 |
Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body. Collagen has a variety of 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 has been popularly known 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 rinds and bone broth. Consuming collagen can have a variety of health benefits, from relieving joint pain to improving skin health. |
Here are benefits of collagen for body health and skin beauty that are supported by science from consuming collagen.
1. Improve Skin Health
The benefits of collagen are the first to help improve skin health. Collagen is the main component of your skin. Collagen plays a role in strengthening skin, elasticity and hydration. As you age, your body produces less collagen, causing dry skin and the formation of wrinkles.
However, several studies have shown that peptides or supplements containing collagen can help slow down skin aging 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 skin dryness 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 laced with collagen supplements daily for 12 weeks experienced increased skin hydration and a significant reduction in wrinkles compared to the control group. The wrinkle reducing effect of collagen supplements is attributed to its ability to stimulate the body to independently produce collagen.
In addition, taking collagen supplements can increase the production of other proteins that help tone the skin, including elastin and fibrillin. There are also many anecdotal claims that collagen supplements help prevent acne and other skin conditions, but this is not yet 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 rubbery 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 at Chicago suggest that taking collagen supplements can help improve osteoarthritis symptoms and reduce overall joint pain.
73 athletes who consumed 10 grams of collagen daily for 24 weeks experienced a significant reduction in joint pain when walking and still, compared with the group who did not drink 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 to 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 is associated with a higher risk of fractures.
Studies by Case Western Reserve University, USA have shown that using collagen supplements can have certain effects in 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% of muscle tissue is composed of collagen. This protein is necessary to keep your muscles strong and functioning properly. A study by the University of Freiburg, Germany shows that collagen supplements help increase muscle mass in people with sarcopenia, the loss of muscle mass that occurs with age.
In one study, 27 weak men took 15 grams of collagen while participating in a daily exercise program for 12 weeks. Compared with 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 protein 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 might help reduce the risk of heart-related conditions. Collagen provides structure to your arteries, which are blood vessels that carry blood from your heart to the rest of your body. Without enough collagen, arteries can become weak and brittle.
This can lead to atherosclerosis, a disease characterized by narrowing of the blood vessels. Atherosclerosis has the potential to cause heart attacks and strokes. In a joint study in Japan, 31 healthy adults consumed 16 grams of collagen daily for 6 months.
Ultimately, they experienced a significant reduction in the size of arterial stiffness, compared to before they started taking the supplement. In addition, they raised levels of "good" HDL cholesterol by an average of 6%. HDL is an important factor in the risk of heart disease, including atherosclerosis.
Other Health Benefits
Other collagen benefits for health include the following;
- Hair and nails. Consuming collagen can increase the strength of your nails by preventing brittleness. In addition, it can stimulate your health hair and nails to grow longer.
- Gut health. Although there is no scientific evidence to support these claims, some health practitioners promote the use of collagen supplements to treat intestinal permeability, or leaky gut syndrome.
- Brain health. No studies have yet investigated the role of collagen supplements in brain health. However, some people claim they improve mood and reduce anxiety symptoms.
- Weight loss. Some believe that taking collagen supplements can promote weight gain and a faster health metabolism. There is no research to support this claim.