The most abundant protein in the body is collagen. It is found in the muscles, tendons, bones and skin. It is insoluble, hard and fibrous. In the body, there are at least 16 different types, but up to 90 percent are the 1, 2 and 3 types. All of the different types have different roles. It is essentially responsible for providing structure and scaffolding so that the body is able to be held together.The body does produce collagen. The natural type is synthesized by the body and is referred to as endogenous. Now, there is also a synthetic type referred to as exogenous which comes from supplements or another outside source.
With the endogenous type, when it starts to break down and deplete, a number of health issues are possible since it plays so many important roles in the body. The exogenous type is often used for an array of cosmetic and medical purposes by essentially replacing the natural collagen that is lost due to aging and other factors. The body starts to naturally produce less of this protein as you get older. This can cause a variety of issues and changes in the body, such as joint cartilage weakening and wrinkles forming on the skin.
