你加進咖啡里的膠原蛋白粉，科學(xué)家的解釋來了

Collagen products are popping up everywhere. While collagen is probably most well known for its touted skin care benefits and as a major component of lip enhancers and injections, some celebrities, like Kourtney Kardashian, are suggesting that people drink it.

膠原蛋白產(chǎn)品到處都是。雖然膠原蛋白可能最為人所熟知的，是它所標(biāo)榜的護膚功效，以及作為唇部強化劑和注射劑的主要成分，但一些名人，如考特尼·卡戴珊，建議人們飲用它。

Products derived from collagen are not just in skin creams and dietary supplements but even in pillow covers and clothing. Kardashian is even sellingcollagen supplements.

膠原蛋白產(chǎn)品不僅存在于護膚霜和膳食補充劑中，甚至還存在于枕套和衣物中。卡戴珊甚至在賣膠原蛋白補充劑。

Collagen is the body's most abundant protein, made up of amino acids, or peptides. It literally glues our bones, cartilage, skin and blood vessels together. It's what makes our tissues grow, mature and move. Its presence under your skin can keep it from sagging over time.

膠原蛋白是人體最豐富的蛋白質(zhì)，由氨基酸或肽組成。它把我們的骨頭、軟骨、皮膚和血管粘在一起。它使我們的組織生長、成熟和移動。它在你皮膚下的存在可以防止它隨著時間的推移而下垂。

Because our bodies begin to lose collagen in our 20s, skin creams and treatments made from the connective tissues of animals seem like an effective way to combat age. And, it has few side effects.

因為我們的身體在20多歲時開始失去膠原蛋白，所以用動物的結(jié)締組織制成的護膚霜和治療方法似乎是對抗年齡的有效方法。而且，它幾乎沒有副作用。

But there's a catch – or two. As a female interested in aging gracefully and as a scientist who studies collagen, I have found the plethora of collagen-based products to be interesting. I have been involved with studying collagen for over a decade as our lab is working to develop a collagen made solely in a laboratory instead of sourcing from animals.

但有一個或兩個難題。作為一名對優(yōu)雅衰老感興趣的女性，以及一名研究膠原蛋白的科學(xué)家，我發(fā)現(xiàn)大量基于膠原蛋白的產(chǎn)品非常有趣。我從事膠原蛋白研究已經(jīng)超過十年了，因為我們的實驗室正在致力于開發(fā)一種膠原蛋白，這種膠原蛋白完全是在實驗室中制造的，而不是從動物身上提取的。

I have asked other collagen-knowledgeable colleagues what they think of everyone putting it in their coffee, and I get some smirks.

我問過其他了解膠原蛋白的同事，他們對每個人在咖啡中加入膠原蛋白有什么看法，我得到了一些假笑。

Collagen for arthritis and healing wounds

用于關(guān)節(jié)炎和愈合傷口的膠原蛋白

Starting in our 20s, our bodies produce less collagen, causing our skin to sag and wrinkle, our bones and joints to weaken and stiffen, and our hair to become thinner. A diet high in sugar, excessive sun exposure and smoking also diminish collagen levels.

從20多歲開始，我們的身體產(chǎn)生的膠原蛋白減少，導(dǎo)致我們的皮膚下垂和皺紋，我們的骨骼和關(guān)節(jié)變?nèi)鹾徒┯?，我們的頭發(fā)變細(xì)。高糖飲食、過度的陽光照射和吸煙也會降低膠原蛋白水平。

Collagen's molecular structure is something called a complex triple helix, like three pieces of rope twisted together. Certain molecular interactions require a triple helix shape in order to function. There are about 30 different types.

膠原蛋白的分子結(jié)構(gòu)是一種復(fù)雜的三螺旋結(jié)構(gòu)，就像三條繩子纏繞在一起。某些分子間的相互作用需要三螺旋形狀才能起作用。大約有30種不同的類型。

The vast majority of the collagen in our bodies, however, is of three types: type 1, which gives skin its firmness; type II, which makes up our movable joints; and type III, which gives tissue its elasticity.

然而，我們身體中絕大多數(shù)的膠原蛋白有三種類型：1型，使皮膚變得緊實;2型，構(gòu)成我們活動的關(guān)節(jié);3型，使組織具有彈性。

Most of the studies of collagen have focused on arthritis and wound healing, and collagen supplements have been found to be effective. While very little research has been done on other applications, it is likely that collagen taken orally diminishes the molecules that lead to inflammation and disease.

大多數(shù)關(guān)于膠原蛋白的研究都集中在關(guān)節(jié)炎和傷口愈合上，膠原蛋白補充劑已經(jīng)被發(fā)現(xiàn)是有效的。雖然在其他方面的研究很少，但口服膠原蛋白可能會減少導(dǎo)致炎癥和疾病的分子。

What you should know about that hot drink

關(guān)于飲用膠原蛋白你應(yīng)該知道些什么

The collagen molecule itself is too large to penetrate the surface of the skin when applied in a cream or lotion. It just sits there until it's washed off. Soluble or hydrolyzed collagen, which is broken down into smaller fragments, does penetrate the skin, but these fragments are likely too small to do any good.

膠原蛋白分子本身太大，當(dāng)應(yīng)用于乳膏或乳液時，并不能滲透到皮膚表面，它只是呆在那里直到被沖走。可溶或水解的膠原蛋白，被分解成更小的碎片，確實能穿透皮膚，但這些碎片可能太小，對皮膚沒有任何好處。

Likely, a skin improvement is due to additional ingredients in your topical cream or simply additional proline, an amino acid found in collagen.

很可能，皮膚的改善是由于你面霜中的額外成分，或者僅僅是額外的脯氨酸，一種在膠原蛋白中發(fā)現(xiàn)的氨基酸。

In addition, collagen falls apart at temperatures above body temperature, turning it into plain gelatin – yes, the stuff in Jell-O. At these higher temperatures – when added to hot coffee, for example – collagen's molecular structure melts, diminishing or even negating the desired health benefits.

此外，膠原蛋白在高于體溫的溫度下會分解，變成純明膠——是的，就是果凍里的東西。在更高的溫度下——例如，當(dāng)加入熱咖啡中——膠原蛋白的分子結(jié)構(gòu)會融化，人們所期望的健康益處會減少甚至完全沒有。