What is the role of collagen in the human body?

Collagen is one of the most important proteins in the human body. It is found in the bones, muscles, skin, tendons, your organs, blood vessels and all other connective tissues. It has the role to keep the whole body together. There are a number of factors that can reduce the levels of collagen found within the body. However, you can take a number of measures that can reduce extrinsic aging and protect collagen, keeping the skin, bones, muscles and joints healthy for longer. Avoiding the following could be part of those measures: high sugar consumption, smoking, sunlight, and identify and control autoimmune disorders. Collagen plays an important role in the following: (1) Skin: Collagen provides support to the skin, by making up approximately 80 percent of the dry weight of your skin. Collagen provides structure to the skin, and together with the elastin offers the skin the flexibility it needs to stretch and return to its original state as your body moves. (2) Bones: Collagen has also an important function in bone. Bone is made up of a mixture of collagen and a mineral called hydroxyapatite. Approximately 30 percent of bones are made up of organic materials, of which collagen makes up to 95 percent. (3) Ligaments are short strands of fibrous connective tissue rich in collagen (almost 80%), representing an extremely solid structure with multiple functions. As collagen decreases with age, our ligaments lose their resistance and their flexibility, which can cause a frequent sensation of stiffness in our joints. ...

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