By Danielle Tabino | Category: ANTI-AGING SUPPLEMENTS
By now you may have heard all the buzz about Collagen, or maybe read it on the label of a fancy skin lotion bottle. But what exactly is Collagen and why is everyone making such a fuss?
First things first, I can assure you, all the fussing is warranted! Why you ask? I’ll get to that in a minute, first lets talk about what Collagen actually is.
What is Collagen
Collagen is one of the most abundant proteins in your body and has sometimes been described as the “glue that holds our bodies together”. Here’s a fun fact for you, Collagen comes from the Greek word kolla, which most appropriately means glue.
And here’s a not so fun fact. As we age, the rate at which Collagen is produced in the body, naturally declines. Which is why adding a Collagen supplement to your diet is nothing short of a fantastic idea!
Collagen plays a major part in maintaining the structure and integrity of your skin, your tendons, your muscles tissue and bones. And what you may not have heard about Collagen, is it also plays a role in maintaining heart and digestion health.
So now that we know what all the fuss is about, let’s take a closer look at why adding this powerful protein to your diet is vital for optimal health.
Skin, Hair, And Nails
Collagen is one of the major proteins in the dermis, which is responsible for your skin’s firmness and elasticity. Like I mentioned earlier, as we age our bodies produce less collagen and if we top that with environmental exposures like sunlight, cigarette smoke and pollution, that’s when we notice our skin taking a toll.
A recent study observed 69 women between the ages of 35 and 65 for eight weeks. Women who took a collagen supplement showed noticeable improvement in skin elasticity compared to women who took a placebo.
It has also been studied that collagen supports and increases the body’s hair building proteins, which means it can prevent hair loss and also encourage new growth. And in addition, collagen has been shown to be very effective in improving dry brittle hair, by supporting healthy moisture levels in the hair.
Heart Health
The benefits of collagen go way beyond giving us beautiful glowing skin. One benefit I was surprised to learn about is the benefit collagen has on our heart.
So here’s how it works. Remember when I said that collagen is like the glue that holds us together? Well it can actually provide structure to your arteries, the blood vessels that carry blood from your heart to the rest of your body. Without enough collagen, arteries can become weak. And I don’t know about you, but I definitely don’t want weak arteries, which can lead to things like heart attack and stroke.
And it has also been studied that collagen helps to reduce the amount of plaque that can build up in our arteries, protecting us from heart disease, heart attack and stroke.
Bone & Joint
Everyone experiences joint pain, weather you are stuck sitting at a desk all day, or you’re an athlete training for the olympics. There have been numerous studies that show that collagen has many wonderful benefits in terms of bone and joint health.
There are several amino acids in collagen that support bone health, specifically one called alanine, which is a major component of our connective tissue. Studies have shown that supplementing with collagen can help reduce pain from osteoarthritis, reduce overall joint pain, increase bone mineral density, maintain flexibility and lubricate the joints and even aid in the repair of broken bones.
Digestion
If I learned anything from my dad Frank, its that our digestive system is the mecca of health. I’ve heard him say hundreds of times “we are only as healthy as our digestive systems are”. People all over are desperate to heal their gut, cutting out dairy and gluten, hoping to reduce the main culprit causing the discomfort, inflammation.
So many people these days suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Leaky Gut. And now there is so much research showing the connection between the gut and the brain, how it affects our thinking and our overall happiness. Even when it comes to protecting yourself against the common cold or getting through the upcoming flu season, if your gut isn’t strong, you’re going to be challenged.
When I started doing research on collagen I was so surprised to learn about the benefits it can have on our digestive systems. Most importantly, there are two amino acids found in collagen, Proline and Glutamine. Both these amino acids not only have the ability to fight inflammation in the digestive tract but also to heal intestinal lining.
Just as collagen has the ability to strengthen and tighten your skin, it does the same for our digestive tract. When our digestive lining is strong, toxins will not be able to enter into the bloodstream, which causes things like constipation, gas, bloating, headaches, fatigue, arthritis, and joint pain. Even if you aren’t suffering from IBS or Leaky Gut (and I hope you’re not!), everyone’s digestive tract can benefit from collagen.
Our Choice for Collagen
A key thing to note here is that there are a few different types of Collagen supplements our there. We chose to carry Marine Collagen from Nordic Naturals because it’s in the form of hydrolyzed collagen. When you ingest this form of collagen, your gut immediately absorbs it and sends it straight to your joints and skin through your bloodstream.
Also, Marine Collagen contains Vitamin C, which is important as it has been shown to help the body to absorb the nutrients more efficiently.
Let’s Sum It Up
Think of Collagen as a tool kit, containing many amino acids that can benefit our bodies in many different ways. Everything from our skin and hair, to our heart and digestion, which remember, is the foundation of good health.
It’s quite common these days for people to be searching for ways to supplement their health in hopes of living a disease free life and to grow old gracefully. And it may be safe to say, Collagen is the answer they’re looking for.
If you have any questions about collagen or your health, we would love to hear from you! Give us a call at 866-866-3320 or leave a comment below!
