If you’re paying attention to the health and beauty space, you’ve probably heard about collagen by now.
Collagen is one of the big players in the supplement market. The market size was estimated to be around $4.27 billion in 2018.
The question is, are the benefits of collagen worth the hype? Luckily, there is science that backs up the claims.
Below are seven benefits you will see when taking collagen supplements.
1. Improved Skin Health
If there is one thing that is vital to your skin that helps you look good, it’s collagen.
Many people turn to collagen because they believe that it will help them look younger. Collagen can help because it will help hydrate and strengthen your skin. As you age, your body will naturally produce less collagen, so supplementing it can return it to previous levels.
A study done by the Journal of Medical Nutrition and Nutraceuticals found this with their research. The study involved a group of women who took various supplements over several weeks. The women who supplemented collagen saw fewer wrinkles and better hydration of their skin.
2. Increased Muscle Mass
When most people think of collagen, they probably think of skin benefits. But that’s only the most visible way that collagen helps. It can also help you increase muscle mass.
Collagen is an excellent supplement for people who exercise regularly. Collagen makes up upwards of 10% of your muscle tissue. Researchers believe that collagen helps create proteins that aid in muscle growth.
A study done in 2016 set it to prove this. The study followed a group of 56 men over 12 weeks. After the research was done, the participants who supplemented with collagen saw more considerable muscle growth than those who didn’t.
Take a look at hydrolyzed collagen benefits if you want to learn more about how collagen can help promote muscle growth when exercising.
3. Stop Joint Pain
As you get older, the cartilage in your joints is going to start breaking down. This can lead to you to develop degenerative joint disease and arthritis.
The good news is, some studies show that supplementing collagen into your diet can help relieve your pain.
Researchers believe that collagen supplementation can gather in your joints and stimulate your body to create more collagen there. This leads to less inflammation and better support for your joints.
A study done took athletes who suffered joint pain while walking and separated them into two groups. After 24 weeks, the group of athletes that supplemented collagen saw significantly less joint pain.
4. Prevent Bone Loss
Did you know your bones are mostly made of collagen? It helps keep them together and keeps them strong.
As you get older and you start producing less collagen, your bones are going to get weaker. This can lead to conditions like osteoporosis. You’ll be more likely to suffer bone fractures later in life.
This is where collagen comes into play. Your collagen supplement will replace the collagen you lose during life to help maintain your bone strength.
A study done on collagen supplements has proven this. This study gave a group of women collagen and calcium supplements over one year. After the year was over, researchers saw a lower amount of the protein responsible for the breakdown of bones.
5. Improved Heart Health
Collagen can do more than keep your skin and bones strong. It can also help other parts of your body to maintain their structure. One of these areas is your heart arteries.
Without enough collagen, your arteries can become weak. This is a condition known as atherosclerosis. It shows itself when your arteries become narrow and can lead to heart attacks and strokes.
Luckily, we can measure the size of our arteries. A recent study was done that helped prove that collagen could do this.
This study followed a group of 30 people over six months. At the end of the study, the group of people who received collagen supplements saw a reduction of artery stiffness and bad cholesterol.
6. Helps Leaky Gut
Leaky gut is becoming a big problem for a lot of people. It happens when your intestinal wall becomes weak. Many of the toxins, food particles and infections will leak out into your bloodstream.
Over time, this can lead to chronic inflammation and autoimmune disease. The good news is, collagen can help.
Your intestinal wall is made up of small folds called villi. These are made of collagen. By adding a collagen supplement to your diet, you can help repair these folds and stop your gut from leaking.
A study was done on collagen to confirm this. It found that the introduction of collagen in the diet helped relieve symptoms caused by leaky gut.
7. Supports Healthy Brain Function
Dementia is becoming more common in society today. One of the common indicators of dementia is a buildup of amyloid-beta proteins.
These proteins are a type of acid that builds up in areas of your brain. Over time, they create large areas of plaque that are common in people who suffer from Alzheimer’s.
Researchers have found that collagen can help prevent this. When you increase your collagen intake, your brain can form a protective layer that protects your brain from these proteins.
A study done by Gladstone Institutes was able to back this up. Researchers looked at the areas of the brain known to be used for memory in this study. They were able to observe the interaction between collagen and amyloid-beta proteins to see how collagen was able to defend against them.
Try Collagen Tablets Today
Collagen is great for your body. It’s one of the most abundant proteins your body produces, and it plays a vital role in keeping you healthy. If you’re looking for an all-around good supplement to your diet, then try collagen tablets today to see if it helps.
But collagen supplements aren’t the only thing you can do to help your health. Head back to our blog to read our latest health advice.
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