There’s a moment when you look in the mirror and something has changed. You can’t quite say when it happened. Your skin doesn’t have the same “bounce” it used to, new lines appear, the contour of your face seems to have softened. It’s not your imagination: from the age of 25, the body starts producing less collagen and elastin every year — the two proteins that literally hold up your skin’s structure.
The good news is that science has spent decades studying how to support that production from within, and the results are consistent.
Who is this article for?
For anyone — man or woman — who is starting to notice changes in their skin’s firmness or elasticity from the age of 30. Also for those who want to care for their skin preventively, before those changes become more obvious. And for anyone who simply wants to understand what lies behind the collagen supplements they see everywhere.
What collagen and elastin actually do
Picture the dermis — the deep layer of your skin — as the internal structure of a high-end mattress. Collagen would be the springs: they form a dense network that provides support, resistance and firmness. Elastin would be the fabric that wraps around those springs: it lets the mattress return to its original shape when you get up.
The two work together, and the two deteriorate over time. Collagen makes up as much as 75% of the dry composition of the dermis. From the age of 25, the body produces roughly 1–1.5% less collagen each year — which means that by 40 your levels are about half of what they were in your youth. Sun exposure, smoking, oxidative stress and excess sugar accelerate this process even further.
Elastin, although far less abundant, is just as decisive for that “recovery” capacity skin has when it’s young. When it’s lost, skin begins to sag and wrinkle instead of springing back into place.
What science knows about marine peptides
Marine hydrolyzed collagen is obtained from fish skin and scales through enzymatic hydrolysis, a process that breaks it down into small peptides (under 3,000 Da). These fragments are what the body absorbs and puts to use: they reach the dermis through the bloodstream, where they stimulate fibroblasts — the cells responsible for making your own collagen — to produce more.
Its structural similarity to human type I collagen makes it especially effective for the skin. Likewise, marine hydrolyzed elastin peptides act on the elastic fibers of the dermis, supporting their ability to recover.
What makes combining the two especially interesting is their synergistic effect: collagen and elastin, when taken together, work better than they do separately, because they complement each other within the structural network of the dermis.
What you’ll notice, and when
The changes aren’t immediate, and that is a sign the process is real and not an artificial effect.
In the first few weeks, most people describe more hydrated, more “plumped” skin. After 8–12 weeks of daily use, elasticity improves visibly: the skin recovers its position better, fine lines soften and the tone looks more even. Over time, secondary benefits also appear that many users notice without expecting them: hair has more shine and nails become stronger.
The key, in every case, is consistency. The effect builds week by week and lasts as long as the habit is maintained.
In the follow-up study carried out with OPTIMUM users over 6 months, 95% reported greater overall wellbeing, and a significant increase in skin luminosity was recorded.*
*Results from an internal study conducted on 23 people over 6 months.
Why collagen works better within a complete formula
Collagen supplements exist in many formats and doses. OPTIMUM’s approach is different from taking collagen in isolation: the formula combines marine collagen and elastin with the multiple cofactors the body needs to synthesize its own collagen efficiently — vitamin C (via natural acerola), zinc, selenium and vitamin E.
Vitamin C, for example, is essential to the collagen synthesis process: without it, the body cannot assemble the fibers correctly. Zinc and selenium act as antioxidants that protect existing fibers from degradation. This synergy is what makes the complete formula more than the sum of its parts.
How to add it to your routine
For Women: Optimum. Two capsules a day of Optimum, preferably before breakfast. Consistency matters more than the exact timing.
What also makes the difference in the long run is protecting the collagen you already have: daily sun protection (UV radiation is the biggest accelerator of its degradation), good hydration, and a varied diet rich in fruits and vegetables high in vitamin C and antioxidants.
What to avoid: smoking, excess sugar in the diet (the glycation process damages collagen fibers) and sun exposure without protection.
Frequently asked questions
Is marine collagen better than bovine?
For skin-specific use, marine type I collagen has a greater structural similarity to human collagen than bovine collagen, which favors its absorption and use. On top of that, its allergenic profile is lower and its source can be more sustainable.
When will I see results?
The first changes are usually noticed between 4 and 8 weeks of regular use. The most pronounced results come at 12 weeks. Skin takes time to renew its structure from within, and that process cannot be sped up artificially.
Does it also work for hair and nails?
Yes. Collagen and elastin also influence keratin and the strength of hair and nails. It’s a secondary benefit that many users describe spontaneously after several weeks of use.
At what age does it make the most sense to start?
It makes sense as prevention from the age of 25, but the most noticeable changes are experienced by people aged 35 and over, and especially women around menopause, when the drop in collagen production accelerates notably.
