What should you know about collagen supplements?
- The facts
- Ingesting collagen supplements
- Known benefits of collagen supplements
The Facts
Collagen is known to be a complex protein. It has 19 different amino acids which include both the essential and nonessential types. In the Philippines, collagen supplements are a great way of getting in more conditional amino acids such as arginine, glutamine, glycine, and proline.
The amino acids that are most commonly found in collagen include the following:
Proline – It makes up 15% of collagen. Along with glycine, they play a major role in ensuring the body is running smoothly. It protects the integrity of blood vessels and improves joint health. It is also known to have significant cardiovascular benefits.
Glycine – Around 33% of collagen is made up of glycine. It helps build healthy DNA strands which make sure that cells function properly.
Glutamine – One of the most important among the abundant amino acids in the body, this is known for helping prevent anxiety, tension, insomnia, and the weakening of the immune system.
Arginine – This breaks down into nitric oxide when inside the body. Nitric oxide is an important compound for the health of your arteries and heart in general. It helps improve overall circulation and strengthens the immune system.
Ingesting Collagen Supplements
One of the most notable critiques to collagen supplementation is that by the way it’s made, the stomach acids will break it down long before it can be absorbed by our body. But even though it’s a large molecule, humans are still able to digest the compound as it is. However, a 2018 study looked into the effects of hydrolyzed collagen over a four-week period. This resulted in the levels of hydroxyproline peptides changing within the bloodstream. Along with other studies, it nearly confirms that ingesting collagen in the hydrolyzed form leads to an evident increase in your system. Hydrolyzed collagen is the most effective way of absorbing amino acids. By the end of the hydrolyzing process, the collagen is broken down into a smooth, light powder, making the amino acids within it more bioavailable. Collagen supplements are ingested as such because there’s no efficient way to constantly consume it naturally. The only way to do that is to constantly eat buckets of bone broth and organ meats—something that most people will probably not be inclined to doing.Known Benefits of Collagen Supplements
Since collagen houses a lot of important proteins and amino acids, it definitely has a number of good health benefits that everyone should consider. The best part is that collagen isn’t a supplement that focuses on just one part of the body. You can get a variety of benefits from proper incorporation into your diet!
First, collagen is popular for its benefits to your skin health. Studies have shown that taking in collagen can improve skin elasticity, moisture, dryness, and roughness—all with little to no dangerous side effects.
Collagen is also known to reduce joint pain as well as the degradation of these nuisances. This prevents the feeling of being incredibly stiff when you move. When people lose collagen, tendons and ligaments start moving with less ease. But by ingesting supplements, however, you can slightly reduce the pain.
Another prominent health benefit to taking collagen supplements is that it boosts your metabolic rate. This is because it adds lean muscle mass to your frame, further assisting with the conversion of essential nutrients.