8 Potential Health Benefits of Collagen

Joint and skin health depend on collagen, a protein that provides suppleness. It makes up about a third of the protein in your body and is found in your bones, muscles, and blood. As you age, your collagen degrades, and your body has a tougher time producing new collagen. This is why a lot of individuals use collagen pills. These supplements are commonly found in powder form; however, capsules and liquid forms are also on the market.

The body may also synthesize collagen from the amino acids we eat. Amino acids are the primary structural components of proteins.

Supplemental Collagen's Positive Effects on Health

Collagen isn't just helpful; it's necessary for optimal health, as it makes up many vital body structures. However, collagen supplements' efficacy is still up for discussion. Some evidence shows that they help keep skin moisturized and alleviate osteoarthritis pain. Still, additional study is needed to determine whether or if they also have other advantages, such as decreasing blood pressure and blood sugar.

What is Collagen?

There is more collagen than any other protein in our body. It's the primary building block of the tendons, ligaments, skin, and muscles that comprise various body portions. Collagen serves numerous crucial purposes, such as giving your skin its structure and giving your bones its strength.

There are 28 distinct kinds of collagen; however, the four most prevalent are as follows −

• The most prevalent type, is present in all forms of connective tissue.

• Joints and the discs that act as stress absorbers in your spine are home.

• Skin and blood vessel reticular fibers are the primary structural components of the connective tissue that makes up the body.

• Found in the lens of your eye, the inner ear, and the kidneys.

Collagen supplements have gained popularity in recent years. For easy digestion, most collagen supplements have been hydrolyzed. One can find these supplements in powder form as well as capsules. Some supplements include only one or two forms of collagen, while others contain as many as five. You may get more collagen from meals like hog skin and bone broth.

Foods that Contain Collagen

Collagen may be obtained from gelatin-containing foods like bone broth. Gelatin is an altered form of the protein collagen. Animal connective tissues include collagen. Collagen may be found in foods including chicken skin, beef, and fish.

Foods high in vitamin C, such as citrus fruits, broccoli, and bell peppers, are essential for collagen formation and should be included in your diet. More study is needed to understand whether consuming collagen-rich foods helps improve collagen levels in your body, as they may have different effects than supplements.

Digestive enzymes metabolize collagen in food with its component amino acids and peptides. Hydrolyzed collagen found in supplements is expected to be absorbed more effectively than in food since it has already been broken down.

Health Benefits of Collagen

1. Persistently Sturdy Bones

Bones lose density and brittleness with age, making them more susceptible to breakage and slower to recover. Regular use of Collagen supplements have been demonstrated to increase bone density, counteract the effects of aging that lead to brittle bones, and stimulate the body to generate new bone.

2. Water Content and Skin Elasticity

Evidence suggests oral collagen supplements can help older adults maintain healthy skin moisture and suppleness. They may even work to reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

3. Thicker Hair

Hair thinning and loss is a natural part of aging and is not limited to males. A group of women experiencing hair loss who took collagen supplements daily observed improvements in hair density, scalp covering, and overall hair quality throughout the trial.

4. Improved Nail Health

The nails of some individuals are weaker and develop more slowly than those of others. In a research conducted on a group of women, taking collagen supplements daily resulted in quicker nail development and fewer cases of damaged or chipped nails after only four weeks.

5. Pain from Osteoarthritis is lessened.

Collagen supplements used orally may alleviate minor discomfort and boost joint function in persons with knee osteoarthritis. One must continue the treatment regularly for at least three months and up to five months before any noticeable results are shown.

6. Muscle Mass Augmentation

It can help have potential gains in muscle growth and strength by combining strength training with collagen peptide supplementation.

7. Contingencies of Collagen Supplements

Collagen supplements seldom cause unwanted side effects. Because more study is needed before any judgments can be made on the safety of collagen supplements, you may wish to wait to use one during pregnancy or while nursing.

8. Healthier Alternatives

Collagen supplement effectiveness is still being studied and discussed in the scientific community. If you want to encourage your body to produce more collagen without resorting to expensive supplements, you should focus on eating diet rich nutritious foods.

Collagen is made when the body combines the amino acids glycine and proline with others, such as vitamin C, zinc, and copper, to create elastin. Consuming foods high in glycine and proline, such as meat, fish, dairy, eggs, and beans, can stimulate collagen production in the body. Citrus fruits, tomatoes, leafy greens, seafood, nuts, seeds, and whole grains are all great sources of vitamin C, zinc, and copper.

Side-Effects of Collagen Supplements

There have been few reports of adverse consequences from using collagen supplements. Certain supplements, however, are manufactured with ingredients that might cause allergic reactions in some people. People who have food allergies should not use collagen supplements containing these components.

Collagen supplements have been linked to some cases of nausea and bloating; however, scientific studies have not verified these claims. Collagen supplements have been linked to various adverse digestive effects, including heartburn and stifling fullness. However, these supplements are safe for the vast majority of consumers.

When can one Expect to Start Seeing Outcomes?

The turnover rate of collagen is modest. Therefore, regardless of why you're using collagen, you should expect to wait at least eight weeks before seeing any significant changes. Some studies evaluate collagen's impact on bone health over 12 months, whereas others employ shorter time frames (at least eight weeks). This means that you need to be patient and not rush things.

Conclusion

Taking collagen supplements has several potential benefits and relatively few negative side effects. Muscle gains, bone protection, pain relief in joints, and better skin with fewer wrinkles and dryness are all possible benefits of supplements.

While there may be further advantages, studies have yet to corroborate claims that this supplement would help you lose weight, improve your digestive health, or sharpen your mind. Several foods contain collagen; however, it is still being determined whether they provide the same advantages as collagen supplements. Depending on your health objectives, collagen supplements are safe, simple to use, and worth a try.