Increasingly, men and women across the world know the improvements experienced in skin, nails, hair and joints as a result of the intake or application of collagen-peptide based products. Initially a specialized ingredient, collagen entered the mainstream health and beauty industry in Japan since about 20 years when people who consumed collagen peptide started to realize improvements in their skin, which prompted an array of research widely available today.
Although initially a boom in the health and beauty industry, more research, market experience and technological advances push the collagen industry to new frontiers in the sports, medical, locomotion, and products for the elderly industry.
Collagen exists naturally in the human body in great proportion (approximately one third of the total proteins in our body and two-thirds of the skin). However, it reduces gradually as we age. Hence the need for supplementing collagen through our diet increases as the time goes by.
However, latest research indicates that collagen benefits not only those who started to age, but also those who suffer from damaged skin, joint problems and those who engage in sports and need an extra boost in protein consumption. In other words, when someone asks “who should consume collagen?” the most basic answer is “well, if you have skin, nails, bones, joints, cartilage, you’ll certainly benefit from taking collagen” The below are a few trends in the Japan market
Basic Assumption: Collagen Peptide is a natural food product. It is not a medicine. However, due its high bioavailability and action at the blood cell level, its applications exceed the food industry to penetrate the medical, sports, cosmetics industries amongst others
Remark: The main source of the below information is the Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK); which is the only public broadcaster and the most trusted source of information in Japan.
1. Medical Industry:
a. Collagen peptide: It does not only have an effect on the skin but also can be used as cure for bedsores: In 2015, the Japanese Society of Pressure Ulcers has officially endorsed the use of collagen peptide as an effective treatment against cure for bed sores (Japanese Journal of Pressure Ulcers, Vol. 17th, No. 4, 2015).
TV program aired on March 1, 2017: “Tameshite Gatten – Collagen Special”
Consumption of collagen peptide is being utilized as a supplement to heal various skin wounds and any other damage caused by exposure to heat, dry environment, UV rays, etc.
b. Application in the “Locomotion Industry”: Collagen Peptide as an effective support for joint problems. One of the most successful collagen based products in Japan is a supplement for joints health made of collagen, chondroitin and hyaluronic acid (intake is 5g out of which collagen is 4g).
c. Improvement of the health of blood vessels: A recent study made at the Medical Hospital of the Faculty of Medicine of Ehime University (Japan) led by Dr. Michiya Igase has found a correlation between the ingestion of collagen peptide and the health of blood vessels: 20% of the blood vessels are collagen.
An experiment was performed to evaluate the relationship between the ingestion of collagen and arteriosclerosis. People who ingested 5 grams of collagen per day saw a reduction in the age of their blood vessels of about 5 years in comparison with the placebo group.
All the above has led to an increase of sales of collagen peptide products to hospitals and medical doctors.
2. Elderly Consumer Market:
a. Collagen sales are increasing in Japan and in other countries with aging population: This is due the new trend of utilizing collagen as a nutritional supplement recommended for elderly people because they particularly suffer from the problems associated with collagen deficit such as loss of muscle (sarcopenia), decreased bone density and joint problems in addition to skin issues and overall nutritional deficit.
3. Sports Industry:
Collagen as the purest form of protein supplementation
a. Collagen has started to be recommended by trainers in sport industry as treatment for sports related injuries in addition to support for joints for those who exert stress in their joints due to lifting sports or other sports that demand pressure in the joints.
b. Consumption of collagen peptide is increasingly being used as a better source of protein than whey powder (Collagen peptide has a concentration of 95% of protein whereas whey has a concentration of approximately 70%)
c. As a result of the above, major local players such as GLICO (very famous food and supplement Japanese maker) who specializes in cookies, chocolate and also sports products (such as protein) has launched its first collagen product, for which they applied for a certification of the product as a Food with Function Claims (FFC) which is a new category of food products recognized by the Food Labeling Act of Japan.
4. According to survey by the Journal of Health & Beauty Industry, the ranking of most popular health ingredients in Japan are:
a. Lactobacillus
b. Collagen peptide
c. Rice vinegar
d. Protein
e. Aojiru (vegetable powder)
f. Placenta
g. Glucosamine
h. Amino acids
i. HMB
j. Ukon (turmeric)
Collagen therefore ranks 2nd in the Japan industry as a food supplement only following lactobacillus supplements.
All the above facts and industry trends in Japan prove that collagen is the most evolving and versatile discovery as a product which will go a long way to aide holistic revitalization of human beings of all age groups.
Thus it may not be wrong to claim that COLLAGEN IS THE MOST VITAL COMPONENT AFTER WATER FOR HUMAN BODY!
