The Wonders of Collagen!
Collagen is the main protein of connective tissue in all animals and the most abundant protein in mammals, this means us! So about 25% of your body tissue is collagen!

• It is one of the long, fibrous proteins whose functions are quite different from those of other proteins such as enzymes. Tough bundles of collagen called collagen fibers, are a major component of the extracellular matrix that supports most tissues and gives cells structure from the outside of the cell, but collagen is also found inside certain cells.
  
  
• Collagen has great tensile strength, and is the main component of cartilage, ligaments, tendons, bone and teeth. Along with soft keratin, it is responsible for skin strength and elasticity, and its degradation leads to wrinkles that accompany aging. It strengthens blood vessels and plays a role in tissue development. It is present in the cornea and lens of the eye in crystalline form.
  
  
• Collagen has been popular in skincare formulas for about 20 years for its great hydration potential and its ability to bind and retain many times its weight in water. This ability makes collagen effective for use in skin moisturizers and as a skin protecting agent. Collagen will not leave a feeling of tackiness or dryness, especially when used as hydrolyzed or soluable collagen. As a film former, collagen aids in reducing natural moisture loss, thereby helping hydrate the skin. Collagen can be used on any skin type and will create a hydrated but non- greasy feeling.
  

  Applied topically, the molecule is too large to penetrate but it is used extensively to fill out acne scars, Fine Lines & Wrinkles and other depressions by injection.
  

Facts About Collagen

Composition: Collagen fibrils are collagen molecules packed into an organized overlapping bundle. Collagen fibers are bundles of fibrils.

Other Uses: If collagen is partially hydrolyzed, the strands separate into random coils, producing gelatin, which is used in many foods, including flavored gelatin desserts. Besides food, gelatin has been used in pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and photography industries. Nutritionally, collagen and gelatin are considered poor quality protein because they lack adequate amounts of some of the essential amino acids. Some collagen based dietary supplements are claimed to improve skin and fingernail quality and aid joint health, although mainstream scientific research does not support these claims.

Origins of Collagen: From the Greek word for glue, kolla, the word collagen, means "glue producer" and refers to the early process of boiling the skin and sinews of horses and other animals to obtain glue. Collagen adhesive was used by Egyptians about 4,000 years ago, and Native Americans used it in bows about 1,500 years ago. The oldest glue in the world, carbon dated as more than 8,000 years old, was found to be collagen, used as a protective lining on rope baskets and embroidered fabrics, and to hold utensils together and also in crisscross decorations on human skulls. Animal collagen glues are thermoplastic, softening again upon reheating, and so they are still used in making musical instruments such as fine violins and guitars, which may have to be reopened for repairs, an application incompatible with tough, synthetic plastic adhesives, which are permanent. Animal sinews and skins, including leather, have been used to make useful articles for millennia. Collagens are still employed in the construction of artificial skin substitutes used in the management of severe burns. These collagens may be bovine or porcine and are used in combination with silicones, glycosaminoglycans, fibroblasts, growth factors and other substances.

Functionalab Collagen Formula $45.00