Has science finally discovered the fountain of youth? The legend has Ponce DeLeon searching for sacred, restorative waters in Florida. This story may or may not be true, but it proves that interest in maintaining youth is nothing new. 

In fact, people have been drinking different concoctions for thousands of years while hoping to find the key to looking and feeling younger. While a complete restoration of youth is obviously not possible, it does seem that science has recently come closer. The not-so-secret lies in collagen.

Is a collagen drink the answer?

While a fountain of youth is the stuff of fairytales, the idea of drinking or ingesting something to make your skin look younger is becoming a science-based reality. You already know that drinking a lot of water and eating a healthy diet can improve your skin. This diet-based beauty approach gives your body what it needs to create healthy cells fueled by great nutrition. 

The idea is that adding collagen to your diet gives your body the extra protein it needs to improve elasticity. These improvements don’t just work on the inside of our bodies, but they are visible on the outside as well. 

That’s the basic idea, but the part that’s really exciting is that science supports it. Before diving into the impressive research on collagen, it pays to spend just a minute going over the basics.

Collagen basics

Collagen is the most abundant protein in humans and other mammals, and it forms the basis of connective tissue, which gives your skin strength and elasticity. 

As you age, and we’re talking as young as in your 20s, you begin to lose collagen. Less collagen leads to a weakening in the structural integrity of the skin, and you start to see wrinkles forming. The natural decline in collagen production in the body picks up speed for women after menopause and for everyone else at around age 60.

Collagen and youthful skin

It’s clear that collagen plays an important role in the youthful look of your skin. So how can drinking collagen help you look younger?

Collagen is resorbable, meaning your body can absorb it, and you can replenish the supplies, at least to a degree. The problem is that collagen in skincare products, like lotions and creams, is simply too big of a molecule to be absorbed effectively. To solve that problem, collagen is hydrolyzed, or broken down into peptides, or smaller chains, that are easy to consume. This move to improve your cosmetic appearance with the ingestion of nutrients is called nutricosmetics.

The studies into different types of collagen supplement drinks do seem to bolster the fountain of youth assertions. One study found that 15% of subjects taking a collagen drink had fewer facial wrinkles after just 60 days of taking the drink, 32% of the subjects had an improvement in photoaging, and 39% showed less skin dryness.

How collagen drinks work

Now, it’s easy to think that collagen peptides simply bond with your existing collagen, and then BOOM–you’ve got more collagen. The science behind how collagen drinks work is actually a bit more complicated. To sum it up, collagen peptides prompt your body to naturally produce more collagen.

There’s even a little more good news. It appears as if some other ingredients can also prompt collagen production in the body, too. This can lead to a nutricosmetic cocktail that fuels your body with healthy substances that promote a youthful appearance.

What about other ingredients

Did we say other ingredients can help too? Collagen is the current buzzword, and it’s actively studied at the moment, but what about other these ingredients? Some of them are already being included in these magic potions.

Another study looked specifically at post-menopausal women, which is the group showing significant changes in their facial aging. This study examined the ingestion of other ingredients and found that the pairing of specific nutritional compounds can also decrease signs of facial aging. Specifically, those ingredients were lycopene, vitamin C, vitamin E, and omega-3s. 

The exciting news here is that nutricosmetics is onto something and that the proper combination of ingredients could lead to a beverage that significantly restores a youthful appearance.

Putting it all together: Foundation Collagen Elixir

While nutricosmetics may seem like a pretty new concept, that just means that we’re trendsetters. Hair La Vie’s Foundation Collagen Elixir is the naturally derived, plant-based way to revitalize and rejuvenate your foundation from within.

Delicious and sugar-free, adding this to your beauty routine provides you with the nutrients you need—like blue spirulina, collagen, keratin, and prebiotics—to support the youthful complexion you’ve been looking for.

Final thoughts

While the fountain of youth is still a myth, there are now drinks that can help you retain some of the youthful appearance of your skin. Using collagen and sometimes other ingredients, these drinks prompt collagen production in your body. So, while your body naturally loses collagen as you age, drinking a collagen beverage can help it make more.

This is fantastic news, as collagen is not only key in keeping your skin looking fresh and youthful, but it’s also an abundant protein in your body and helps provide the health your muscles, joints, bones, and tendons deserve. Imagine the myriad benefits you can receive by producing more collagen.