Many nutrients are essential for the growth of cells, bones, muscles, and important bodily functions. Our bodies can internally produce some of these, like Collagen, while we have to supplement others. So, what happens if your body can't make it sufficiently? You need to take it as a supplement for a healthy body.
In this article, we discuss all the benefits of collagen, why it is necessary for your body and things you need to know.
What is Collagen?
If you want to know how essential collagen is for our bodies, consider that several body parts, including muscles and tendons, have collagen as a major component in their creation. In essence, whenever you see a body part and its structure, it is because of Collagen. Even our skins are upright and strong because of Collagen in them.
How is it Formed in Our Bodies?
Several essential amino acids come together when making Collagen in our bodies, which is automatic. Following are some of the components that make up Collagen.
Proline – Easily available through the consumption of cabbage, dairy, mushrooms, etc.
Vitamin C – You can get it from citrus fruits.
Copper – Organ meats, sesame seeds, and cocoa powder are some food items rich in copper.
Glycine – Different animal skins, gelatin, and other protein-rich foods.
Zinc – Regular red meats, lentils, milk, cheese, etc.
What are the Different Types of Collagens?
According to extensive research, you can categorize most Collagen into five categories, and you can find most of these 29 types in these 5s. For example, type 1 is essential for bones, tendons, and ligaments, while type 4 can help your skin layers stay strong.
Regular collagen supplements support types 1 to 3, while most of them you can derive from collagen peptides. These peptides are easier to digest, which is why this form is most common regarding supplementation. You can also find these types in powder, which are easier to mix with water and consume.
How Much Daily Collagen Intake is Sufficient?
When you are going for the benefits of taking collagen every day, please consult your doctor first. It is essential to know which type you are going to consume. So, for example, you can take type 1 5-15 gm daily, but it varies in which type you are consuming. They are powdered so that they can be consumed as a drink. Whether it's a power drink, a smoothie, or consumed with fruit juices, the choice is with you.
Benefits of Collagen for Your Body from Daily Consumption
Let's see the amazing daily collagen intake benefits:
Better Recovery from Resistance Training
There are several studies that have shown that when you pair hydrolyzed Collagen after doing extensive resistance training, it can enhance the recovery process. The thing is that these collagen supplements are insufficient on their own as they are not a complete protein; they combine with other essential amino acids and make the protein that you need.
You Get Stronger Bones
Collagen has been shown to enhance bone density, especially for those in old age. Our bones become more brittle as we grow older as the bone density reduces over time, and we have to take calcium and collagen supplements to counter that.
Millions of Americans are patients of osteoporosis and are losing bone density. You can take powder-form collagen supplements to enhance density and live a healthy life.
Improve Your Skin Health
We have already discussed that Collagen is a key component in giving strength to different layers of your skin. Not just that, Collagen is also essential in maintaining the nutrition and elasticity of your skin. That is why hydrolyzed collagen is highly recommended for the skin, as it can enhance its hydration.
The better your skin structure and hydration, the slower its aging will be. So, if your skin is dry or wrinkling, intake some collagen daily and see the results.
Improve Hair Growth
Keratin is a protein responsible for making up the structure of our hair. If you want to enhance the strength and volume of your hair, there are many different treatments. If you supplement these treatments with a regular intake of Collagen, you can have healthy hair and much less hair loss.
Unfortunately, most hair improvements are personal experience, and many clinical trials are still needed to prove their accuracy.
Healthier Nails
You should increase your daily collagen intake if you want your nails to grow stronger and faster. With an intake of daily collagen supplementation, you will start seeing results within four weeks.
Boost Your Muscle Mass
As we have iterated in the previous section, Collagen is the most important component of our muscles and tendons. If we increase intake with regular muscle-building exercises, we can speed up gaining muscle mass. Even though more research is needed, there have been significant increases in athletes who regularly supplement their diet and exercise regimen with collagen supplements.
Final Words
In this article, we discussed what collagen is and how many benefits of collagen you can include in your diet if you take care of it. As it is the most essential part of protein production in our bodies, it is imperative that we include it in our diet.
If you look at the benefits of collagen we have shared in this article, it can help us maintain a healthy lifestyle if we incorporate more of it into our routine.
Nonetheless, no matter what routine you start adopting, whenever you begin Collagen supplementation, consult a doctor first.
