You have been diligently following a plant-based diet and everything seemed to be fine, at first you noticed how your acne and swelling disappeared giving you a healthy glow, but at some point with time, something subtle about how you look in the mirror started bothering your mind...
“Has my skin always had this shade and texture or is it just lighting? I think it looks paler. These dark circles, fine lines… Maybe I just need to sleep more or drink more water? But no, my skin looks like this more often than it doesn’t. I am on the healthiest diet known to humans, right? and perhaps, otherwise my skin would be even worse? Maybe it is all my fantasies? But ex-vegans even claim that their skin revitalizes after reintroducing animal products to their diet. There must be something to it.”
While skin deterioration symptoms, such as wrinkles, tired sunken eyes, dark circles, thinning hair, or just overall dull complexion can be a consequence of many compounding factors, chances are you are losing collagen, which can result from a number of nutritional deficiencies, lifestyle habits, or even anemia, which we will dive into later in this article.
Fun fact: collagen fibers make up ~85% of the dry weight of your dermis.
Our body constantly regenerates itself by breaking down old cells and tissues and regrowing them with new cells and tissues. Collagen, though, takes a while to form – up to 3 months. And, while synthesizing healthy collagen is important, all that effort will be pointless if you’re simultaneously destroying it. So in this video we will be covering 4 key things you should avoid to preserve your collagen, as well as 4 key things that will improve your collagen synthesis, so that you can create the necessary conditions for healthy collagen, promoting youthful appearance and feel, and help enable you to sustain being a vegan long-term.
>> In this article you will learn:
1. How to reverse accelerated aging due to nutritional deficiencies through diet using plant foods.
2. What practices outside of nutrition are necessary to retain healthy skin and connective tissue.
Collagen Breakdown
Collagen Loss
So why do we lose collagen? Here are the factors that play a big role:
NUMBER 1: Sugar.
One of the main enemies of collagen is sugar, mainly glucose and fructose. Sugar molecules covalently cross-link two individual collagen fibers making them non-repairable. This reaction happens when glucose and fructose link the amino acids that make up collagen molecules. One of the products of such interaction is advanced glycation end (AGE) products which cause premature protein breakdown. AGE products are inflammatory and cause oxidative stress.
And while whole fruits contain antioxidants, polyphenols protecting collagen molecules from glycation, as well as fiber slowing down injection of glucose into the blood stream, consuming syrups, refined sugars, and sweet fruit juices – anything that keeps your blood glucose high over extended periods of time – is definitely a bad idea if you want to retain elasticity and integrity of your collagen. (drop down sugar, soda, cake images)
Not so fun fact: Diabetics and people suffering from metabolic syndrome are at higher risk of fibrosis, slow wound healing, premature skin aging, and blood vessel degradation due to glycation and AGE products.
Actually, most people usually start thinking about collagen when they notice some superficial signs of aging. However, there are several types of collagens, and they are major structural components of not just the skin, but also bones, joints, blood vessels, ligaments, heart valves, and even the gut walls. Besides skin issues, you may notice stiffness, reduced mobility, aches, and slower wound healing.
Fun fact: proper collagen synthesis and supply can help in treating leaky gut syndrome.
It is not just sugar that can speed up collagen breakdown.
NUMBER 2 (ALSO 3, AND 4): Foods containing AGE products and free radicals
Anything roasted, including nuts and especially peanut butter, fried and roasted meat, as well as some dairy products are a source of exogenous AGE products, even though these foods supply amino acids that are required for creating collagen. Now, think of peanut butter jelly sandwiches... Roasted peanuts + jelly with refined sugar = collagen killer. And should we mention stress?
And with that in mind, let’s focus on collagen synthesis now.
Synthesis
Amino Acids
Collagen is a protein, so it is composed of amino acids.
Fun fact: collagen protein accounts for 30% of all protein in the body.
And before we run to the supplement store to pick up a jar of collagen powder, let’s study 3 key contributors that help us build collagen naturally, starting with the most trivial thing. Then later in this video we will dig into some rather hidden contributors to collagen health.
Number 1: Amino Acids
The foundation of any collagen molecule is made up of essential amino acids (except for tryptophan), plus mainly the non-essential amino acids: glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline. The problem with those technically non-essential amino acids is that they are usually not produced in high enough quantities, and a general dietary requirement for, let’s say, glycine is ~3 grams per day. The good news is that there are plant sources of glycine, as well as proline and, of course, essential amino acids making up collagen.
What are the best sources of those amino acids for vegans and raw foodists? It is hemp. You know that I follow a more or less flexible raw vegan diet, and I think hemp is literally the key food in my nutrition. I buy 5 pounds each month and I eat 60-70 grams per day as a part of the tastiest hemp recipe, featuring 4 very humble, real superfoods. The recipe video can be found here. Some other excellent sources of a complete set of amino acids are pumpkin seeds and walnuts, so make sure to take advantage of those!
Fun fact: I have been eating the same hemp dish for breakfast every single day for over 2 years and I still crave it every morning, so give it a shot and perhaps try it a few times to grow fond of it.
ATP
Number 2 on the list: ATP
Amino acids are cool, but alone they are just like bricks, they themselves won’t assemble into a house. In addition to bricks, to build something ordered and meaningful, you need instructions or an architectural project, management, construction site and preferably good weather, tools, concrete or cement, and workers.
Now, to build some collagen fibers let’s do some role play. Here, we will cover the most prominent factors and then in the end will briefly discuss all the other important contributors!
Instructions and Plan. DNA is expressed from the nucleus of the cell and carries instructions for what to synthesize. In our case – protein called collagen.
Management and Logistics. We need to deliver those instructions to the construction site, or protein assembly point, and explain them in clear terms to the workers. It is RNA molecules that carry information from the DNA.
Building a house. The second kind of RNA (the actual workers) grabs the amino acids (our bricks) and puts each of them in specific order as instructed. Our building also must be strong and firm, so we need some supplementary materials to solidify it. This will also require some handy tools and a proper environment.
So, what is behind the scenes and why collagen assembly is less trivial than it may appear?
First and foremost, to perform any work we need ENERGY (put a video of nuclear plant with pop sound). If any participant of the workflow is tired, it cannot function (tired office worker video). And one of the common problems leading to the lack of cellular energy is ANEMIA.
Fun fact: a quarter of the world population suffers from anemia, and iron-deficient anemia makes up 66% of all cases of anemia. Statistically, plant-based population doesn’t tend to demonstrate a higher rate of incidence of anemia than others.
Every healthy cell of our body requires oxygen that enables synthesis of adenosine triphosphate, or ATP, the energy molecule universally used in chemical reactions in the body. And ATP (along with magnesium and zinc) is used in DNA and RNA synthesis, energy transport enabling reactions within the cells (our architects and management), and intracellular signaling. So, it has a direct impact on collagen synthesis. Anemia is the condition when lack of oxygen occurs because the body is unable to transport it from the lungs to the cells. This is why anemic people feel and look tired, their body slowly shuts off energy-costly functions, and an untreated anemia can lead to significantly decreased life expectancy and lead to death.
I made a very informative, in-depth video on all-cause anemia that provides exhaustive materials on how to diagnose and reverse anemia. Here. Please, watch it. It can revolutionize your life! I will also put the link in the description.
Yes, anemia whether it is due to B12, folate, or iron deficiency can hinder your collagen synthesis because retaining your plump cheeks is not a priority function for the body, so make sure to keep it in check and know your toolset by watching my video.
Having good levels of B12, folate, and iron that reflect in having normal ferritin and hemoglobin literally translates in how capable your architects, managers, and construction workers will be!
Now that we have figured out how to feed our workers, let’s go back to our construction site.
We have a big pile of bricks that we got from food, we’ve got the eager and enthusiastic, well-fed personnel, we’ve got the plan, now we need to start building. We need concrete!
Enzymes
Which brings us to Number 3 on our list: Enzymes
One integral element required for building and achieving structural integrity of our building is renown VITAMIN C (also iron and oxygen). Vitamin C serves as an activator of the enzymes that act as a concrete, cross-linking the future procollagen fibers such that they can form a triple helix. Those enzymes carry certain metals that are in a very reactive form when they want to grab oxygen to become passive, but they must remain in that hungry, reduced state to be able to react with the amino acids (bricks), and vitamin C enables that. Imagine if you brought a bucket of wet cement outside on a sunny day in the desert. It would instantly dry out before you can use it. Vitamin C thus acts as an ambient moisture keeping your concrete wet.
If you follow a mostly cooked vegan diet, you may not suffer from amino acid, protein deficiency or dietary iron deficiency, but you may NOT hit your vitamin C goals because it is readily denatured even below the water boiling temperature.
Fun fact: vitamin C breaks down at 70 deg. C or 158 deg. F. Cooking temperatures are significantly higher.
Given how many functions vitamin C has in the body, I am a strong proponent of a mainly raw plant-based diet because only then can you get enough vitamin C to live beyond basic survival! No processed or mostly cooked vegan diet will provide you with that beautiful surplus of this vitamin in its natural form. Not only cooking, but exposure of fruit and vegetable juices to air through making smoothies, juices, or dehydration even at low temperatures can lead to losing vitamin C through oxidation.
Fun fact: ascorbic acid that you get at the pharmacy, if stored improperly, may already be not so much ascorbic acid because it is light- and air-sensitive. Strive to get vitamin C through fresh, seasonal foods or frozen fruits.
The best foods to introduce to your daily diet are oranges and other citrus fruits, pineapples, kiwis, bell peppers and virtually any raw produce including greens. Out of all of these, greens will be most gentle on your enamel.
By the way, I have a comprehensive video on dental health on a raw vegan diet.
Remember I mentioned those greedy metals inside of the enzymes that vitamin C keeps active? Let’s name them! Manganese and copper are parts of the enzymes catalyzing the processes of initial assembly and further densification of the collagen fibers. This is why you will find that they are sometimes added to collagen supplements.
Even though minerals are not structural units of collagen, they enable all reactions involved in collagen building. It is important to be getting enough zinc, copper, magnesium, manganese, and iron through diet, which can be easily achieved by introducing leafy greens, nuts, seeds, and seaweed. Perhaps, the most critical mineral deficiency that can occur on a vegan or raw vegan diet is zinc. Here, we shall circle back to hemp and pumpkin seeds. Eat them daily.
Let’s sum up: our building will not be built if we have either an insufficient supply of materials (hello, people on super restrictive diets!), and/or unhappy, exhausted workers, and/or lack of management and instructions. So, we need to supply enough amino acids, antioxidant vitamins including vitamin C, minerals, and oxygen. When the building is built, we should keep the vandals away to avoid a chain reaction of destruction to preserve our building. So, we need to avoid sugar blasts and stop consuming external AGE products with food.
Other factors
But is there anything else? As I mentioned earlier, we’re going to briefly go through some curious factors that can directly or indirectly cause collagen destruction and formation and overall skin health and appearance.
A vitamin that deserves a separate video – vitamin D. Studies show that lack of vitamin D may be associated with excessive collagen destruction. The only efficient path of getting vitamin D is through synthesis regardless of the diet, so eat tons of fresh produce rich in vitamins A, C, and E to ensure you have an internal SPF, and suntan regularly exposing as much of your body to the sun as possible.
Physical activity, especially activities that make your face red, especially outdoors activities, sports that trigger muscle growth are a must for skin health and plumpness. Make sure though that you don’t overly strain yourself to the point of destructive stress, hormonal issues, and catabolism.
Train your mind to be less susceptible to stressors because chronic emotional stress is very resource-costly and causes chemical stress in the body that destroys pretty much everything. If deep inside you hate your life but follow all healthful habits you will not be able to live a long, healthy, and prosperous life.
Smoking and alcohol are off limits of course, unless you are that unique person whose health and well-being are not negatively affected by them. Both cause nutritional deficiencies and oxygen deficiency. Alcohol also breaks down proteins and glues red blood cells into clumps, such that they clog small blood vessels causing micro necrosis of the tissues supplied by these blood vessels.
Foods rich in Omega 3 (through flax seeds, hemp, seaweed) as well as avocados and nuts may enhance your complexion.
Lots of greens that are part of a balanced raw vegan diet promote synthesis of hyaluronic acid production. Each molecule of hyaluronic acid holds on to several water molecules, which makes skin look fuller and glowing.
Depending on the climate, you may want to hydrate more by drinking more water and eating more juicy fruits. In particular, a cold winter is horrible for skin, so make sure to get a nice air humidifier to condition the indoors air if you live in a cold environment. Don’t step into the cold right after you wash your face or apply moisturizer. Allow at least 15 minutes to dry, absorb, and replenish skin.
I didn’t mention something important – silicon. Silicon is another mineral required for collagen synthesis by activating enzymes, and most plants contain this super abundant mineral, however some people can still be deficient in silicon. We need stomach acid to make silicon coming with food absorbable, and most people develop weak stomach acid due to stress, coffee, alcohol, certain pills, and chronic diseases. Silicon must come in a solution and be kept in an environment with low pH because it can polymerize at pH close to neutral, which makes it useless. Weak stomach acid is a very prominent issue among the general population, which largely contributes to premature aging and developing degenerative diseases and deficiencies.
Something to keep in mind. If you were overweight your face was naturally filled with fat. Rapid weight loss may result in deflated, limp appearance of the skin. It takes time to restore elasticity and it is important to support your body by eating mineral- and vitamin-rich foods hitting healthy calorie goals.
Related to it. Bear in mind that most greens, including dandelions and parsley are super diuretic, whereas refined carbs and boiled starches cause fluid retention. If you notice a more chiseled face after you transition to a raw vegan diet, it may be partially due to losing excess water, not collagen or bone support. However, be mindful that your appearance must be healthy and radiant to indicate overall well-being, so verify that you don’t have nutritional deficits and take urgent measures if you find that you do! Don’t try to convince yourself that you are alright if somewhere deep inside you feel that you aren’t.
Make sure that you don’t have vitamin A deficiency! Vitamin A promotes cell growth and stimulates collagen production when photo-damage or oxidative stress occurs. This is why retinol creams are so popular. But yes, make sure to eat lots of greens and 1-2 carrots or sweet potatoes daily.
Another important vitamin that plays a similar role is regeneration-promoting vitamin E which is contained in nuts and seeds, as well as in greens.
Now, something super important! Adjust your life, relationships, career, climate and location in addition to nutrition in a way that you do not have depression. Depressive mood and sad, low-energy baseline state can dramatically alter your appearance!!! First, it is the micro muscles of the face that respond to your sad emotions, then it pulls larger muscles, and you develop a sad droopy mask. You forget to use the muscles that make you smile, that make you laugh, that give you a surprised, agitated, and cheerful, active look. That disrupts blood supply which decreases the amount of oxygen and nutrients that are delivered to every cell of your face. You may develop sagging and water retention, pale and discolored skin tone. A positive, energetic, life-loving, giving attitude is the main contributor to retaining youth! I believe this to the extent that if following some physically healthful diet that feels restrictive and forced hinders your ability to love and enjoy life fully, you should not follow it. But we will discuss this in some other video if you are interested.
Sources of Collagen
Supplements
Some experts and customers swear by collagen peptide supplements and powders. Some people say that collagen supplements are the worst thing on the planet acting as pro-inflammatory substances. Some people and experts say that collagen powders are just a waste of money for something that can be easily achieved through a balanced diet.
Fun fact: I myself tried marine collagen made from fish skin for about half a year back in the day (I had achy joints and a ton of active acne and acne scars on my cheeks before I adopted a raw plant-based diet) and I didn’t notice that the supplement did anything, neither I saw any miracles on my skin granted that I was only 25 years old.
Since there is no scientific or practical consensus on collagen supplements and since they are considered generally safe, I think that it is reasonable to opt for collagen powders when no matter what you cannot hit your macros goals, which is technically not possible if you are on a balanced whole food diet that meets caloric goals. Another aspect is that collagen supplements will not be providing a full spectrum of beneficial macro and micronutrients available from the dietary sources of amino acids. And if we think about vegan collagen powders, those are nearly identical to the vegan protein powders except they will likely have vitamin C and perhaps silica added.
While making a decision whether you need to start taking collagen supplements, keep in mind everything that we discussed above. If you are missing key nutrients that enable and promote collagen synthesis or if you regularly engage in practices that speed up its destruction, no supplement will serve the desired purpose, however, if all you are lacking in your diet is some amino acids, it may be a good decision to start taking a high-quality collagen supplement.
Other Sources
When it comes to getting collagen as collagen, and not as amino acids, of course, omnivore people will think about bone broth. For vegans, the only source of actual collagen is seaweed. I regularly eat wakame, fermented kelp salad that I buy from whole foods, and nori. By the way, you can get a 5% discount at the online store RawNori.com by purchasing nori using this link. Some people also swear by sea moss, but I am not a fan of it because it carries very small amounts of minerals and it is much less palatable than other kinds of edible seaweeds.
The benefits of seaweed are vast - they truly deserve a separate video. Related to our today’s conversation though, besides collagen, seaweed, unlike modern terrestrial cultured plants, is rich in vital minerals including silica and, importantly, EPA and DHA Omega 3 that are otherwise not accessible on a vegan diet, some seaweed species also carry B12. To ensure proper extraction of nutrients from seaweed, eat it slowly, try finding fermented kinds, and add, perhaps, lightly marinate it in apple cider vinegar before consumption. I have a fantastic seaweed salad recipe that you can find here. If you can get in the habit of eating seaweed daily, it may enhance your overall health as well as improve your skin, hair, nails, joints, and bones.
Summary
Now, let’s summarize what we’ve learned about collagen and how to prevent premature aging on a plant-based diet:
Avoid refined and concentrated sugars and roasted, fried foods, alcohol and smoking.
Make sure you receive the full spectrum of necessary amino acids that make up collagen by eating hemp, pumpkin seeds, and walnuts. Don’t starve yourself.
Heal and prevent an all-cause anemia. Watch my video on that designed specifically for plant-based people.
Eat your produce raw and eat a lot of it to get high amounts of vitamin C striving to get ~1000% RDV.
Eat mineral-rich foods such as seaweed, greens, nuts, and seeds.
Get yourself out of habitual chronic stress and depression.
Exercise as much as possible instead of being sedentary.
Eat the sunshine to produce sufficient amounts of vitamin D.
Please comment what type of content you’d like to see next.
Anastasiia
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