Elastin Is One of the Most Abundant Proteins in Your Body

Those who are concerned about skin health and preventing skin ageing may be familiar with collagen, which is important to maintain the firmness and youthfulness of the skin, but what about elastin? Elastin is another key protein that is important for skin health as well as tissues throughout the body, from the lungs to the ligaments to the blood vessels and more.

The Role of Elastin in Skin and Tissue Health

Elastin is a protein that makes up about 2 to 4 percent of adults’ skin (not including the fat and moisture content of the skin). Elastin’s function is to make it possible for tissues throughout the body to stretch and shrink back. In other words, as its name suggests, it adds elasticity (or stretchiness) to numerous body parts: the arteries and blood vessels, the lungs, the skin, ligaments, ear cartilage, and more. 

In the case of the arteries, which are the blood vessels that transport blood away from the heart and throughout the body, elastin is necessary for the arteries to stretch and the heart to pump blood. Meanwhile, the lungs are also full of elastin, in order to ensure that they can contract and inflate, which is what makes breathing possible.

Because elastin is involved in maintaining the skin’s normal shape after it is stretched out or wrinkled, a lack of elastin may contribute to the development of wrinkles and fine lines. As an example, consider facial expressions such as smiling, which creates wrinkles known as “crow’s feet” around the eyes; the temporary wrinkling of the skin can result in persistent, long-term wrinkling and/or sagging if the skin’s elastin content is too low to allow it to bounce back into shape as normal.

What Is Elastin Made Of?

Elastin is a protein, which means that it is made up of several amino acids: glycine, proline, desmosine, and isodesmosine. The structure of the elastin protein is such that these amino acids make up chains of three to nine repeating sequences, forming more resilient and supple tissue. 

Interestingly, the structure of elastin is subject to some debate. While some scientists believe that elastin is made up of random polypeptide chains, others argue that these chains are not random, but simply disordered. This disorder actually decreases at times when elastin is stretched, because the chains “line up” and create more orderly structures. 

What Happens When There Are Issues With Elastin?

Numerous health conditions and diseases can impact elastin or are associated with a reduction in the body’s elastin content. For instance, in the case of atherosclerosis (i.e., arterial plaque build-up), studies of this condition have found that the arteries of those who have this issue may contain a lower concentration of elastin. Another example is emphysema, a disease affecting the lungs that most often develops in those who have smoked cigarettes for years. Those with emphysema experience a breakdown in the elastin that makes their lungs stretchy and flexible.

Elastin Makes the Skin Stretchy and Resilient

The more elastin that is present in the skin, the stretchier it will be, and the more easily it will most likely bounce back into its previous shape after being stretched. Because the elastin content of the skin has been found to decrease with aging, older people tend to have less elastin than younger people. One informal way to test this theory is by pinching the skin on the back of the hand: in those with high concentrations of skin elastin, the skin will typically return to place almost immediately, but those with less elastin may find that the skin takes several seconds to do so.

Elastin vs. Collagen: Key Differences

Elastin and collagen are both proteins that are present in significant quantities throughout the body. The principal difference between elastin and collagen is their primary functions. In the case of elastin, it primarily provides elasticity to tissues, allowing them to bounce back into place after stretching. In fact, elastin may be about 1,000 times stretchier than collagen. In contrast, collagen is thought to give tissues stiffness and strength. 

In addition, collagen is most likely much more abundant throughout the body than elastin; collagen may make up 90 percent of the skin, while elastin may only make up about 10 percent. 

How to Support Elastin Production and Preservation

Consuming foods that are rich in elastin, as well as supplements that contain elastin, may help support the body’s production of this essential protein by providing it with the “raw materials” (i.e., various amino acids) it needs to do its job properly. Foods and supplements that are high in antioxidants can also reduce breakdown of elastin in the skin by neutralizing destructive free radicals. 

Natural Elastin Production

One of the best ways to support the body’s own natural elastin production is to adhere to a healthy, nourishing diet that contains plenty of greens, citrus fruit, fatty fish, berries, nuts, egg whites, chicken, and beans. 

Certain stressors may also be responsible for the breakdown of elastin, so avoiding them may help preserve the skin’s elastin content. These stressors include smoking cigarettes, being exposed to the sun’s UV radiation, and air pollution. Therefore, some of the most beneficial behaviors for elastin preservation in the skin may include wearing sunscreen on a daily basis, quitting smoking if needed, and exercising regularly, as well as avoiding exposure to pollution whenever possible. These lifestyle choices are also thought to be highly beneficial to overall health, so there is truly no downside to the possibility of adopting them as part of your daily routine.

Elastin Supplementation: Body Kitchen Pro-Elastin

In addition to the numerous dietary sources of its amino acid building blocks listed above, taking elastin protein supplements may also be beneficial for increasing elastin production. It is worth noting that there are many collagen supplements available, but relatively few elastin supplements on the market. 

Body Kitchen Pro-Elastin is a high quality elastin supplement. Each two-capsule serving contains 1000 mg of highly concentrated, pure elastin peptides in the form of Pro-lastin®. This form of elastin is sustainably harvested from marine sources on the coast of France. 

Pro-lastin® is elastin in its peptide form, contains 22 amino acids, and includes proline and glycine. This form of elastin has also undergone an advanced enzymatic hydrolysis process. Together, these features make Pro-lastin® particularly bioavailable and easy to digest, maximizing the tangible benefits of daily elastin supplementation.

Possible benefits of taking Body Kitchen Pro-Elastin on a daily basis include reducing signs and symptoms of skin aging: addressing skin sagging, enhancing the skin’s moisture content, activating renewal of elastin and collagen, and neutralizing toxins and free radicals. More specifically, Pro-lastin® supplementation may boost elastin production by over 250 percent and collagen by more than 100 percent.

Speak with a Medical Professional Before Incorporating Elastin Supplements

Elastin supplements are generally considered to be safe for most people but could be harmful for those who are allergic to fish, egg, or shellfish. In addition, having a condition that requires a reduction in protein consumption (e.g., gout) is thought to be a contraindication for supplementing with elastin, since it is a type of protein. In addition, keep in mind that elastin supplementation may result in digestive side effects such as diarrhea and nausea, although these tend not to be severe. Regardless of your unique medical situation, be sure to speak to a doctor who is familiar with your history to make sure that elastin supplementation is a safe and healthy choice for you.