These habits are destroying your body's collagen

If your nails are brittle, your skin is looking crepe or you’re getting more wrinkles, it may be time to start thinking about your collagen. There's no test to measure collagen levels, but stiff and painful joints, loss of muscle mass and digestive problems are also all signs that your collagen may be lacking. Collagen's benefits aren't limited to flawless looking skin. It’s not just the natural aging process robbing us of our collagen.

Collagen is the main structural protein in the extracellular matrix found in the body's various connective tissues.

It provides structural support to the extracellular space of connective tissues. Due to its rigidity and resistance to stretching, it is the perfect matrix for skin, tendons, bones, and ligaments.

MOST COMMON COLLAGEN KILLERS

There's a multitude of factors that contribute to collagen production. Take a look at the most common ways we kill our collagen.

POOR SLEEP Sleeping is your body's time to recoup, recover and rejuvenate. For many of us, it's the only time we are truly still. Skimping on sleep means you're robbing your body of its self-care time and not allowing things like collagen to regenerate and work its magic.

TOO MUCH SUGAR There's nothing wrong with indulging in some sweets once in a while. But, too much refined sugar actually makes you age faster! Sugar decreases your collagen 10-fold and contributes to sagging, aged skin.

SEDENTARY LIFESTYLE Not getting enough exercise slows your body down in more ways than one. The lack of blood flow, muscle deconditioning and increase in body weight all kill off your collagen faster than you can replace it.

EMOTIONAL STRESS

Everyone can expect stress at some point but too much stress can lead to increased cortisol levels. Cortisol kills off collagen and can lead to excess weight around the belly. This can then eventually lead to greater health problems down the road.

OVEREXPOSURE TO SUN A little bit of sun every day can be good for your health, but too much sun can lead to severe skin damage. The sun’s harmful rays can break down your skin’s collagen over time. This leads to leathery, sagging skin.

SMOKING Harmful chemicals found in cigarettes can wear down your body’s natural collagen over time. This is why heavy smokers often look older than their actual age.

DIET A diet that lacks antioxidants can lead to too many free radicals and decreased collagen production. Fried foods, refined carbs and soda are packed with sugar which ultimately results in inflammation and free radical damage. Processed meats are packed with nitrates. Nitrates have strong research supporting the risk of colon cancer.