Should you be Taking Collagen?
Collagen is a protein in our body that we produce naturally. Just like many functions on our body, as we age, the amount of collagen that our body produces naturally decreases. This process typically begins in our late twenties and decreases by about 1% every year. Supplementation of collagen is a fairly new concept. Because of this, there isn’t much research on it yet. Although this is the case, the research that is out there so far is promising! Today I will be answering the questions, should you be taking collagen?
Benefits of collagen
Collagen supplementation has 3 MAIN benefits:
Skin health
As we all know, as we age, our skin loses elasticity and is not able to bounce back the way it used to. Our skin can begin to wrinkle and/or become soft, dry and loose. Some studies have shown that the use of collagen can help reduce the effects of aging by adding moisture into your skin and preventing wrinkles!
Joint Health
As we age, our joints can begin to become fragile and weak which is why knee pain, hip pain and shoulder pains (just a few examples) become more prominent as we age. This happens because the cartilage in and surrounding our joints begin to wear away. Some research shows that supplementing collagen can help reduce this deterioration and can even help regenerate some of that lost cartilage.
Bone Health
Collagen plays an important role in the health of our bones! Due to the decrease in natural creation of collagen in our body as we age, our bones may become weaker. This means easier breaks AND a higher chance of getting bone diseases such as osteoporosis.
How and when to take it
You can find collagen available in a few different forms, most prominently, you can get it in capsules or powders. When taking the capsules, it is good to take it along with other supplements, usually taken with food. When taking the powder there are a couple ways which I prefer to take it. Either I throw it in a smoothie or put it in my coffee! Here's a great SMOOTHIE recipe which you can incorporate collagen into! Remember if you practice intermittent fasting, putting collagen powder in your coffee WILL break your fast! Be aware of this and only add it to your coffee when in your feeding window!
My Collagen habits
Brodie and I both take collagen in its powder form on a regular basis! When choosing what brand to buy, it is important to pick a reputable brand that you can trust. Like most supplements, collagen isn’t regulated by the FDA which means you need to make sure the brand you are buying from is trusted! I choose the Body Energy Club powdered collagen. This is a brand that I trust! They use high quality ingredients in ALL of their products and I trust that I am getting the best quality products.
So should YOU take it?
So far, early research is showing that taking collagen supplements can have positive effects on your health - specifically for your skin, joints and bones. There are some other possible benefits that need more research - but as of now these 3 benefits are what we are looking at! Of course, before taking any kind of supplement, consult your doctor to make sure collagen is right for you!