WTF is connective tissue, anyway?

And why a collagen supplement isn’t going to “cure” you.

Graphic by BFF Ash Kristoff

Connective Tissue

/kuh-NEK-tiv TIH-shoo/

I have a whole bunch of issues with my (connective) tissues. But what exactly is connective tissue? And why do conditions like Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), Marfan syndrome, and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) cause SO many different — and seemingly unrelated — symptoms?

Our bodies are made up of four types of tissue: connective, epithelial, muscle, and nerve. As the name suggests, connective tissue connects and supports the other types of tissue and various structures throughout our bodies. Connective tissue also plays a role in multiple bodily functions, including storing fat, repairing tissue damage, transporting materials, and supporting the immune system. Because connective tissue is everywhere in the body, connective tissue diseases such as SLE can cause symptoms in any part of the body.

Connective tissue comprises the proteins collagen and elastin. Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body, which means if something is a bit wonky in the way a person’s body makes it — as is the case with inherited conditions like EDS — every bodily system is affected. That’s right: Tendons, ligaments, blood vessels, bladder, stomach, uterus, corneas, lungs, and so on and so forth are all affected.

And finally, to answer a question I’m tired of receiving: No, taking a collagen supplement won’t magically cure my EDS. It’s caused by a genetic mutation!