The Benefits Of Collagen – Everyone is talking about collagen these days and with good reason! Collagen is a unique supplement because it has both external and internal health benefits.
It is the most abundant protein found in the body. In fact, it makes up about one-third of the body’s protein content. It also provides structural support to the body and is the primary substance of connective tissue. It is the glue that holds our bodies together.
The Benefits Of Collagen
As we age, our body’s natural production of collagen slows down. We see this in our skin, which is no longer as firm and smooth. Apart from our skin, lack of production affects the health of our gut, joints, ligaments, hair, nails, teeth and bones. Deficiency of this vital nutrient can also affect vital organs like the heart and liver.
Benefits Of Collagen: Pros And Cons
Luckily, there are some steps you can take to improve your levels. Consuming foods rich in collagen-promoting amino acids, vitamins and minerals and supplementing with high-quality collagen powder are effective strategies.
This article will discuss what collagen is, including the different types and sources. I’ll also review nine ways it improves your health, including healing the gut, supporting metabolism, strengthening bones, joints and ligaments, and more. Finally, I’ll discuss the best ways to supplement to boost your own production, slow its breakdown in the body, and ensure your optimal levels.
Collagen is a structural protein and is the most abundant protein in our bodies. It forms connective fibers in tissues such as skin, ligaments, cartilage, bones and teeth. It also gives strength, shape and support to bones, blood vessels and organs such as the heart, kidneys and liver. Ultimately, it is the intracellular “glue” that holds your body together.
Collagen is produced by specialized cells called fibroblasts. These cells are able to incorporate amino acids into specific threads that form this molecule.
Discover The Benefits Of Collagen With The Beauty Chef
The primary amino acids found in collagen are glycine, lysine, and proline, which account for approximately 50% of its amino acid content. Lysine and proline are converted to hydroxylysine and hydroxyproline before being incorporated into the structure. Vitamin C is required for this important transformation. Additional amino acids involved in this process include arginine, leucine, glutamine, and tyrosine.
Collagen is constantly destroyed and regenerated as part of our body’s natural cycle. Our body is constantly creating it to maintain and repair connective tissues. As we age, the production rate in the body slows down as well as declines rapidly. This is when we start to see and feel the effects of less collagen.
In addition to the natural aging process, there are also environmental causes of low collagen. Environmental factors that contribute to its destruction include UV rays from the sun, stress, and toxins in food and water. Smoking and eating too much sugar and processed foods also contribute.
Antioxidants play a protective role against free radical damage. They also support the formation and incorporation of collagen into various tissues. The most important antioxidant for this is Vitamin C which protects it and increases its production. Coenzyme Q10 and vitamin E are also major players.
Collagen Peptides Type Ii
There are at least sixteen different types of collagen in the human body (1). All sixteen types contain a repeating glycine-proline-hydroxyproline sequence and fold into a characteristic triple-helical structure. Different types are distinguished by the ability of their helical and non-helical regions to join into fibers, forming sheets or cross-linking different types.
The most common types are Types I, II, III, IV, V, and X. Type-I is made up of eosinophilic fibres. More than 90% of the collagen in the human body is Type-I. Type-I collagen helps form tendons, ligaments, organs and skin. It is the main component of the organic part of bone. Type-I is also found in the gastrointestinal tract and is important for wound healing, giving skin elasticity, and holding tissues together.
Type-II collagen is fibrous and found in cartilage. Type-III is composed of reticular fibers and is usually found along with type-I in the body. Type-III provides elasticity and firmness to the skin. It forms connective tissues that provide shape and strength to organs.
Type-IV collagen forms the extracellular structure called the basal lamina. The basal lamina supports epithelial and endothelial cells and surrounds muscle and adipose tissue. Type-V is found on cell surfaces, hair, and placenta. Type-X collagen aids in bone formation and the growth, development, and remodeling of articular cartilage (2). These different types of collagen are found in some foods or collagen supplements. As you can see, they
Liquid Collagen Benefits Vs Powdered Collagen
Collagen comes from a variety of high-protein food sources, including chicken, beef, fish, and eggs. Depending on the source, each type has unique benefits. Chicken is highest in Type-II and provides chondroitin sulphate and glucosamine sulphate. This makes it beneficial for joint health and anti-aging effects.
Bovine collagen from cows is made mostly of Type-I and Type-III. It is rich in amino acids glycine and proline. Bovine collagen is great for creatine production, muscle building, and aiding the body’s own production.
Fish collagen is mostly type-I and provides the amino acids glycine, proline and hydroxyproline. Fish collagen is easily absorbed and benefits digestion, organs, blood vessels, bones, joints and skin.
Egg collagen is found in egg shells and whites. There are various types, but most are type I. Egg collagen provides glucosamine sulphate, chondroitin sulphate, hyaluronic acid and other amino acids. Egg collagen is helpful in building muscles, reducing pain and stiffness, building connective tissue and healing wounds.
Understanding Collagen: Types And Their Importance
Collagen is the main protein in connective tissue. Connective tissue is the material that forms the structural framework for organs, bones, eyes, tendons, muscles, skin, blood vessels, lymph, tendons, cartilage, and bones. Along with this important role, collagen has many health benefits.
Collagen supports healthy metabolism. It provides co-factors such as glucosamine, chondroitin sulphate, hyaluronic acid and key electrolyte minerals.
It also provides amino acid glycine in good quantity. Glycine has an important role in helping build muscle tissue by converting glucose into energy to nourish muscle cells. Because of this, it can add lean muscle mass and help with the conversion of essential nutrients.
Containing the amino acids arginine and glutamine, it supports metabolism in another way too. Arginine increases the body’s ability to create proteins from other amino acids while glutamine provides carbon and nitric oxide that are important for building and maintaining muscle (3). Glutamine also provides fuel to our cells to maintain energy levels.
What Are Collagen Supplement Benefits?
For anyone trying to lose weight, collagen can support your weight loss efforts. It stimulates the release of satiety hormones into the bloodstream which can help reduce appetite.
Collagen may also support weight loss efforts by preventing excessive satiety. One study found that collagen was 40% more satiating than other protein powders. Participants consumed 20% less at their next meal compared to individuals who consumed whey, casein or soy protein powder (4). Using high quality collagen powder can be an effective metabolism boosting and weight loss strategy.
A major benefit to today’s society is collagen’s ability to repair and heal the gut. Leaky gut syndrome, or intestinal hyperpermeability, is a condition in which the tight junctions in the lining of the intestine become very large and abnormally permeable. Undigested food particles and toxins can enter the bloodstream through these holes in the intestinal wall. This causes the immune system to overreact, resulting in chronic inflammation.
There are several mechanisms by which it repairs and heals the gastrointestinal system. First, it forms villi, tiny finger-like structures on the intestinal wall. The amino acids glycine and glutamine are essential to repair the protective lining of the gastrointestinal tract. These amino acids seal the pores in the intestine by repairing damaged cells and forming new tissues.
Collagen Supplements: Benefits, Types, And Risks
Collagen may also benefit other gastrointestinal disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). It soothes and heals the intestine and can also aid in the absorption of water in the intestines. For anyone suffering from leaky gut or other gastrointestinal problems, supplementing with collagen is an effective treatment strategy.
Did you know that bones are about 1/3 collagen? It actually gives flexibility to the bones. Including more of this protein in your diet can strengthen your bones by increasing bone mineral density. It is also important to improve bone mineral density to ensure that your teeth remain secure in your jaw.
It may also strengthen bones by stimulating osteoblasts. Osteoblasts are the cells that form bone. Because of this ability, supplementing with collagen has been shown to prevent and even reverse osteoporosis in several studies (5).
It helps in maintaining healthy teeth and gum tissues. In fact, collagen fibers help connect our teeth to our gums. Collagen is present in the dental papilla, the part of the gum that lies next to the teeth, in the tooth germ and in the tooth enamel (6). Finally, supplementation may also prevent brittle and broken nails and aid nail growth.
Liquid Collagen: Benefits, Uses, Side Effects, And More
Collagen is an essential building block of skin. Actually, 70% of the protein in our skin is made from it. With collagen’s unique ability to help renew and repair cells, good skin integrity depends on high levels of it.