collagen supplements simplified
Collagen supplements have become the new superfood. People claim that taking these supplements will boost collagen production in your body, helping your skin, hair, nails, and bones. Plus, they are an easy addition to your morning coffee and smoothie. Many people, including myself, are taking this supplement daily, so I decided to do a little research and try to uncover the truth about this popular supplement.
What is collagen?
Collagen, which provides your skin firmness, is the most abundant protein in your body; occurring mostly in the skin, bones, teeth, muscles, joints and connective tissues. It acts like a glue keeping your body together in a sense – the word collagen actually means glue in Ancient Greek. This glue-like protein gives shape to our organs (heart, kidney and liver), and blood vessels and bones. In the skin, collagen is found is found within the dermis, which is the middle layer of the skin. This is where new cells grow and where dead cells are replaced and restored. When we get a bruise or a broken bone, we need collagen to help repair the damage (source).
The reality is, beginning at age 20, a person loses about 1% of their collagen per year. As we age, collagen fibers become thicker and looser, eventually leaving our skin brittle, wrinkly and saggy. In our thirties, the reduction of collagen lowers moisture levels and causes our skin to become dull and thin. By the time we are in our forties, we stop producing collagen altogether (source). Our skin becomes thinner and weaker, wrinkles may appear, joints become achy, and bones become weaker.
What are collagen supplements?
There are many different types of collagen peptides. Most likely, the type you find in the grocery store is made from “hydrolyzed” type 1, which is made from bones, skins, connective tissues of animals, or from fish scales. Vital Proteins, (the kind I use), claims their collagen contains 18 different amino acids including glycine, proline, hydroxyproline, and arginine – all of which help with our skin, hair, nails and even our gut (source). Their bovine collagen comes from 100% pastured and grass-fed cows while their marine collagen comes from wild, non-GMO Red Snapper. To make the bovine collagen, hides are soaked in a solution to help release the collagen and then cooked in 190-degree water to extract the collagen. Then the collagen is broken down further with enzymes and made into a powder (source).
The claim that ingesting collagen supplements help replenish levels of collagen in your body is controversial. Recently, there have been some successful studies demonstrating the benefits of consuming collagen.
What do the studies show?
Researchers examined whether our body absorbs collagen when taken orally - they found that it did! (source) So, what can it do for you?
SKIN: In 2014, a group studied the effect of collagen supplements on skin elasticity and found a significant increase in skin firmness compared to the placebo (source). A similar study showed collagen as a “functional food”, meaning they have a positive impact on health. Consuming collagen supplements improved the skin firmness by changing both the quality and the quantity of collagen in the skin (source). In 2015, researchers found an increase in skin hydration after eight weeks of collagen intake, and an increase in the density of collagen in the dermis after only four weeks of consumption (source).
BONE LOSS: If you are worried about post-menopausal bone loss, a study showed increased bone formation and decreased bone degradation, when consuming collagen (source).
RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS: A Harvard study on the effects of collagen supplements on 60 patients with severe rheumatoid arthritis showed a decrease in swollen joints and tendons in all the groups given collagen, with 4 subjects having complete remission of the disease (source). Another study showed that collagen supplements helped mice with osteoarthritis – in this case, collagen was found to be anti-inflammatory (source).
HOW TO PREVENT COLLAGEN LOSS NATURALLY:
In addition to consuming collagen, there are simple things you can do to prevent the loss of collagen. Free radicals, smoking, and sugar consumption also contribute to collagen loss (source). Diet is consistently linked to skin health with glucose and sucrose intake being two of the biggest culprits of skin degeneration and aging (source). Those two sugars link to amino acids and create advanced glycation end products, or “AGEs,” which are associated with skin aging.
Also, making sure your body receives adequate amounts of vitamin C, which is necessary for the formation of collagen, is important. Vitamin C deficiency can even lead to scurvy, which is an extreme form of a collagen deficiency (source). The body becomes unglued without collagen! To learn more about how your diet can influence aging in your body, go to The Linus Pauling Institute. Linus Pauling believed that vitamins and micronutrients played a large role in the formation of chronic diseases and aging.
Here are some foods with high amounts of vitamin C:
guavas, strawberries, bell peppers, kiwi, oranges, and broccoli.
Here are 2 versions of Vitamin C supplement that I have taken, plus the collagen I take daily. When buying collagen supplements, make sure it comes from a reputable source, with no added fillers. You can simply add this tasteless powder to your soup, coffee, tea or smoothie. You can even bake them into baked goods.
*As always, it is always best to get your vitamins from food, and always consult with your doctor before taking any supplement.