Hello my cake loving heavy lifters! It is spring time and beautiful and I bet everyone is thinking about how to trim down for that summer body. We will be going over summer bodies in future posts, but today I wanted to cover a requested topic — collagen.
I hope you have been enjoying spring coming (outside of allergies plaguing us all) and are getting excited for the warmer months. This was a cold winter for some of us, so getting back to sunshine after daylight savings is getting me excited.
I previously wrote about what supplements people might choose to take and when I wrote that article there was a mention of collagen and it has been requested to go into more detail about the supplement, its effects, and if it’s worth to take.
This week we are talking about and doing a dive into collagen as a supplement. It is usually an ad you see for supplementation I see so often and get a lot of questions of if we should be taking it.
Usually we see this marketed towards women within a weight loss themed ad. A lot of people are average gym goers and want to take what is best for them and feel like they are doing what they should be in order to get results. This gets muddy when companies market products that may or may not be what you need, they just make it sound good.
I do want to stress that having a good workout routine, pushing yourself hard, and eating predominately whole foods with an emphasis on protein is where everyone should start before they start looking to other things that may sound like it will give them results faster. Because, in reality, the basics work all of the time. Supplementation is not a magic pill or the key that unlocks something, it’s just to supplement what you are already doing right.
Now that we have asked the question of ‘what is collagen’, we might see a ton of ads with claims that say it will do X, Y, or Z for us. Today, I wanted to round up some general information and give you some answers to questions like:
What is collagen?
Who should take it?
Why should I take it?
What are sources of collagen?
Does it have bearing on weight loss?
Don’t worry about being sold on a product today — we don’t manufacture supplements. We are going to break down these questions and see what’s legitimate and what is false.
Always remember to save your money if something looks too good to be true because an ad will always have the company’s profits in mind and you’re usually last on the list of importance.
We are going to go over what collagen does in your body, where you can find it, and if you should take it in today’s article. So lets dig in.
What is collagen?
from examine.com: “Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body and plays a role in the structures of the skin, cartilage, bones, and connective tissues. Collagen is often taken as a supplement to promote skin health, bone health, and healthy joints.”
If you can remember anything from anatomy class in college, collagen is one of the most important protein structures that make up your body. The connective tissue we have must be malleable and flexible so we can move and operate smoothly. It’s also found in your organs, blood vessels and intestinal lining.
from Cleavland Clinic: “The main amino acids that make collagen are proline, glycine and hydroxyproline. These amino acids group together to form protein fibrils in a triple helix structure. Your body also needs the proper amount of vitamin C, zinc, copper and manganese to make the triple helix.”
Who should take it?
There have been some studies in those with joint pain. So, it can potentially be effective for relieving pain and improving joint function in people with osteoarthritis.
Those who want to improve their skin. This study shows improved skin hydration, elasticity, roughness, and density.
Those who want to counteract signs of natural aging.
Those who want to find help with digestion. This study showed there can be a possible reduction in digestive symptoms, which includes bloating.
Older people or women who are concerned with their bones and joints (who may be experiencing pain).
A few people say that if you feel it does something for you, there is no harm in taking collagen. If you feel better taking it, then by all means!
Why take collagen?
This can go hand in hand with our last section of who should take collagen. If you feel there is a benefit to taking collagen for you and you have improvements in skin, hair, nails, or joints I would go ahead and keep it in your daily routine.
It has generally been recommended for those with concern for their joints (particularly knees) so they can have as much help in their joints as possible with a good therapy routines, exercise plans, and a good diet.
A fun study that we should mention is for those with digestive complaints. Read that here.
Those who may have digestive problems can supplement collagen (20g/day) to see if this is something that they can use to help them with their belly issues.
Women typically are most common users of collagen. Read this study to find out why that may be
It may be a good supplement to help your skin stay supple and elastic. Data might be a little lacking, but a lot of people report that it does help them.
Older people who might want to increase bone density and preserve joint health do well with a high protein diet anyway. Supplementing collagen poses no real downsides according to healthline.
Those who can afford $30-50 a month in collagen supplements have no real cons to taking this supplement if it is something you would like to use.
Sources of Collagen
Supplementation
Bone broth (I suggest making your own to be sure it’s not imitation. Plus it is a use for that left over Costco chicken.)
Remember how grandma said to have chicken soup to feel better? Bone broth is high in collagen and all that jello looking stuff in the broth is nature’s natural collagen supplement.
Chicken
Chicken necks and the cartilage are amazing sources of collagen. There is a lot of connective tissue in a chicken and getting some of that will boost your intake.
Fish and Shrimp
Marine collagen is a great option for collagen supplementation and some claim that it is absorbed better.
Fish skin is a great source of collagen.
Egg whites
The protection of the yolk? Yes! High in protein, it contains an essential building block of collagen for you to produce, and oh so good for you.
Fruits high in vitamin C encourage your body’s production of collagen.
Special mention to garlic, who can help prevent breakdown of collagen.
Whatever your preferred source is, this study mentions that women who consumed extra collagen had higher levels of skin elasticity after four weeks than those who took a placebo.
Does collagen help with weight loss?
Probably not.
It could help you on your journey if you find collagen makes it more comfortable to exercise. With better exercise, you may find that you can lose weight better.
Protein overall helps with being satisfied with meals and you might find that adding collagen to a routine could maybe help with hunger levels.
It could help with the obese population, one study notes that collagen peptides from skate had an anti-obesity effect in mice. While it is a major assumption that it would do the same in humans, you can only try and find out for yourself.
Overall collagen peptides are not a huge useful tool for weight loss, but it could help with your journey by reducing joint paint or make you feel better about your skin which could help with your motivation levels to continue on your journey to fitness.
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