Is Collagen worth the hype?
Everyone is talking about collagen nowadays. It’s one of the latest buzzwords in health, promising lasting results of healthy hair and nails. We all want the secret to vitality, could collagen be it? Is it worth the hype?
What Is Collagen?
Collagen is our primary structural protein. It is one of our skin’s main building blocks but is also found in our bones, tendons, and ligaments. It’s essential for wound healing, tissue regeneration, and skin elasticity.
Since it is a protein it is made up of amino acids, 3 to be exact:
glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline.
Glycine not only aids in tissue integrity, but it acts as a calming neurotransmitter in the central nervous system and serves as an important cofactor in liver detoxification.
Glycine is also needed to recycle Methionine (an amino acid). Muscle meats are high in methionine, when this amino acid is not recycled properly it can contribute to inflammation. Our modern diets are missing out on glycine.
Where can I find collagen naturally?
There are 4 types of collagen and our body makes collagen by utilizing vitamin C as a cofactor.
Collagen can also be found in the connective tissue of animals. Bone broth tends to be high in collagen and gelatin, and a source of easily absorbable minerals.
In today’s modern times, we are eating far more muscle meats than our ancestors had. It is important to balance muscle meats with both organ meats and bone-in meats that contain collagen. Having a diet solely based on muscle meats can cause inflammation in the body.
Many of the collagen peptides on the market are derived from animal hide. So if you are someone with histamine issues, collagen peptide supplementation may exacerbate it.
So what about vegan collagen?
Collagen is derived from the connective tissue of animal products, not plants.
Vegan collagen tends to be micronutrients like vitamin C and other antioxidants that help the body’s ability to make and maintain collagen.
The Benefits of Collagen
Collagen is vital for the health of every system in your body. As we age our collagen production starts to decline. We then may start noticing more wrinkles, joint pain, weaker muscles, stiffer ligaments and tendons, and even gastrointestinal problems.
Daily use of collagen may reduce wrinkles, increase skin elasticity, and hide cellulite & stretch marks. Also supports stronger hair, nails & teeth.
Numerous studies show that collagen strengthens bones, joints & ligaments, in addition to helping reduce joint pain & stiffness. In a study conducted on young athletes with knee pain, the collagen-supplemented group experienced less joint pain during exercise. This may be due to the proteins in collagen that helped repair micro-injuries in the cartilage and reduced inflammation.
Overall collagen is helpful in wound healing, leaky gut, inflammation, joint pain, bone health, hair, and skin health. As for the digestive system, it may reduce gut inflammation and aid in digestion. The amino acids in collagen peptides help to repair the intestinal lining.
You can Increase your collagen intake either by eating bone-in meats, bone broth, or collagen peptide supplements.
As mentioned, vitamin C is a cofactor, so ensure to intake some form of vitamin C when consuming collagen. I like to drink warm lemon water in the morning.
Supplementing with Collagen
You can supplement with bone broth. Remember, not all bone broth is created equal. A lot of companies water down their bone broth so they dont contain much gelatin at all. Homemade bone broth is the best bet, you can preserve its shelf life by storing it in the freezer (this also helps prevent high histamines).
If you notice that bone broth is exacerbating SIBO or IBS symptoms, then stick to meat broth.
Here are some of my favorite collagen supplements:
PERFECT SUPPLEMENTS
Their collagen is sourced from grass-fed cows on certified glyphosate—free grass. It is also 100% Natural and Pesticide and Hormone Free. I like to add a scoop to my coffee in the morning.
Use code: JADE10 for a small discount.
They have a variety of different collagen powders, marine collagen, chocolate flavored, and vanilla flavored that contains Tremella Mushroom, known as a beauty mushroom. All of their collagen are Grass-fed and pasture raised and has been 3rd party tested for purity. Their collagen also undergos extensive heavy metal testing to ensure that they meet all regulatory standards. The facilities are cGMP certified, which is the highest quality certification for supplements.
Use code “JADE15” for 15% off all products.