As we age, our collagen production starts to decline, causing skin to become thinner, looser and more wrinkled.
To fight this, a doctor has shared three vitamins that boost collagen production and prevent premature ageing.
Discussing on YouTube, Dr Sam Bunting said: “We cannot talk about collagen, preserving it, building it and preventing loss without talking about vitamins A, B and C.
“Vitamin A is probably the most important and really is the gold standard when it comes to preventing the signs of ageing.”
Vitamins A, B and C help in boosting collagen production
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Vitamin A, also known as retinoids are found in many foods including eggs, fish and leafy greens.
Dr Bunting said: “We rely on retinoids as the cornerstone of any effective routine to tackle premature ageing.
“Find a retinoid product at the potency of your choice that suits your skin. All of them have some benefits when it comes to producing more collagen but importantly also reducing the breakdown of existing collagen.”
The doctor recommended using retinoids all year round. She said: “It is something I have relied on for my skin.”
Vitamin C protects against damage and helps brighten skin, alongside its traits in collagen production.
The doctor explained: “Vitamin C is an excellent ingredient both as a free radical scavenger meaning it tends to mop up the free radicals generated by exposure to things like sunshine and pollution. Free radicals drive the ageing process in the skin.
“Vitamin C helps our skin assemble collagen molecules so they form these effective structures, what we call a triple-helix protein.”
An article published by the National Library of Medicine said: “Vitamin C acts as a co-factor for the proline and lysine hydroxylases that stabilise the collagen molecule tertiary structure, and it also promotes collagen gene expression”
Neglecting skin care can age the skin prematurely
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To complete the trio of vitamins, vitamin B is a “great all-rounder for skin.” Niacinamide is a form of vitamin B and helps reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
Dr Bunting explained: “Niacinamide is super gentle and great to act as a barrier but also helps with collagen production.
“The combination of the trio together, if your skin can tolerate it, is really excellent when it comes to preserving that pinchability factor of your skin.”
A skin care expert has also shared how to prevent collagen breakdown by using the correct products and supplements.
