Specific Precursors†
Collagen is comprised of and formed from the amino acids proline and lysine. Lysine is an essential amino acid the body relies on adequate dietary intake for its involvement in the synthesis of connective tissues. Proline is well-known for its involvement in the triple helix of collagen—it is regularly spaced with glycine in the amino acid sequence of collagen fiber, which together comprise about 50% of total collagen sequencing. Proline contributes to not only collagen formation, but muscle, tendons and skin. Lysine helps support the linking and stabilization of collagen, and contributes to the collagen matrix formation of veins, arteries and capillaries. During procollagen synthesis, both proline and lysine are hydroxylated to hydroxyproline and hydroxylysine, a reaction requiring vitamin C as a cofactor.9-11 Inadequate levels of vitamin C can impact this reaction, resulting in incomplete formation of the helical structure, in which leads to a delicate and easily destroyed structure. Vitamin C is combined with two amino acids—lysine and proline—to form procollagen. Procollagen is then used to manufacture one of several types of collagen found in different tissues throughout the body.12-13 Furthermore, an animal study suggests that serum ascorbate levels influence fluid accumulation in the joint, reinforcing the importance of this cofactor in joint health.1