty

industry Now One supplement that I've

heard about multiple times over the last

14 years is the use of collagen peptides

for reducing and even reversing skin

aging so I analyzed 11 studies to find

out if my previous 17 years of skin

aging can be reversed or at least slowed

what was the verdict I those first we

should understand why there's any

controversy over the use of collagen

peptides it really comes down to

collagen being a sucky protein Source

essentially for growth we rely on

essential amino acids those are the

building blocks of proteins and for our

skin cells like keratinocytes to repair

and bolster our skin like they easily do

in youth they need these highquality

proteins that are filled with these

essential amino acids similar to how our

body builds muscles are myocytes the

muscle cells require the same proteins

for growth unfortunately collagen

peptides have low levels of some of

these key amino acids so the rationale

was always that we should just consume

whole high quality proteins and that'll

do the trick because when we digest and

absorb these amino acids in our

intestines they come through as single

amino acids anyway so why not just eat

whole protein sources since they have

Superior amino acid profiles well that

may all be true but more mechanistic

Studies have uncovered that we actually

don't just absorb single amino acids for

example this study shows that when

people consume proteins and when

researchers measure blood levels of D

and tri peptides those are two and three

amino acids still bound to one another

there are detectable levels in the blood

we see that here we don't need to go

into the specifics just know that if the

lines go up that means that blood levels

of these die peptides have increased

which is deemed impossible based on the

argument laid out before clearly it is

incorrect to assume that amino acids are

only absorbed into the blood as single

amino acids so then what benefit is

there from these peptides I mean it's

great that peptides enter our

bloodstream but why do we care again

mechanistically and I promise we're

going to get to some more clinical human

science in a minute there are some

scientific reviews that make Arguments

for collagen peptides binding to a

series of different receptors on the

surface of the cell you know think uh

keratinocytes that I mentioned earlier

and fibroblasts those are cells involved

in keeping the structure of your skin

intact and Youthful once bound to these

receptors the cell's internal signaling

changes lead to proper gene expression

changes that allow for the production of

new skin proteins including the full

collagen fibers I could go on with this

far more in depth but I'll leave it uh

for my full length analysis on the topic

if you're interested anyway you're

interested in more than just mechanisms

I'm sure what does the human data

actually show well look ever since my

20s I've known that you have to put all

of the context out otherwise it may lead

to improper conclusions I'll add this

some of the studies are really shoddy

like having no blinding and some of the

studies

using a mixture of supplements not just

using collagen peptides and a few other

methodological no NOS that mentioned not

all the studies were poorly designed

some were fine so even if we limit our

analysis to those where does that land

us let's crack one of them open here we

see the data on wrinkle volume the

higher the bar the worse wrinkles a

person has obviously the lower the

better in white we see our collagen

condition and in gray we see our Placebo

or non-collagen condition no matter how

you read it Baseline versus a weeks

later or Placebo versus collagen there

seems to be an improvement in the

collagen condition only but is this

consistent Beyond one study well we see

similar results in other measures of

skin youthfulness like here these

researchers showed improvements in a

number of wrinkles depth of wrinkles

skin elasticity and several other

metrics now when I turned 33 I also came

to understand the importance of funding

sources in conflicts of interest

unfortunately most of the studies are

industry funded so if that rattles your

cage that may unnerve you fortunately

there are some non-industry funded

studies that corroborate these results

as well I'm not a big fan of the study

design on This research but at least it

corroborates the other research so where

exactly does that leave us should we be

supplementing with it or not well every

since I turned 46 I've thought it'd be

better to be safe than sorry so while

the evidence isn't mixed there is good

consistency across studies However the

fact that the study designs aren't

always a top tier and the potential

conflicts of interest certainly leave

significant room for pause but I also

don't want to be that 55-year-old guy

that I was and not take a relatively

cheap and potentially noticeably

effective supplement based on negative

suspicion

it's not like I'll get that last 67

years of my life back am I right in

short while the research could use some

bolstering in this area of Investigation

it does seem that supplementation with

collagen peptides is effective at

reversing some signs of aging which is

comforting to hear once you pass your

70s and experience noticeable signs of

skin aging like me now how much is shown

to be effective I'll get to that in a

second and there are some additional

questions questions that you may not

have considered either for example are

different sources of collagen more or

less effective and what happens when you

stop taking collagen I'm covering that

all in the extended version of this

video which you can get access to if

you're a physionic Insider which also

includes a whole library of other videos

just to point that out you can find the

link to join below would love to have

you aboard now exactly how much of this

collagen is shown to be effective

according to a meta analysis which took

into my 80s to read due to its density

the researchers pointed out that the

most frequent doses across all the

included studies were between 2.5 and 5

G however I have been using collagen for

a while myself and some studies go as

high as or higher than 10 G per day so I

opt for that higher threshold and hell I

think I still look pretty young

considering I'm pushing into the triple

digits don't you think

[Music]

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