A-Z collagen benefits Articles

Collagen is a very popular natural health supplement, mainly due to its anti-aging benefits. With the many options, shopping for a quality collagen supplement can feel overwhelming. There are many formats and different sources collagen is extracted from. The two most popular sources of collagen are marine and bovine. While both will help with overall collagen enhancement, your health goals are important in selecting the right one. In this article, you will learn what collagen is and the benefits of bovine collagen and how to take it as a supplement.

But First, What is Collagen?

Collagen is a protein that makes up about 30% of the total protein in the human body. It is responsible for giving skin its elasticity and strength, as well as helping to heal wounds and repair muscles. Collagen is also found underneath the skin's surface, in connective tissue, including tendons, cartilage, bones, and teeth.

As you age, your body produces less collagen. In fact, you produce 1% less collagen each year, which contributes to wrinkles on the skin as well as joint pain. Additionally, if you smoke, eat a lot of sugary or refined carbohydrates, or are exposed to excessive amounts of sunlight, you may also be at risk for decreased collagen production. However, not all hope is lost; when the correct type of collagen is taken, these supplements can help boost your body's production.

Types of Collagen

There are three main types of collagen: type I, type II, and type III. Type I is the most abundant form of collagen, making up about 90% of the total amount found in your body. This type is found in the skin and bones, as well as some organs like the kidney and heart. Type II collagen is less common in humans but can be found in cartilage, tendons, and ligaments. Type III is found in the skin, lungs, intestinal walls, and the walls of blood vessels. Interestingly, types I and III collagen are usually found together in tissues such as connective tissue.

Therefore, when choosing the best collagen supplement, it's important to choose one that will work well with your natural collagen production. As stated, types I and III are the most abundant in the body, and bovine collagen has been shown to increase both of these types of collagen.

An Introduction to Bovine Collagen

Bovine collagen is the most popular source of collagen supplements on the market today. As the name suggests, it is a natural ingredient that is derived from cow hides. Bovine collagen is a source of Peptan collagen, which is type 1 collagen that offers the beauty and skin benefits most people turn to a collagen supplement for, as well as joint health benefits too.

Benefits of Bovine Collagen

Taking bovine collagen can provide many benefits: 

• Bone health - type I collagen is the main component of bones. This is why supplementing with bovine collagen can help strengthen your bones. Collagen can be used in conjunction with osteoporosis treatments and can also be beneficial for anyone healing from a bone fracture.
• Skin health - the collagen in your skin is primarily composed of types I and III collagen, making bovine collagen a potential anti-aging treatment for wrinkles, elasticity, and moisture.
• Joint health and osteoporosis - bovine collagen provides the amino acids that your body needs to strengthen joints and more. In a study of 30 people with osteoarthritis affecting their knees, those who received 5 grams of bovine collagen each day for 13 weeks experienced improvements in symptoms.

How is Bovine Collagen Made?

Bovine collagen is extracted from cow hides. It is then processed and purified to produce collagen powder.

Majority of bovine collagen supplements are hydrolyzed. Hydrolyzed supplements are broken down into smaller fragments called peptides. The reason for this is that it makes collagen easier to digest and is said to have better bioavailability than non-hydrolyzed collagen. Hydrolyzed collagen has been shown in studies to improve joint health, reduce pain, and have anti-aging benefits.

Bovine Collagen Supplements - Formats, Dose & Precautions

Bovine collagen is a powerful supplement for anyone who wants to improve the health of their joints and skin. People with joint issues including pain, inflammation, injuries, stiffness, and/or swelling, and those who want youthful skin can all benefit from bovine collagen. 

Formats and Dosages

Bovine collagen can be bought in capsule, tablet, or powder form. The dosage depends on the age, weight, and health condition of the person who will consume it.

Generally, a beneficial dose of collagen is 600–1200 milligrams (or 6–12 grams) per day.

Precautions and Safety

It is important to point out that bovine collagen is completely safe and healthy. Collagen is considered a food supplement that can be found as an individual supplement or in combination formulas.

As with any other product containing an animal-based product (such as gelatin), people who are allergic to bovine products may experience reactions if they use this product regularly. However, there have been no reported cases of adverse reactions associated with taking bovine collagen for cosmetic purposes or general health benefits. Therefore, this ingredient does not pose any significant health risks when used appropriately by otherwise healthy people.

Peptan Collagen is a Superior Raw Material

Peptan collagen is a superior raw material. It's derived from the bones and cartilage of grass-fed cows and contains more than 70% peptides. Peptides are small chains of amino acids that can be easily absorbed by your body. The body converts these small chains into larger, functional proteins in the presence of water. This makes it easier for your body to use this substance than other forms of collagen (such as gelatin).

In addition to its unique structure, Peptan collagen is produced using a patented process. This process allows it to maintain its integrity while being processed into powder form. Which means you'll receive all the benefits of this superior raw material without having to worry about any fillers or additives.

If you'd like to continue learning about collagen from National Nutrition and natural health experts, check out this video on our Youtube channel along with many other natural supplement reviews.

References

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5707681/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24852756/ 
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4057461/

Gut health is not something that should be taken lightly. If there are problems with your gut health, it will affect other parts of your body. So it’s important to take proactive measures to keep your gut healthy. In this article, we will look at the benefits of collagen for gut health and why you should use collagen supplements to promote gut health.

Anatomy of the Intestines and Why Gut Wall Integrity is Important

It's not just the stomach that needs attention for healthy gut health. The lining of your intestines must also be strong, and collagen is an essential nutrient for this. Collagen is a protein found in healthy connective tissues such as bones and skin. It has been shown to promote healing in wounds as well as strengthen joints, which can help reduce joint pain associated with osteoarthritis.

The gut wall is a barrier to prevent toxins from entering the bloodstream. It is made of layers of cells that connect and form tight junctions. These join together to form an impermeable layer that keeps out harmful substances, bacteria, and viruses.

The gut wall is also important for immune health because it regulates how well nutrients are absorbed into your system. The more nutrients you absorb, the healthier your body will be overall. Which is why many consider taking collagen for gut health optimization.

The gut wall is made up of collagen and elastin, which help it be strong enough to withstand pressure from the process of digestion.

It is also made up of mucus and cells that help protect your body from harmful substances. The gut wall plays an important role in digestion and the absorption of nutrients into your body. It helps break down food and absorb the nutrients that are needed for good health.

What Happens When the Gut Wall's Integrity Fails?

When your gut wall's integrity fails, the pathway for toxins to enter the bloodstream is opened up. This can result in "leaky gut" syndrome, also known as intestinal hyper-permeability or intestinal permeability. Leaky gut has been linked with a variety of health issues, including IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), fibromyalgia, depression, and autoimmune conditions.

Dysbiosis 

Dysbiosis is the term used to describe an imbalance of the gut flora. It can lead to leaky gut syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and other digestive problems. Dysbiosis is caused by several factors, including:

• Antibiotics
• Chronic stress
• Environmental toxins (such as chemicals in plastics)
• A diet high in sugar, processed foods, and artificial ingredients

The gut microbiome is made up of trillions of bacteria, viruses, and fungi. These microorganisms live in your intestines and are essential for your health. They help digest food, prevent illness-causing germs from multiplying, and assist with the absorption of nutrients. This is a very important bodily process that you want to keep operating well, nutrients such as collagen can bolster your guts health and keep it operating smoothly.

IBS 

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a condition that causes your bowels to become swollen, and painful, and have a lot of gas or mucus in them. Some people with IBS may also have diarrhea or constipation. The symptoms can be mild or severe, and they frequently worsen when certain foods are consumed.

It's not clear what causes IBS symptoms in most people with the condition. But things like diet and stress can make them worse. Good news: It's usually easy to manage your symptoms so they don't get in the way of your life and supplementing with nutrients like collagen can enhance your gut health profile.

Signs and Symptoms of Gut Health Problems

• Bloating: the accumulation of gas in the stomach or intestines.
• Diarrhea: frequent watery, loose stools.
• Constipation: infrequent bowel movements and hard stool.
• Abdominal pain: discomfort in your abdominal area, including cramping and bloating.
• Nausea/vomiting (or both): feeling sick to your stomach and throwing up from it.
• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS): diarrhea, constipation, abdominal pain, or bloating that comes and goes for at least three months but doesn't last as long as six months.
• Vitamin deficiencies: loss of appetite and weight loss, muscle weakness, dry skin; brittle nails, fatigue, pale gums, tingling sensation in hands or feet, muscle cramps, anemia. 

Gut Health and Collagen

There has not been a lot of research on collagen and gut health as of yet. To date, most of the research has been on animals. But to understand the role of collagen in the gut, we must look at the amino acids found in collagen.

• Glutamine helps to build connective tissues and heal the gut's lining, which can be helpful for those with leaky gut. Glutamine can also support healthy gut microbiota (aka gut bacteria), which can help to strengthen the gut wall. Interestingly, glutamine is sold on its own as a supplement and is used in many leaky gut protocols.
• Glycine and proline are two amino acids that help seal and heal the gut lining when it is damaged, improving digestion.
• Arginine is another amino acid involved in wound healing in the gut.

Collagen naturally contains all these amino acids, making it a helpful supplement to accompany your gut health regime.

How to Use Collagen for Gut Health

The dosage and best collagen supplement for you will depend on your individual needs. Most collagen supplements are sold in doses ranging from 5 to 10 grams.

Collagen is available in many different formats, but the powder is ideal. Simply stir your collagen into a beverage of your choice (it dissolves in water) and drink. It is also helpful to make sure you're getting additional probiotics in your diet, as well as a fibre source that is easy to tolerate, such as beta-glucan.

References

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1756464620305028

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25368996/ 
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9198822/

While many supplements can be taken to protect the joints, one that your body makes naturally is collagen. Because collagen production lowers with age, many turn to this supplement for further support. Joints are made of cartilage, a tough but flexible connective tissue that has no blood vessels or nerves and is mostly made from collagen fibres. 

Those who suffer from joint issues have many supplement options available. Continue reading to learn how collagen is a major contender in helping joint health thrive. In this article, we will explore your joints, how they work, and how the best collagen supplement can help support better joint health.

How Joints Function

Your body has over 300 joints, each made up of a cartilage-covered bone surrounded by a joint capsule. Cartilage cushions the ends of your bones and allows them to glide smoothly over each other when you bend or move. It's also made of collagen fibres—the same fibres that make up skin, tendons, and ligaments—which are arranged in layers that become denser as they approach the part that slides against another bone.

Joints and Your Soft Tissue

Joints are made up of soft tissue, which includes ligaments and tendons. The bones that make up a joint are covered by a thin layer of cartilage. That cartilage acts as a strong, flexible layer to reduce friction between the bones. Cartilage is made up of collagen fibres that connect in an organized structure.

Research shows with age, the type II collagen in joints declines, and puts you at a higher risk of developing osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease that causes the cartilage in the joints to break down, leading to pain and inflammation.

Plus, the stress hormone cortisol can also destroy joint cartilage, so stress reduction can help protect the body's joints.

How Collagen Fibres Fray in Your Joints

Collagen is a fibrous protein, meaning it is made of long chains amino acids that are wound into a tight helix. Collagen helps to hold things together by providing strength and stability.

Fraying of collagen fibres can cause pain and stiffness due to increased movement between individual collagen strands within your joints. This increased movement causes friction between the joint surfaces, which then leads to inflammation.

How Collagen Supplementation Helps Joint Repair

As mentioned, collagen is a fibrous protein that is found in connective tissues in the body. Being the most abundant protein in the body, collagen makes up about 30% of your skin, bones, ligaments, and tendons. Collagen helps keep your joints strong and flexible by helping them heal after injury or wear and tear over time.

Types of Collagen

You might be familiar with the three main types of collagen: types I, II, and III. But there are at least 28 types of collagen. Type II collagen loss is associated with joint pain and osteoarthritis. While types I and III, which are abundant in bovine collagen, are usually found in tissues such as connective tissue.

Studies on Collagen for Joints

Type II collagen from bovine sources has been shown to provide the greatest benefit to joint health. In a study of 30 people with osteoarthritis affecting their knees, those who received 5 grams of bovine collagen each day for 13 weeks experienced improvements in symptoms.

In one meta-analysis, researchers reviewed the current medical studies on collagen supplementation and osteoarthritis. They found that collagen supplementation greatly reduced joint stiffness and other osteoarthritis symptoms.

Although this has not yet been studied, researchers theorize that collagen supplements can collect in the joints, thus stimulating the body to create more of its own collagen.

How to Take Collagen For Joints

When the body is injured, it requires the building blocks necessary to repair soft tissues such as tendons and ligaments. Collagen supplements provide your body with essential elements. Type I and III collagens help maintain bone and repair damaged tendons and ligaments. Type II collagen is used in the production and repair of cartilage in the body. Thus, supplementation with Type II collagen from bovine sources can promote the repair of internal joint structures.

After a few months of initial arthritic treatment, adding types I and III from marine collagen can help boost results. This may be due to the increased support of healthy bone regeneration or stronger joint support from the increased structural integrity of tendons and ligaments.

To get the maximum benefit from collagen supplements, try to take a daily dose of up to 10 grams per day for at least 12 weeks. If using a powdered form of the supplement, mix it with your favourite beverage and consume with meals as needed. Collagen powders are available in both flavoured and unflavoured varieties and can be mixed into a wide range of foods and beverages, including coffee, hot chocolate, and smoothies.

Precautions and Side Effects

You may notice better joint mobility after taking a collagen supplement for several weeks—and if so, keep going. This means that your body will use its own natural healing abilities instead of relying on outside sources like prescription medications, which often have unwanted side effects.

Collagen is effective when taken regularly for up to six months (with little evidence of negative side effects).

Collagen is the connective tissue that keeps our joints strong and healthy. In this article, you've learned about how collagen fibres fray, break down in your joints and how collagen supplementation can help rebuild your joints.

References

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24852756/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30368550/ 
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28049007/

While collagen is a well known as a supplement, it is found in ample supply in your skin and connective tissues. What makes marine collagen supplements so popular is that, as you age, your natura production depletes. Because collagen helps keep joints strong and flexible and your skin supple and radiant by boosting elastin, many people turn to a high-quality collagen supplement.

Collagen contains amino acids that play a key role in your immune system, protein synthesis (growth), wound healing, and hair growth. But did you know there are several types of collagen? In this article, we will explore one of the most popular types of collagen: marine collagen.

Types of Collagen

Marine collagen is a source of types I and II. Type I is the most abundant in the human body. It's mainly found in bones, tendons, and cartilage, while type II is found in skin and connective tissue.

Marine collagen is broken down by the body into its component amino acids, which are then absorbed and utilized by the body. While it contains 18 amino acids, it also contains high levels of the amino acids glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline. However, it's important to note that marine collagen contains only eight out of the nine essential amino acids; therefore, it's not considered a complete protein.

The Role of Collagen in the Body

Collagen is a type of protein, and the main components of collagen are amino acids and minerals. These are the building blocks for healthy skin, hair, joints, and bones. Collagen is also found in your tendons and ligaments, which support your bones when you move around.

Marine Collagen Benefits

This form of collagen can help improve skin dryness, reduce wrinkles and fine lines, boost the immune system, and even strengthen tendons and joints. The benefits of this supplement have been backed up by several studies. The following are the researched advantages of taking a marine collagen supplement:

Skin health: As the most abundant protein in your body, collagen helps to give structure and hydration to the skin. Collagen helps create a firm foundation for healthy-looking skin tone and promotes elasticity. In one study, women who took a supplement containing hydrolyzed type I collagen derived from tilapia showed fewer wrinkles and improved moisture retention in their skin compared to those who took a placebo.

Joint health: Consumption of marine collagen can help your body produce this protein, which can lead to improved joint support as well as relief from joint pain caused by osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis when used regularly over time.

Gut health: Glycine and glutamine are two amino acids found in marine collagen that may be beneficial to gut health. Both play a role in supporting the tissue that lines the digestive tract. Glycine can help to reduce inflammation, making it helpful for managing inflammatory gut conditions, while glutamine is necessary for the health of enterocytes (epithelial cells) that line the gastrointestinal tract.

How is Marine Collagen Made?

Marine collagen is a type of protein that comes from fish and other marine animals. It's extracted from the collagenous connective tissue found in their skin, bones, cartilage, and fins. Often, the fish scales used for marine collagen are by-products of the fishing industry, making most of these products a sustainable choice. When shopping for marine collagen, look for a supplement made from deep-sea wild fish that are sustainably farmed.

Once harvested, the collagen is extracted and purified before being processed into a powder for easy consumption.

The best collagen supplement will be hydrolyzed, and the same goes for marine collagen. Hydrolyzed is superior because it means the collagen peptides are broken down into small pieces that are easier to digest. The more easily digested this supplement is, the better it works in your body. The hydrolysis process also makes your collagen easier to mix into beverages.

Marine Collagen Formats and Dosages

There are several formats of marine collagen to choose from, including capsules, tablets, and powder. The most common form is powder, which can be mixed into a drink or food like any other supplement. As for dosage, look for products containing 6 to 12 grams of collagen, as this is the dose range that has been shown to provide the most benefit.

The best way to know if marine collagen is right for you is to start with a small amount and see how your body reacts. Then gradually increase the dosage until you feel results that meet your standards for relief or improvement in your health condition(s).

Precautions and Side Effects

There are no precautions required with marine collagen. This supplement is safe for most people and will not react with medications. However, anyone who is allergic to fish or shellfish should avoid taking marine collagen.

Marine collagen is a great alternative to other types of collagen. It's a protein that you can use as part of your diet to improve your health as well as take advantage of its anti-aging properties. The benefits include: improved skin elasticity and hydration, stronger bones and joints, reducing inflammation throughout the body (including joint pain), increased energy levels due to increased blood flow wherever there are capillaries (i.e., throughout organs like the kidneys or liver), and lowered cholesterol levels by aiding in detoxification processes within liver cells themselves.

References

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25660807/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30681787/ 
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4206255/