This Is Why You Need Collagen Supplements

How Does Collagen Work?

“Collagen is the most prominent protein that we produce, but as we age, it decreases and slows down the production in the body, creating visible and physical changes.

Some of them are:

• Dry skin leading to wrinkles
• Joints deterioration causing bones disorders such as osteoporosis
• Thin and discolouration on nails.
• Hair loss
• Muscle loss and strength

Adding collagen in everyone’s daily diet is key to prevent any of these from happening but most importantly, to see the infinite benefits that it has.”

Mayela Vazquez, Makeup & Hair Artist at Within the Trend

Types of Collagen

“You can help your body produce collagen naturally by eating protein-rich foods such as eggs, meat, fish, leafy greens, and citrus fruits. If you have a sweet tooth, you can also make candies and gummies that incorporate collagen-rich ingredients.

Here's a recipe for lemon gummies:

Ingredients

- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- 2 tbsp honey
- 3 tbsp grass-fed gelatin

Instructions:

- On low heat, put the lemon juice and honey in a skillet until warm.
- Add in the gelatin and mix until it has dissolved.
- Pour the mixture into your desired moulds.
- Place in the freezer for 20 minutes.”

Anna Nielsen, Beauty Expert & Marketing Director at Our Good Living Formula

Top 8 Benefits of Collagen Supplements

“The most well-known collagen benefits are related to what it can do for hair, nails and skin in particular, especially with regards to the appearance of the skin as we age. In fact, though collagen makes up around twenty-five percent of the overall protein content of the body, it makes up around seventy percent of the protein content of the skin. It is also important for joints, teeth, the cardiovascular system and the gut.

With age, stress or a catabolic state, collagen production declines and is replaced with proteoglycans and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). GAGs are water-saturated gels that act as supporting macromolecules to collagen – but are not as good of a support structure as collagen.”

Dr. Carrie Lam, MD, FAAMFM, ABAARM, DrLam Nutritional Coaching

1. Collagen Is Easy to Digest
If you have troubles with digesting meat, collagen powder or pills can help you get protein into your diet much easier. Collagen supplements consist of broken-down collagen, aka hydrolysed collagen, which makes it much more pleasant for your body to digest. Moreover, hydrolysed collagen is water-soluble, so you can be creative and add it to your favourite foods like smoothies, protein shakes, coffee, tea, you name it.

2. Collagen May Improve Your Skin, Hair & Nails
According to the review in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, daily consumption of hydrolysed collagen has shown to improve skin elasticity, hydration, and increase the collagen density in it.

3. Collagen May Boost Your Gut Health
Your colon and GI tract are made of connective tissue, and collagen makes up most of it. Collagen supplements can help protect the integrity of your intestinal lining and even strengthen it. As a result, it can contribute to decreasing inflammation and improving the digestion process. (Source)

4. Collagen Supplements May Help Make Up For Naturally Lost Collagen
Since your collagen production starts slowing down in the early twenties, hydrolysed collagen peptides can help your body replace the lost collagen. Considering that collagen makes up about a third of the protein in your body, you can imagine how big of a role it plays in your overall health.

5. Collagen May Help Strengthen Your Joints
If you’re suffering from joint pain, joint inflammation, or deterioration, a 24-week study suggested that collagen supplementation can help improve joint health. It can also help lessen the symptoms of osteoarthritis and decrease swelling in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

6. Collagen May Help Reduce the Appearance of Cellulite
According to the Journal of the Medicinal Food, daily collagen supplementation can help smooth the skin texture and lessen the appearance of cellulite. Even though more research needed to be done, collagen powder has promising results in the fight against cellulite.

7. Collagen May Help Maintain Your Muscle Mass
As you age, your body gradually starts to lose its muscle mass. Taking collagen supplements may help enhance your workout results by boosting muscle growth and strength. However, more research data is still needed to discover the full potential that powdered collagen has to improve muscle growth.

8. Collagen May Help Balance Hormone Levels During Menopause

“As we age, the production of collagen in the skin slows down, causing more lines and wrinkles to appear. During menopause, we experience hormone fluctuations, and there is a reduction of the hormone oestrogen in the body. Oestrogen supports the production of collagen, so with less oestrogen, there is less collagen being produced. The results can be looser, drier skin, which shows more lines and wrinkles. Because hair and nails are made of the same thing, we may experience weaker nails and drier hair too.

A collagen supplement during this time of our lives will help to strengthen and firm the skin, lessen the appearance of lines and wrinkles, and nourish and maintain the good health of hair and nails too. In addition, collagen could also help ease joint pain, which is another symptom of menopause by lubricating the joints and making movement easier.”

Alison Angold, Fully Qualified Beauty Therapist at Beauty Taming The Beast

How to Choose the Best Collagen Protein?

The Takeaway