Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body. Collagen has many important roles, including providing structure to the skin, strengthening bones, and helping blood clot. Collagen is a major component of the connective tissue that makes up several parts of the body, including tendons, ligaments, skin, and muscles.
In recent years, collagen is quite popular as a nutritional supplement, shampoo ingredient, and body lotion. Most of it is hydrolyzed which means the collagen has been broken down, making it easier for your body to absorb it.
There are also several foods you can eat to increase your Collagen intake, including pork rind and bone broth. Consuming collagen can have a variety of health benefits, from relieving joint pain to improving skin health.
Here are 6 benefits of collagen for body health and skin beauty that are supported by science-consuming collagen.
1.Improve Skin Health
The first benefit of collagen is to help improve skin health. Collagen is the main component of your skin. Collagen plays a role in skin strengthening, elasticity and hydration. As you age, your Power Body produces less collagen, leading to dry skin and the formation of wrinkles.
However, some studies have shown that peptides or supplements containing collagen can help slow skin ageing by reducing wrinkles and dryness.
In a study by the Department of Dermatology, University of Kiel, Germany, women who took a supplement containing 2.5-5 grams of collagen for 8 weeks experienced less dryness of the skin and a significant increase in skin elasticity compared to those who did not take the supplement.
Another study found that women who drank a drink mixed with a collagen supplement daily for 12 weeks experienced an increase in skin hydration and a significant reduction in wrinkles compared to a control group. The wrinkle-reducing effect of collagen supplements is attributed to their ability to stimulate the body to produce collagen independently.
In addition, taking collagen supplements can increase the production of other proteins that help to tone the skin, including elastin and fibrillin. There are also many anecdotal claims that collagen supplements help prevent acne and other skin conditions, but these have not been supported by scientific evidence.
2.Help Relieve Joint Pain
The second benefit of collagen is to help relieve joint pain. Collagen helps maintain the integrity of your cartilage, the rubber-like tissue that protects joints. When the amount of collagen in the body decreases with age, your risk of developing degenerative joint disorders such as osteoarthritis increases.
Several studies such as that conducted by the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Chicago show that taking collagen supplements can help improve symptoms of osteoarthritis and reduce overall joint pain.
The 73 athletes who took 10 grams of collagen daily for 24 weeks experienced a significant reduction in joint pain when walking and standing still, compared to the group who didn’t take it. Researchers theorize that additional collagen can build up in cartilage and stimulate your tissues to make collagen.
3.Prevent Bone Loss
The third benefit of collagen is to help prevent bone loss. Your bones are mostly made of collagen which gives them structure and helps make them strong. Just as collagen in the body deteriorates with age, so does bone mass. This can lead to conditions such as osteoporosis, which is characterized by low bone density and associated with a higher risk of fracture.
Studies by Case Western Reserve University, USA have shown that taking collagen supplements can have certain effects on the body that help inhibit bone breakdown that leads to osteoporosis.
4.Increase Muscle Mass
The fourth benefit of collagen is to help increase muscle mass. Between 1–10{5b4d37f3b561c14bd186647c61229400cd4722d6fb37730c64ddff077a6b66c6} of muscle tissue is composed of collagen. This protein is needed to keep your muscles strong and functioning properly. Studies by the University of Freiburg, Germany show that collagen supplements help increase muscle mass in people with sarcopenia, a loss of muscle mass that occurs with age.
In one study, 27 weak men took 15 grams of collagen while participating in an exercise program daily for 12 weeks. Compared to men who exercised but did not use collagen, they gained significantly more muscle mass and strength. Researchers have found that consuming collagen can increase the synthesis of muscle proteins such as creatine, as well as stimulate muscle growth after exercise.
5.Improve Heart Health
The fifth benefit of collagen is to help improve heart health. Researchers theorize that taking collagen supplements may help reduce the risk of heart-related conditions. Collagen provides structure to your arteries which are the blood vessels that carry blood from the heart to the rest of the body. Without enough collagen, arteries can become weak and brittle.
This can lead to atherosclerosis, a disease characterized by the narrowing of the blood vessels. Atherosclerosis has the potential to cause heart attacks and strokes. In a combined Japanese study, 31 healthy adults consumed 16 grams of collagen daily for 6 months.
In the end, they experienced a significant reduction in a measure of arterial stiffness, compared to before they started taking the supplement. In addition, they increased levels of “good” HDL cholesterol by an average of 6{5b4d37f3b561c14bd186647c61229400cd4722d6fb37730c64ddff077a6b66c6}. HDL is an important factor in the risk of heart disease, including atherosclerosis.
6.Other Health Benefits
Other health benefits of collagen include the following;
- Hair and nails. Consuming collagen can increase the strength of your nails by preventing brittleness. In addition, it can stimulate your hair and nails to grow longer.
- Intestinal health. Although there is no scientific evidence to support this claim, some health practitioners promote the use of collagen supplements to treat intestinal permeability or leaky gut syndrome.
- Brain health. There have been no studies examining the role of collagen supplements in brain health. However, some people claim they improve mood and reduce symptoms of anxiety.
- Weight loss. Some believe that taking collagen supplements can promote weight loss and a faster metabolism. There is no research to support this claim.
