When you hear about collagen, you may find people talking about the “different types” of collagen. But what does this mean? And how do you know which kind you’re taking?

There are actually at least 16 different types of collagen. However, the most abundant are types I, II, and III, each named after the order they were discovered. Simply put, these different types refer to which part of the body the collagen can be found. 

Today, I’ll cover these three main types of collagen, along with which kind is in EverBella’s Complete Collagen+ and why.  

Type I

It’s no wonder that type I collagen was discovered first, as it is the most abundant type of collagen in the body by a landslide – accounting for about 90% of all the body’s collagen.

It’s made of densely packed fibers and provides structure to the skin, bones, tendons, fibrous cartilage, connective tissue, and teeth. This is the type of collagen you want when you’re looking to preserve the health of your skin, hair, and nails. 

Like all types of collagen, type I collagen levels begin to deplete after about the age of 25. Your body begins to make less collagen, and the collagen it does make is weaker than before. This decline worsens with age.

Since type I collagen is the most prevalent, the loss of this type can lead to sagging skin, fine lines, and brittle nails. And that’s just on the outside. On the inside, it can negatively affect the health of bones, tendons, joints, and organ tissue.

If you’re looking for the health benefits that people outline when they talk about collagen in a general sense, type I collagen is what you’re looking for. 

Type II

This type of collagen, unlike the densely packed fibers of type I, consists of more loosely packed fibers that can be found in the elastic cartilage which cushions the joints. 

This type is much less prevalent in the body, but still plays a role in helping to keep bones and cartilage healthy.

Type III

Type III collagen is often found in the body alongside type I collagen, improving skin elasticity and hydration. It’s found in large quantities within the intestines, muscles, blood vessels, and uterus. 

Outside of type I, type III collagen is the most important for keeping the skin young and healthy. 

Which types of collagen are in Complete Collagen+?

Here at EverBella, we use type I collagen and type III collagen in our Complete Collagen+ formula. 

Because type I is the most abundant type of collagen in the body – and it supports the health of your skin, bones, tendons, fibrous cartilage, connective tissue, organ tissue, and teeth – we believe that it’s the most crucial type of collagen you should be giving your body. When this collagen depletes, you’re losing almost all of the collagen in your body!

Since type III works in tandem with it – further supporting skin health – we also believe that it should be included.

This is why we use grass fed beef, or “bovine”, collagen, as this source includes both of these collagen types. 

Complete Collagen+ is also infused with our patented micelle liposomal delivery system. 

To learn why this is a MUST (and to see what other beneficial compounds are in our formula) click here. 

As the most abundant protein in the human body, collagen helps make up your tendons, ligaments, and skin. 

As weird as it sounds, it’s kind of the glue that holds you together! It can also contribute to the health of your hair in quite a few ways.

Have you seen how Complete Collagen Plus transformed my hair? If not, you need to give this a read!

I wanted to go over one of the main reasons that I found collagen, hair growth, and the evidence surrounding it. 

So, here are four evidence based ways that collagen boosts hair growth.

1. Provides amino acids

Your hair is made mainly of a protein called keratin. In order to build keratin, your body needs certain amino acids – some of which are found in collagen. [1, 2]

Your body can break down collagen into various amino acids and use these to build new proteins and compounds. [3]

Collagen consists mainly of three amino acids: proline, glycine, and hydroxyproline. [4, 5]

Proline is the main component of the protein keratin. As such, consuming collagen helps provide your body with the building blocks needed to create new hair.

2. Helps fight damage that can stunt growth

Collagen can act as an antioxidant, fighting free radicals and the damage they cause.

Free radicals are unstable electrons that cause oxidative stress, which can lead to cell damage, inflammation, and multiple health issues. These compounds accumulate as a result of stress, air pollutants, processed foods, smoking, alcohol, and other environmental factors. 

Research shows that these free radicals can cause hair damage, and that this risk of damage increases with age. [6]

To combat this, your body needs antioxidants. And many studies show that collagen can act as a powerful antioxidant, with the ability to fight several different types of free radicals. [7, 8, 9]

3. Can prevent age-related hair thinning

Remember when I said that collagen is the glue that holds you together? Well, it’s true! Did you know that 70% of the middle layer of your skin – the dermis – is made up of collagen? And the dermis contains the roots of your hair. [10]

In this skin layer, collagen is what keeps it strong and elastic. But as time goes by, these qualities diminish as the body loses its ability to create collagen. This can contribute to age-related hair loss and thinning. [11, 12, 13, 14]

Providing your body with collagen can help keep this skin layer strong and healthy, allowing it to foster the hair follicles which can be found there. 

Studies have shown that collagen can increase the protein in skin, reduce signs of aging, and improve skin elasticity. [15, 16]

Since hair grows out of your skin and is grounded into its layers, maintaining the health of the skin should help prevent the loss and thinning of hair. 

4. May help slow graying

While genetics certainly plays a role in graying hair, another influence has to do with those pesky free radicals. 

As we age, the cells in charge of producing the melanin pigment which gives our hair its color naturally deplete. At the same time, free radicals damage and kill these cells. [17, 18]

Your hair may begin to gray without enough antioxidants, according to some research. [19]

Since collagen acts as an antioxidant, it can help slow the graying process.

The bottom line

If you want to get ahead of the health of your hair as you age, or if you’re looking for something to bring your hair back to life, collagen can help.

EverBella’s Complete Collagen Plus formula was designed for hair health. 

>>> Click here to see the many (natural and amazing) hair healthy ingredients that our Complete Collagen Plus contains!

References and Resources:

1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0079642515000596
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4201279/ 
3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19301095/ 
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK21582/ 
5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28929384/ 
6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26574302/ 
7. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24670209/ 
8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3853751/ 
9. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28266664/ 
10. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/dermis 
11. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1606623/ 
12. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25465495/ 
13. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2818774/ 
14. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26912707/ 
15. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23949208/ 
16. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4206255/ 
17. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15036274/ 
18. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24033376/ 
19. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3973559/ 

Just like every other organ in the body, our skin is complex. It requires an intricate mix of natural acidity (pH), hydration, and oil in order to stay protected, supple, and clear. 

Problems arise when we mess with that natural balance. If you’ve ever put anything on your face, chances are high that you are messing with this natural balance.

What can this do?

If you scrub your skin, use alcohol-based cleansers, or allow it to dry out, you’re stripping your skin of necessary oils. Have you ever had your skin feel dry and tight? This is called skin stripping and it can cause wrinkles, acne breakouts, or inflammation. 

Where does this natural oil come from?

Save for the palms of your hands and feet, the skin all over your body contains specialized glands called sebaceous glands. These produce sebum, a natural oil made from cholesterol, fatty acids, triglycerides, and a mix of other substances.

In some circumstances, people’s sebaceous glands can be overactive, resulting in a shiny look. It’s not that you can’t wash some of this oil away or find ways to manage it, but it’s important to not wash all of these oils away.

Why does our skin need oil?

These natural oils aren’t there just to make you shiny. No, they serve a very important purpose! Natural oils on our skin act as a barrier against the outside world. Particles floating around out there can infiltrate your body through the skin and give your immune system grief. 

Skin needs a mixture of both oil and water moisture to keep acne, dryness, and signs of aging away. When sebum mixes with the secretion of your sweat glands, it creates what’s called the “hydrolipidic barrier”. This is a protective, film-like barrier that keeps your skin healthy and protected from unwanted invaders. 

If your skin didn’t need this oil, it wouldn’t make it…

When the skin is constantly stripped of its oils, not only can this cause acne, irritation, and wrinkles, but the skin works overtime to create more oil. 

Overwashing, using harmful cleansers and products, and not hydrating properly can all impact your skin’s natural oils.

How to avoid skin stripping

If you’re looking to not strip your skin, that’s a good idea! The most important part of this is to plan a skincare routine and stick to it. Make sure your skincare routine includes the following…

First, you want to wash your face. Though you don’t want to get rid of all the oils, you want to get rid of excess dirt and grime. If you need to use a stronger cleanser to get out any deep dirt or grime after high activity, that’s fine, but be sure to use a gentle, hydrating, alcohol-free cleanser as often as possible. 

Second, use a toner. This helps do one more deep clean of the pores – getting into the nooks and crannies – but it also hydrates and helps restore pH levels that may have been put off balance while washing.

Third, be sure to moisturize! This step is critical. Once your skin is nice and clean, restore the lost oils and hydration with a high-quality moisturizer. 

Your skincare routine doesn’t need to end here, but to maintain healthy skin and prevent aging, it’s best to include these three steps. 

Help your skin from the inside out…

Complete Collagen+ is one of the most absorbable forms of collagen on the market. This is due to its micelle liposomal formula. 

Unfortunately, conventional collagen breaks down during digestion and doesn’t provide desired results.

But EverBella’s collagen is designed to pass through the digestive system unharmed so that it can end up where it needs to go, fully intact.

That’s why Complete Collagen+ can actually make a difference.

>>> Click here to see REAL results from Complete Collagen+

In a previous article, I went over the top 5 vitamins for hair growth. While those are important for your hair and overall health, what about some of the other nutrients out there?

Like minerals.

Nutritional minerals are elements that the body requires in order to function properly. Similar to vitamins, if your body is low on some of them, your hair can suffer. 

Here are the top four minerals needed for hair growth, how much you should consume every day, and where to get them – along with one other nutrient you don’t want to forget about!

1. Iron

Iron is a crucial mineral for a few reasons, one being that it helps carry oxygen to your cells. This includes the cells needed for hair growth. 

Iron deficiency anemia is unfortunately all too common, especially in women, and is a major cause of hair loss. [1, 2, 3, 4]

The recommended daily iron intake is 19.3–20.5 mg for adult men and 17.0–18.9 mg for adult women.

The best food source for iron is meat, with almost all kinds of meat containing large amounts. Outside of meat, iron can be found in beans, legumes, tofu, pumpkin seeds, broccoli, and spinach.

2. Zinc

Zinc does two amazing things for your hair. It plays an important role in tissue growth and repair, and keeps the oil glands around your hair follicles working properly.

One of the most common symptoms of a zinc deficiency is hair loss. Studies show that those with low zinc levels see increased hair growth once they begin supplementing the mineral. [5, 6, 7, 8]

Though, some suggest that taking too much zinc may also lead to hair loss. Because of this, many nutritionists recommend getting zinc through food sources. 

The recommended daily intake is 11 mg for adult men and 8 mg for adult women. 

Common zinc food sources include beef, spinach, wheat germ, pumpkin seeds, and lentils.

3. Selenium

Researchers have found that selenium is involved in creating hair. New hair takes up selenium from the blood to support growth. [9]

However, similar to zinc, too much selenium appears to contribute to hair loss, along with a few other symptoms like skin rashes and nausea. 

Experts recommend no more than 400 micrograms (0.4 mg) of selenium per day.

Very high traces of selenium can be found in Brazil nuts. The mineral can also be found in meat, milk, eggs, bread, and cereal.

4. Iodine

Your body uses iodine to produce thyroid hormones. These hormones help control the growth of hair follicles. 

When your thyroid hormone levels are low, your hair follicles may stop regenerating, resulting in hair loss. [10] 

This is why those with an iodine deficiency have been found to experience hair loss. One study looked at 700 people with low thyroid hormones and found that 30% of them were experiencing hair loss. [11, 12]

The recommended daily intake for iodine is 150 micrograms (0.15 mg) for most adults.

You can get iodine from fish and other seafood, dairy products, grains, and iodized salt. 

5. Protein

Protein isn’t a mineral, but I wanted to give it a special shout out. Your hair is made entirely of protein. As such, getting enough of it is important for healthy hair growth.

One study found that a protein deficiency contributed to decreased hair growth and even hair loss. [13]

Though protein deficiencies are quite rare, the important role that it plays in your hair’s health is important to know.

Other things for hair health

As I discussed in our blog about the top vitamins for hair growth, a healthy diet of a wide range of nutrients is crucial for the health of your hair. 

But one thing that can be difficult to get from your diet is collagen. And collagen is very important for the health of your hair.

Click here to see how Complete Collagen+ helped my hair just when I was losing hope (before and after pictures included)

Of course, eating a healthy and well-balanced diet can help your hair be at its best. But which vitamins and foods should you be focusing on if you really want to give your hair growth a boost?

Below, I go over the five BEST vitamins you want to make sure you’re consuming for hair growth.

1. Vitamin A

Every cell needs vitamin A for growth, and this includes hair – the fastest growing tissue in the human body. 

Vitamin A contributes to the production of sebum, an oily substance that moisturizes the scalp and keeps hair healthy. [1]

Researchers have found that a vitamin A deficiency can often lead to hair loss. [2]

However, if you decide to supplement with vitamin A, don’t go overboard. Research also suggests that too much vitamin A can also cause hair loss. [3]

To get vitamin A in your diet, you can eat foods high in beta carotene – which your body turns into vitamin A – like carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, spinach, and kale.

Vitamin A itself can also be found in eggs, milk, yogurt, and cod liver oil. 

2. B vitamins

There are a total of 8 B vitamins, and they all benefit your health in different ways, but we’re going to look at two in particular.

One of the best known vitamins for hair growth is vitamin B7 – or biotin. Studies show that those with low levels of biotin tend to have hair loss and poor hair growth. [4]

Vitamin B12 – or cobalamin – helps in the production of red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout the body, including to the scalp. Hair follicles need this oxygen for proper hair growth. [5, 6]

To maintain healthy hair growth, it’s important to keep healthy levels of both these nutrients.

You can get B vitamins from whole grains, almonds, meat, fish, seafood, and dark leafy greens.

Those on a vegetarian or vegan diet may have trouble getting enough vitamin B12, as it’s mostly found in animal products. In that case, it’s best to supplement.

But regardless of your diet, if you want to make sure you’re getting enough high-quality vitamin B12, I know just the product.

Check out EverBella’s sister company, Purality Health, and their Micelle Liposomal Vitamin B12.

It’s, in my opinion, the best vitamin B12 on the market today – both delicious and effective!

Click here to see ingredients, reviews, and more!

3. Vitamin C

Vitamin C is one of the most powerful antioxidants out there, neutralizing free radicals and the bodily damage they can cause. That’s good for us, because free radical damage can prevent hair growth and age your hair. [7]

On top of that, vitamin C helps with the absorption of iron, a mineral that also supports hair growth. [8]

You can get vitamin C from citrus fruits, guava, strawberries, and peppers.

Purality Health also carries a micelle liposomal vitamin C, so you can be confident you’re getting what you need.

Click here to see why else vitamin C is so important for your health.

4. Vitamin D

Since vitamin D is thought to play a role in hair production, low levels of it are linked to hair loss. [9]

Your skin can synthesize vitamin D from direct sunlight, plus it can be available in fish and some fortified foods.

Because it can be hard to come across, it’s estimated that over 40% of American adults are deficient in this crucial vitamin. [10]

Click here to see if you could be one of these people.

Trust me, you don’t want to be low on this essential nutrient. 

5. Vitamin E

Like vitamin C, vitamin E is an antioxidant that can help prevent the oxidative stress caused by free radicals. 

It’s also been shown to help with hair growth.

One study had people who were experiencing hair loss take vitamin E for eight months. One group received the vitamin E while the other group received a placebo. The vitamin E group saw a 34.5% increase in hair growth while the placebo group saw a 0.1% increase. [11]

Good sources of vitamin E include avocados, spinach, almonds, and sunflower seeds.

Keeping your hair healthy

A major part of keeping your hair – and the rest of your body – healthy involves eating a healthy diet consisting of many nutritious foods.

These vitamins support your hair’s health and growth, but they also contribute to your health in many other ways. That’s why I provided the above links – so that you can see the research on the importance of these nutrients.

Give them a read!

References and Resources:

1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21914489/ 
2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/453058/ 
3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12678294/ 
4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19727438/ 
5. https://www.uofmhealth.org/health-library/hw65706 
6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6380979/ 
7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2929555/ 
8. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2507689/ 
9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3412244/ 
10. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21310306/ 
11. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24575202/ 

Being the most abundant protein in the body, collagen makes up 30% of the body’s protein and 70% of the skin’s protein. Because it’s so concentrated in the skin, its loss is detrimental to the skin’s health and a huge contributor to premature aging. 

Unfortunately, our collagen levels do decline for various reasons. This protein is crucial for not just your skin, but your bones, joints, muscle, cartilage, and more. As such, losing it is no joke. You want to avoid doing so as much as possible!

Today, I will go over the six main reasons we lose our collagen so that you can make mindful choices for your skin and overall health. 

1. UV Rays

We all love the sunshine, but the collagen in your skin? Not so much. 

UV rays from the sun can contribute to lower collagen levels in the skin. To demonstrate this, researchers placed collagen beneath a UV light and found that there was a significant drop in collagen structure afterwards. [1]

Additionally, harmful UV rays can cause free radicals, which in turn may destroy collagen, other structures of the skin, and cause inflammation. [2]

If you plan on spending a lot of time outside, be sure to wear sunscreen, cover up, or stick to the shade. Remember, if it’s daylight outside, the sun’s rays are out!

2. Smoking

Okay, we all know that smoking isn’t healthy, but some of us may still do it or be exposed to it through second-hand smoke. 

When it comes to ruining collagen, cigarettes are the big guns. Enemy number one. 

Smoking leads to premature aging in the skin. Tobacco triggers the production of a molecule called matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) which degrades collagen and other important dermal proteins. It also negatively impacts dermal connective tissue. [3]

One study which compared the skin and collagen levels of smokers and non-smokers found that collagen levels were 22% lower in those who smoked, and their MMP levels were 100% higher. [4]

Additionally, cigarettes cause a high level of free radicals to populate within the body, causing oxidative stress, which leads to damage in the skin and other organs. [5] 

If you smoke and you want to watch out for the health of your skin, quitting is probably the best thing you could do. If you don’t smoke, do your best to avoid second-hand smoke – especially regular or prolonged exposure.

3. Sugar

The more sugar in your diet, the worse off your skin is. 

Sugar causes elements of the skin to stiffen, reducing its elasticity. It cross links collagen fibers, damaging them. This damaging process is exacerbated if combined with UV ray exposure. [6]

When you’re already losing collagen in other ways, you don’t want to accelerate that by damaging the collagen you do have.

4. Stress

Stress affects the integrity of collagen, negatively impacting its production and contributing to degradation. [7] 

When we become stressed – regardless of why – our body releases stress hormones, namely cortisol. Cortisol on its own degrades collagen. On top of that, stress can cause inflammation to occur throughout the body and, like cortisol, inflammation damages our precious collagen. [8]

Similar to sugar, inflammation stiffens collagen, a process which can negatively impact the health of not just the skin, but several organs. [8]

5. Genetics

One thing that I did want to point out is that some of this may come down to genetics. 

If your parents and grandparents had great skin, then chances are that you will too. However, the opposite can be true as well.

It’s best, in my opinion, to be mindful of skin health and collagen levels regardless. But some of us may have to be more careful about it than others.

6. Aging

As we age, our body’s ability to synthesize collagen decreases. This decline begins in our 20s and, as a result, collagen levels decrease by 1% each year. [6]

Though the process of aging can’t be avoided, its effects can be mitigated. Depending on how many of the things in this article you’re exposed to, your collagen levels can decrease even faster. 

On the other hand, if you avoid them and take care of your skin, your collagen decline – and ergo skin aging – shouldn’t be nearly as drastic.

But there is another thing that you can do. 

If your body can’t make collagen, then why not give it collagen?

Supplementing can help you maintain collagen levels as you age, supporting the health of your skin, especially if you think you may be encountering any of the things on this list. 

But you need a form of collagen that your body can absorb.

>>> Click here to see why Complete Collagen Plus is superior to other collagens on the market

References and Resources

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3299808/ 
2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1333311/ 
3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17951030/ 
4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11966688/ 
5. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0891584917309814
6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20620757/ 
7. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19523511/