Collagen: why is it so important?

Updated on 2026-05-06

Summary: Collagen: why is it so important?

Collagen is presented as an essential and ubiquitous protein in the body, acting as a kind of "cement" that supports skin, joints, bones and even the intestinal mucosa. Lynn Goneau explains that although our bodies naturally produce collagen, this capacity diminishes from the age of 40 onwards, notably due to aging, stress, inflammation, sun exposure and, in women, menopause.

A drop in collagen can result in less firm skin, more wrinkles, stiffer joints and slower recovery. She also highlights its important role in repairing and protecting the intestine, particularly in people suffering from digestive inflammation or irritable bowel syndrome.

To support its reserves, it recommends either food sources such as bone broth, or hydrolyzed collagen supplements. They are easier to absorb, but there's one key point to remember: since the body doesn't store collagen, regular consumption is necessary if you want to see the benefits.

1) Why collagen is essential

Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body. It acts as a support structure for skin, bones, joints, tendons and even the intestine. It helps maintain the firmness, elasticity and strength of tissues, while participating in their repair.

2) Why we lose them with age

From the age of 40 onwards, natural collagen production gradually slows down as the cells responsible for its manufacture become less active. This decline is amplified by stress, inflammation, poor diet, sun exposure and certain hormonal changes such as menopause. This can manifest itself in thinner, more wrinkled skin, stiffer joints and slower recovery.

3) How to support your production

Collagen levels can be supported through diet, especially bone broth, rich in amino acids such as glycine and proline. Hydrolyzed collagen supplements are also a practical option, as they are easy to absorb and simple to incorporate into daily life. The key point to remember: the body does not store collagen, so regular intake is necessary to observe long-term effects.

About the author

Lynn Goneau, Certified Naturopath

Specialized in :

• Digestive health
• Hormonal health
• Stress and fatigue
• Memory and concentration
• Weight management

Frédéric Bisson, radio host at 104.7 FM

Host of the 104.7 FM radio station on the Cogeco network. Frédéric Bisson has hosted L'Outaouais Maintenant from 3 to 5 p.m. every weekday since February 27, 2023.

Transcription

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

We're starting the week off with a bang, welcoming Lynn Goneau to help us smooth our skin. But as you'll see, she's not the one doing it. Rather, it's the product or molecule she's talking about. We're talking about collagen for the skin. Yes, for wrinkles and joints, but is it just a fad or is it really important for health? Lynn Goneau naturopath at La Boite à Grains Hello.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

Hello Fred. Collagen isn't just a feel-good trend. Well, no, no, no. It's the most abundant protein in the human body. Everything is made of protein. Skin, bones, joints, tendons, even the intestine is made of collagen. You could say it's like the mortar between the bricks of a house that holds it all together. Without sufficient collagen, your entire body structure is likely to feel the effects, with a loss of strength and support for body tissues.

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

I understand, if you don't have mortar, it actually falls apart. Well, sometimes you look like a brick wall, no mortar. We see a lot of collagen products, but does our body actually produce any?

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

In fact, yes, the body makes its own collagen in a person. Let's say a healthy young person. One who eats well and manages stress well. The body is capable of making collagen; it just needs to consume and assimilate it. That's the trick. Proteins, vitamin C, certain minerals such as zinc and copper really help the body to make its own collagen. However, from the age of 40 onwards, our collagen-making cells, known as fibroblasts, become less active. So our body starts to produce less and less. So, the older we get, the lower our production becomes. This is often due to the stress we live with, what we eat, the inflammation that invades our body, and the more we expose ourselves to the sun, the worse it gets. Yes, yes, the sun is really harmful. Well, we can see that for our skin, can't we?

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

Yes, the cancers that do appear.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

And research even shows that in women, uh, it's often more pronounced after menopause.

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

Another case of your menopause.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

Oh yes, you can see it in the skin, which is much thinner, wrinkled and more visible. Joints are stiffer, recovery is much slower.

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

Or good. So after 40, that's it. The body has chosen to stop doing a lot of things. We can help it. You'll get back to that in a moment. But there's something that caught my eye Lynn, when you said that collagen forms the intestine. So is collagen important in the intestine?

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

Yes, that's really interesting. Yes, that's really interesting because collagen contains essential amino acids like glycine, which is the foundation of collagen, and proline, which is the building block of collagen. So collagen is directly involved in the structure and repair of the intestinal mucosa. And really, really interesting in people who have, like now a sensitive intestine or inflammation of the digestive mucosa or a permeable intestine. We're hearing about irritable bowel syndrome, because collagen is a support. It protects and repairs tissues.

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

So we understand why it helps our skin. It helps regulate elasticity, joint pain disappears or at least, we have less of it. So if I need collagen, how do I get it?

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

In fact, there are two really easy ways to get collagen: first, through diet. I like that. And I know you're familiar with bone broth, which is when you simmer chicken or beef bones, and naturally extract collagen. So glycine and proline are a truly ancestral method. It's really gentle on the intestine. It's very nourishing for the joints. And it's not hard to find when you're making it, you can go on YouTube, you can see the little videos there to find out how to make it, uh, then for people who don't have time to cook, but also collagen powder, like the one from Natural Factors called Whole Body Collagen, because I like that one because it's hydrolyzed. So it's easy to absorb. You can have it right there with no taste. Uh, and you can just add it to a coffee, to a soup. It's very, very easy to mix. Then you've even got two other flavors. My favorite is orange. I love it so much. I mix it, uh, in a vegetable milk like almond milk, then maybe half a banana or there's also the pomegranate apple one, which is delicious. Uh, and it's a big favorite of La Boite à Grains.

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

So what's the most important thing to remember about collagen?

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

That it's a building material. The body uses it every day to repair the skin, the joints, the intestines, but it doesn't store it Fred, so it's good to use it. You have to take it regularly every day to see a difference.