Did you know that collagen is a naturally-occurring protein in the body? It’s a key component for the skin, bones, muscles, and other parts of the body. Many people will take collagen supplements to support muscle growth and skin health, but does collagen actually help?
In this blog post, we address the top benefits of collagen and why you should get started with supplements.
What Is Collagen?
As the most abundant protein in the body, collagen connective tissue can be found around the ligaments, tendons, skin, muscles, and around the organs of the digestive tract. The function of collagen is to help tissues withstand stretching, but as the body ages, the production of collagen slows down. As a result, the skin can lose its elasticity, bone density may decrease, and joints may become stiff.
Collagen Nutrition Facts
There are so many collagen-rich foods. This protein can be found in bone broth, as well as skins from pork, chicken, and fish. Other foods that are rich in collagen include:
- Shellfish
- Oranges
- Bell peppers
- Kiwis
- Whole grains
- Eggs
- Meats
Foods that are particularly rich in collagen are cold meat cuts that have connective tissue, such as briskets, chuck steaks, and pot roast. Bone broth is trending because it’s rich in collagen. Creating a bone broth involves simmering bones with some vinegar and water to help release collagen and various minerals for four to 24 hours.
However, the amino acids harvested will vary depending on the kinds of bones used for the broth, how long it was cooked, and whether the ingredients were canned or packaged. Gelatin is another form of collagen which can be achieved by boiling cartilage, animal bones, and skin for hours until it turns into a liquid and is set aside to cool. By breaking down the connective tissues in bones, you’ll be able to get gelatin, a derivative of collagen, both of which are promoted for meal plans like the paleo diet.
Once collagen is digested inside the stomach, it will be broken down into smaller particles known as amino acids, which are distributed around the areas of the body in need of protein. However, there are other food items that can help with collagen production and may also be recommended for a healthy eating plan.
Collagen Benefits for the Health
In the past few years, collagen has become more and more popular and is a go-to supplement for its many health benefits. It can be commonly found as a capsule, liquid or powder, where these supplements are hydrolyzed (broken down) which results in better absorption by the body compared to food sources. Below are just a few collagen health benefits.
Joint Health
Collagen has a major role in the health of connective tissue. When collagen production slows down, joint pain may increase as a result. A study from 2017 found that people who take collagen supplements before and after their workouts helped to alleviate joint pain around their knees.
Nail Strength
Collagen is one of the most crucial proteins for nails; they will often become brittle and crack if there is a shortage of collagen. Research shows that providing your nails with collagen will help them get stronger, grow faster, and break less.
Hair Fullness and Strength
Research also found the collagen is full of keratin, the amino acid that hair is made out of. When you supplement your hair with collagen, you’re allowing your hair to grow as beautifully and efficiently as possible.
Skin Elasticity
There are also studies that show how collagen supplements have revealed a huge improvement in the skin’s hydration, elasticity, as well as leaving anti-aging effects.
Conclusion
Because of these great benefits, collagen is one of the most essential components of the body and can help improve your health, particularly for bones, hair, joints, skin, and nails. These are just a few reasons why so many people have invested in collagen supplements. To get started, look into our best selling collagen products, Max Skulpt and Pure Collagen, or visit our website MaxMuscle for more details.