This article was originally written for Yoga Lifestyles. Visit their amazing blog here.
Collagen is a serious buzzword in the wellness world today. You can find it in ready-to-use powder. People put it in everything from smoothies to pancakes to protein bars.
So, what actually is collagen and what are the benefits of taking collagen?
Collagen Health
Simply put, collagen is a protein. It’s actually the most abundant protein in our bodies, and most of your body can experience collagen benefits such as your muscles, bones, skin, blood vessels, connective tissues, digestive system and tendons. It’s what helps give our skin strength and buoyancy, along with replacing dead skin cells. When it comes to our joints and tendons, it helps kind of hold everything in the body together.
For more details about the benefits of collagen powder, read below to discover five that you can enjoy today!
Top 5 Health Benefits of Collagen
- Collagen makes you younger from the inside out by hydrating skin, reducing wrinkles and cellulite
Collagen is an essential component of the dermis layer of skin. It’s what provides that body and bounce. As we get older, our collagen protein decreases leaving us with looser skin and more wrinkles. Supplementation with collagen has been shown to increase skin flexibility, skin hydration, and reduce the depth of wrinkles.
It can also help reduce the appearance of cellulite. Improving your skin’s elasticity helps plump up that thin skin and reduces dimpling. This is why you will find collagen protein benefits in face and beauty products everywhere, but these molecules are often too big to be absorbed through the skin, so take it orally! Check out our delicious recipes featuring collagen health. - Collagen builds strong, healthy hair, nails, and teeth
The growth of hair follicles is dependent on the collagen matrix in the skin. Without adequate collagen, the total number and thickness of hair follicles can be reduced – queue hair thinning as we get older. Collagen is also an essential component of our nails, teeth and hair. So if your nails are super short and brittle, low collagen could be to blame. - Collagen enhances gut health
If you need to know anything about gut health, it’s that you want to increase the good bugs (bacteria), decrease the bad bugs and keep everything where it should be (i.e. no food particles passing into the bloodstream). This is where collagen comes in. Collagen benefits you by helping to build the connective tissue of the protective lining of the gastrointestinal tract, therefore helping prevent any particles from going where they shouldn’t.
Glutamine, an amino acid in collagen, helps prevent inflammation in the gut lining. Collagen peptides benefits the gastrointestinal tract pull in water and attract acid molecules, helping break down and move food through the system. Suffer from a disease like leaky gut, acid reflux, Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis? Add a collagen supplement to your routine to receive collagen powder benefits as well as the benefits of collagen protein. Did you you can also take collagen for IBS? - Collagen helps reduce joint pain
Reducing joint pain is among the many benefits of taking collagen. Collagen is found all over the body, but it concentrates both where joints meet and in the connective tissue binding us together. The primary amino acid in collagen is glycine. The body requires at least 10 grams per day for basic metabolic processes and maintenance – if everything is running smoothly.
If you struggle with a disease that disrupts glycine synthesis, like rheumatoid arthritis, exercise a lot, or are recovering from an injury, your body needs more. Increase your collagen intake, and lose your creaky joints. - Collagen helps you sleep better
Glycine, the amino acid mentioned above, supports healthy inflammation response and promotes deeper, more restorative sleep. Studies have shown that glycine affects neurotransmitters in a way that promotes better quality sleep. So almond butter energy bars are actually a good idea after dinner.
Collagen Supplement Benefits
Did you know you can use collagen in your cooking? It’s among the many benefits of collagen peptides, you can add it to nearly any recipe. Check out my recipe for easy-to-make, no-bake collagen almond energy bars I created just for you below!
Some of the other many benefits of collagen include protecting your heart, weight management, assisting in bone and tendon repair, and helping with liver detoxification. Good news is – it doesn’t really taste like anything. You can throw it into soups, smoothies, sauces, cookies, pancakes, you name it. Don’t skimp on quality when purchasing!
