One of the latest beauty trends of the year has become drinking liquid collagen.

Collagen is one of the most important proteins in our bodies. It is found in our muscles, bones, tendons and skin and helps hold the body together. It keeps the skin looking young and wrinkle free by providing elasticity and strength.

Collagen cements our cells together as the main part of connective tissue, which provides the structure in our skin. The production of collagen starts to decline at about one percent per year in our twenties, but starts to rapidly decline in our forties and fifties at about 30%. This is when the skin begins to sag, become dry and loose its plumpness and structure.

“Collagen protein is unique in that it has high amounts of the amino acids glycine, proline, and lysine, which are essential for the formation and repair of connective tissues, repair of bone matrix and joint surfaces, support of healthy skin and hair, and more,” said Dave Asprey, the founder of The Bulletproof Executive.

Many dermatologists suggest applying collagen topically as you get older, but recent results and studies have shown that drinking collagen has a more positive outcome. By actually consuming it, it provides the entire body with the stepping stones it needs to repair the bodies connective tissues all over.

“In an independent study published in 2013 in Skin Pharmacology and Physiology that involved 100 women between the ages of 45 and 65, those who took 2.5 grams of a hydrolyzed collagen peptide once a day for eight weeks exhibited a 20 percent reduction in wrinkle depth around their eyes. Additionally, the subjects’ levels of pro-collagen were up 65 percent. And these results were long-lasting,” According to Elle.com

Liquid collagen supplements can be bought online anywhere from $10-$50 or purchased at local vitamin or health stores. It is not recommended to drink collagen until you are at an age where you notice it’s decreased production, this age varies from each person and can be expected anywhere from mid 30’s through mid 50’s.