Which is the best Collagen Supplements?
Found in the human body, collagen is a protein that has the main aim of providing strength and structural support within the bones, skin, and connective tissues. If you’ve heard of collagen being used on TV for skin products and facial creams, it’s because collagen also restores and replaces damaged skin cells.
As our body ages naturally, collagen becomes rarer which leads to wrinkles and a loss of skin elasticity all over the body. All through life, the role of collagen cannot be underestimated as it is the largest natural protein in our bodies accounting for up to 35% of all proteins. Today, we want to dig deeper into the role of collagen, why it is so good for us, and how you can boost your collagen levels in a healthy way.
Collagen Defects
Just like any other ageing process, we are all guaranteed to experience wrinkles at an older age as well as joint pain, sagging skin, and more. As we have said, collagen is partially to blame for this since our natural levels decrease overtime. However, some people start to see collagen issues at a much younger age and this can be a result of nutritional deficiencies, genetic defects, digestive issues or even just a lack of collagen in one’s diet.
Moving away from the health problems, many of our habits also have a direct impact on collagen production including smoking, extensive exposure to the sun, and an abnormal sugar intake. Not only do we look older as our appearances ages, we begin to feel older too.
Why is Collagen Good for you?
Benefits of Collagen - Typically, type 1 collagen is abundant in our bodies but all collagen contributes to the largest protein process in the human body. As well as being found in the skin, technology has allowed us to discover collagen in the muscles, bones, tendons, blood vessels, and digestive system.
If you’ve ever experienced aches and pains in the joints, we can almost guarantee the doctor issued (or at least considered) collagen supplements because they are known to remedy these problems; they also make hair, skin, and nails look healthier.
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In terms of foods, collagen can be found within turmeric and many other ingredients; this being said, the volume in food could never compete with the amount of collagen in supplements. In addition to this, supplements have another advantage in that they increase collagen (collagen peptides) levels directly. Below, we have listed eight key benefits of collagen and they should show you just how important the protein is for us all!
Summary of Collagen Health Benefits
1. Â Cartilage, Bone, and Joint Strength - In total, one-third of each bone in our bodies is actually collagen with the protein representing two-thirds of cartilage. Once cartilage starts to wear, we ache and really feel it in our joints.
2. Â Stomach Healing - In the stomach, collagen is particularly useful helping with IBS, leaky gut, and other problems. How? Low stomach acid can be improved and the mucosal lining can strengthen.
3. Â Hair and Nail Health - Nowadays, we know that collagen is the foundation for skin, nail, and hair health. In fact, hair is 90% protein which makes collagen essential; with collagen supplements, you will soon see a difference in hair health.
4.  Wrinkle ‘Minimizer’ - Although we have seven other benefits, collagen is most important in the skin; collagen allows our skin to keep its elasticity thus keeping wrinkles to a minimum.
5. Â Inflammation Prevention - Glycine, an amino acid, contains collagen and also happens to reduce inflammation. Although some inflammation is normal, extended periods of inflammation can cause many health issues.
6. Â Improved Athletic Performance - Of course, collagen is a protein and this is important for muscle growth and repair. With normal collagen levels, your muscles will also recover faster.
7. Â Boost Circulation - By fortifying the blood vessels, collagen will improve their elasticity and strength to then pump blood around the body with ease.
8. Â Cellulite Reduction - Cellulite occurs as fibres wear down but having regular levels of collagen allows these same fibres to be repaired and rebuilt.
What type of collagen to use and how to use collagen?
Types and Uses of Collagen - If you’ve looked at the market even briefly, you would have seen numerous collagen supplements all in different forms. Interestingly, collagen relies on vitamin C in order to work efficiently because the vitamin acts as a carrier. Within the body, there are actually several nutrients that needs vitamin C to be absorbed properly.
With this in mind, you first need to introduce a vitamin C supplement into your diet. If you want to restrict the amount of supplements you take, make sure you drink a healthy amount of orange juice. Fresh lemon juice is a good replacement if you don’t like orange juice.
What Type of Collagen to Take?
So what type of collagen should you be taking? As well as pills, collagen can be found in liquid and powder form so it can be tough to know which is the most effective. Starting with pills, our bodies tend to struggle with absorbing pills so this can be an issue. On the other hand, liquid is effective but is much more expensive whilst powder is efficient since you can add it to any drink.
Dissolving collagen in a liquid can be tricky. Â So how do you get it to dissolve? And does it have a taste?
With the liquid and powder forms of collagen, you will need to stir the mixture in with some hot water for around 4-5 minutes. If you don’t like the taste, feel free to add some honey or orange/lemon juice. Often, getting the collagen to dissolve is a tricky area for many but hot water and rigorous stirring seems to be the best solution.
Collagen and Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic Acid - As a side note, our skin also requires hyaluronic acid to stay hydrated and plump but this decreases over time just like our collagen levels. Unfortunately, research in the area is somewhat sparse but there are many experts who believe in the ingredient which is why it is starting to make more appearances in products and supplements.
What is Gelatin and how is it related to collagen?
Whilst on the theme of pointing out ingredients, we should discuss gelatin since this is the cooked form of collagen. Although collagen can be found within our diet, we tend to throw away the very best sources found in skin, membranes, tendons, and various other connective tissues in the meat we eat. Knowing collagen contains around 18 from 20 amino acids required to create protein, you can use gelatin to ingest these amino acids in a more effective way.
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Collagen Brand Review
Collagen Brands - Just like any other product in the world, you will find cheap and expensive brands. Above all else, we recommend products that are organic and non-genetically modified regardless of the name on the front. While cheap brands might save a few pennies, they won’t help your body if they can contain ‘fillers’ and other ingredients that negate the impact of the collagen.
Do collagen supplements work?
Do They Work? - So here’s the big question; do collagen supplements actually work? Firstly, you should always be careful with celebrity collagen endorsements because you can almost guarantee they are receiving a fee whether the endorsement comes on a TV show, social media, or anywhere else. There is no doubt your body really does need collagen and these supplements provide it in varying amounts. So there is nothing wrong with giving your body a boost and helping hand.
Over the years, we have seen many health trends disappear but you will always find the highest quality products survive. If a product has been around for longer than a few years, it is definitely worth a try to keep the youthful look in your skin. Â Good quality collagen supplements have benefited many users and are considered to be a safe and effective way to ensure your body is obtaining enough proteins that are essential to keep you looking youthful and fresh looking.
Where Does Collagen Come From?
How Do They Source Collagen? - If collagen is a protein found in our bodies, you might be wondering just how they source it for supplements. Essentially, it comes from livestock; the connective tissue and bones from chickens, cows, fish, pigs, and more. When our diets once included the likes of stews and bone broths, a lack of collagen was never a problem, but the Western diet has transformed and these meals have now disappeared.
This being said, you can still increase your collagen intake with a good bone broth. As long as you have the time to make it, it will allow you a natural source and you should see all the benefits. If you’re struggling for time like most people these days, a good supplement is still the way to go because they’re efficient and affordable.
Which Source Of Collagen Is Most Effective?
Best Source of Collagen - Considering we source collagen from numerous locations, it begs the question of whether one is better than another. Thanks to recent research, we now know marine collagen absorbs one and a half times quicker than any other form of the protein so not all collagen is equal. With a low molecular weight and size, the collagen passes through the intestinal barrier and into the bloodstream with pace before then being distributed around the body. Over time, this will improve collagen synthesis within the skin, joint tissues, bones, and other important body systems.
When it comes to fish, collagen is sourced from the scales, fins, skin, and bones since these are considered ‘waste products’. After taking the most important parts of the fish, the parts that would have traditionally been thrown away, go towards creating collagen supplements and various other products.
Choosing a Collagen Supplement
Choosing the Right Collagen Supplement - As we discussed earlier, there are many different brands of collagen supplement so we recommend doing your research before going out and buying any; you should be looking at collagen reviews from users and ethical origins of the company.
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Vegan collagen supplements
Vegan Collagen Supplements - For vegans, collagen is a tricky topic because the protein can only ever be sourced from animal products. However, there are now vegan options which are plant-based and centered around vitamin C and different amino acids including proline, lysine, and glycine. Â You can Click Here For More Information Â
Of course, these cannot be as effective as naturally-sourced collagen but experts believe they can be of some help. Sadly, we haven't yet got significant evidence or research to discuss their effectiveness but there is small research suggesting the resistance of ageing and increase in collagen production.
What's the difference between topical collagen verses oral supplementation?
Oral Supplements v Topical Collagen - With the topical versions of collagen, the biggest problem is their inability to go deep within the skin; however, they can be used as a short-term solution. On the other hand, oral supplements have the specific aim of reaching the dermal layer and encouraging the growth of collagen which builds over time. Additionally, oral supplements are designed to bring amino acids to the skin which encourages the natural production of collagen.
Therefore, topical collagen is very much a ‘quick fix’ but it doesn’t necessarily work on the core issue making it a ‘wallpaper over the cracks’ solution. With oral supplements, they actively work at the issue and increase collagen production because they reach the bloodstream and underlying layers of the skin and body.