The amazing benefits of collagen peptides supplements
Collagen is the most abundant protein in your body. It is the major component of connective tissues that make up several body parts, including tendons, skin, ligaments and muscles. Collagen has many important functions, including providing your skin with structure and strengthening your bones.1 Collagen supplements are hydrolyzed mostly, which means the collagen has been broken down, making it easier for you to absorb. Collagen makes up a whopping 80 percent of our skin, and works with another protein called elastin that keeps our skin elastic. But as we age, our bodies naturally start reducing collagen production. Starting in our 20s, we begin losing about 1 percent of our collagen each year, said Dr. Whitney Bowe – a leading New York City dermatologist and recognized expert in skin rejuvenation, cutting edge laser therapies and nutritional dermatology. She often recommends powder based supplements, especially collagen peptides (hydrolyzed collagen) because they are more easily absorbed by our bodies.
Collagen has been proved to be essential in skin health improvement, since it is the major component of your skin. It plays a role in strengthening skin, plus may benefit elasticity and hydration. As you age, your body produces less collagen, leading to dry skin and the formation of wrinkles.2
In a recent study, women who took 2.5–5 grams of collagen for 8 weeks experienced less skin dryness and a significant increase in skin elasticity compared with those who did not take the supplement.3
It is also worth mentioning that the wrinkle-reducing effects of collagen supplements have been attributed to their ability to stimulate your body to produce collagen on its own.4,5 Collagen peptides may also promote the production of other proteins that help structure your skin, such as: elastin and fibrillin.
As the amount of collagen in your body decreases as you get older, your risk of developing degenerative joint disorders such as osteoarthritis increases.6 Taking collagen peptides has been shown to reduce inflammation and stimulate collagen synthesis in the body. Collagen taken regularly may help promote pain relief among people with joint disorders like osteoarthritis. In one study, 73 athletes who consumed 10 grams of collagen daily for 24 weeks experienced a significant decrease in joint pain while walking and at rest, compared with a group that did not take it.7 Based on numerous studies, researchers have theorized that supplemental collagen may accumulate in cartilage and stimulate your tissues to make collagen.
Collagen peptides (also referred to as hydrolyzed collagen) could also prevent bone loss. Not only your skin is mostly made of collagen, but your bones too, so the role of collagen is to give them structure and to help keep them strong.8
Osteoporosis, like skin aging, is caused by collagen loss which is reversible. Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by low bone density and linked to a higher risk of bone fractures. Taking collagen supplements could help inhibit the bone breakdown that leads to osteoporosis. Studies have shown that hydrolyzed collagen is of interest as a therapeutic agent of potential utility in the treatment of osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. Its high level of safety makes it attractive as an agent for long-term use in these chronic disorders.9
Collagen peptides (hydrolyzed collagen) have a positive therapeutic effect on osteoporosis and osteoarthritis with a potential increase in bone mineral density, a protective effect on articular cartilage, and especially in the symptomatic relief of pain. The group most affected by osteoporosis are older women whose decreased estrogen production after menopause accelerates bone loss.10
Both aging and a poor diet can affect the level of collagen in the body. These changes are not noticeable in the early stages of life, but become evident in the mature phase, in which food intake does not meet the recommended requirements as effectively, in terms of energy and macro and micronutrients.11
With a daily supplementation of 8g there was an increase in glycine and proline concentration in plasma. Also, daily doses equivalent to 12g has been proven to be enough for a significant improvement in the symptoms of osteoarthritis and osteoporosis.
Collagen peptides could also boost muscle mass. Between 1–10% of muscle tissue is composed of collagen. This protein is necessary to keep your muscles strong and functioning properly.12 Other studies suggest that collagen supplements help boost muscle mass in people with sarcopenia, the loss of muscle mass that happens with age, and they may promote the synthesis of muscle proteins like creatine, as well as stimulate muscle growth after exercise.13
Researchers have also concluded that taking collagen supplements may help reduce the risk of heart-related conditions, such as atherosclerosis, heart attack, strokes.14 In a recent study, 31 healthy adults took 16 grams of collagen daily for 6 months. By the end, they had experienced a significant reduction in measures of artery stiffness, compared with before they started taking the supplement and it increased their levels of HDL “good” cholesterol by an average of 6%.15
Collagen supplements have shown potential in increasing the strength of your nails and stimulating hair growth, promoting a faster metabolism and weight loss. Collagen improves skin hydration, elasticity, roughness and density.16 It will make your skin look dewy and fresh, your bones and nails strong. Bioactive collagen peptides treatment promoted an increase of 12% nail growth rate and a decrease of 42% in the frequency of broken nails. Additionally, 64% of participants achieved a global clinical improvement in brittle nails, and 88% of participants experienced an improvement 4 weeks post-treatment. The majority of participants (80%) agreed that the use of bioactive collagen peptides improved their nails’ appearance, and were completely satisfied with the performance of the treatment.17 So we can say that these benefits makes the collagen indispensable in your skin care ritual.
If you have allergies, it is important to make sure to purchase supplements that aren’t made from collagen sources you’re allergic to. As a conclusion, taking collagen is associated with a number of health benefits and very few known risks. Collagen supplements are safe, very easy to use, and definitely worth trying for their potential benefits.
1 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK21582/
2 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3583892/
3 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23949208/
4 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3583892/
5 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/259628887_Oral_Intake_of_Specific_Bioactive_
Collagen_Peptides _Reduces_Skin_Wrinkles_and_Increases_Dermal_Matrix_Synthesis
6 https://www.scielo.br/pdf/rbgg/v19n1/1809-9823-rbgg-19-01-00153.pdf
7 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18416885/
8 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16341622/
9 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11071580/
10 Inderjeeth CA, Poland KE. Management of osteoporosis in older people. J Pharm Pract Res [Internet] 2010 [acesso em 16 fev. 2014];40(3):229-34. Disponível em: http://jppr.shpa.org.au/lib/pdf/2010_09/C
_Inderjeeth_GT.pdf
11 Franzen JM, Santos JMSR, Zancanaro V. Colágeno: uma abordagem para a estética. Rev Interdiscipl Estud Saúde [Internet] 2013 [acesso em 5 mar. 2014];2(2):49- 61. Disponível em: http://www.uniarp.edu.br/periodicos/index.php/ries/article/view/161/171
12 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3177172/
13 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4594048/
14 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0062943/
15 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5429168/
16 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6835901/
17 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28786550/
