This Is The Age You Should Start Taking Collagen, Experts Say

If you asked a skin care expert to identify the best products for a 20-year-old, their list would likely look different from their preferred lineup for a 60-year-old. This is because as you age, certain skin concerns come to the surface as others dissolve. For example, the 20-something may need more support with oil control and blemishes, while the older individual might want to focus more on keeping their skin's moisture levels up to par. 

You may think ignorance is bliss, but when it comes to skin care, addressing potential concerns early on is key. That said, you should know that your natural collagen production begins to slow down around the age of 20—so experts say to start supplementing ASAP. 

Research indicates that once someone hits a certain point in their 20s, some earlier and some later, their natural collagen production will begin to decrease by 1% each year1. And once people hit menopause, they experience a 30% drop in collagen2 in the first five years, with a 2% dip every year after that. When this process begins will vary depending on genetics, but nobody is exempt from aging skin. 

Of course, age is not the only culprit when it comes to collagen degradation. Factors such as UV exposure3, smoking, and stress can all accelerate an overall decline in collagen. Those are factors you can somewhat control (stop smoking, protect your skin from excess sun exposure, and try your best to manage your stress), while aging is a natural process that happens to everyone. In this case, supplying your body with hydrolyzed collagen peptides (found in mindbodygreen's beauty and gut collagen+) can help you maintain a youthful skin texture.*