5 WAYS COLLAGEN PROTEIN CAN BOOST YOUR OVERALL HEALTH
Collagen is essential to general health and wellness. Collagen, which is considered a structural protein, is found in the body’s connective tissues such as cartilage, bones, tendons, ligaments, and skin. Blood vessels and digestive tract organs also have an abundance of collagen.
Considering its uses all across the body, it’s no wonder many people use collagen supplements to help maintain their overall health. While the body naturally produces collagen on its own, production slows with age, starting when you hit your mid-twenties. Also, lifestyle habits such as smoking and having a high-sugar diet can lower collagen levels in the body.
Collagen Explained
To understand the importance of collagen, you can think of it like a glue that holds the body together. Scientists have identified 28 types of collagen that each have different molecular structures. However, the first three types are most important:
● Type 1 – Makes up the majority of collagen in the body, primarily found in bones, tendons, cartilage, skin, and teeth.
● Type 2 – Composed of loosely packed fibers and thus found in tissues like elastic cartilage.
● Type 3 – Provides structure to arteries, organs, and muscles.
5 Health Benefits of Collagen Protein
Now that you know what collagen is and wherein the body it’s found, you may be wondering what the concrete health benefits of collagen protein are. If you’re thinking about adding more collagen to your diet or taking is as a supplement, consider the following possible benefits and talk to your doctor about proper usage.
1. Better Skin, Hair, and Nails – As you age, you’ll likely start to see wrinkles form and notice drier, sagging skin. This results from the body’s slowed production of collagen. Studies show that both short-term and long-term collagen use can help hydrate your skin and maintain its elasticity. Collagen also promotes hair and nail growth and strength.
2. Stronger Bones and Joints – If your bones and joints give you grief, increasing your collagen intake can offer relief. Because collagen intake can help accumulate cartilage, it has shown promise for the treatment of osteoarthritis and other joint disorders. Collagen also helps increase bone density, making collagen supplementation a great way to help treat osteoporosis.
3. Heart Health – Studies suggest that collagen helps to prevent the accumulation of plaque in your arteries. Type 1 and Type 2 collagen significantly contribute to the strength and elasticity of arterial walls.
4. Digestive Health – The villi that line your intestinal wall are largely made of collagen. Collagen provides the amino acids needed to repair and rebuild the intestinal wall. Also, glycine, the main amino acid in collagen, can help treat inflammatory diseases.
5. Brain Benefits – While more studies need to be conducted, research has shown that collagen may help slow down the onset of Alzheimer’s disease by protecting the brain from amyloid-beta proteins. This kind of amino acid has been found to attack neurons in Alzheimer’s disease patients.
Incorporate Collagen Into Your Daily Routine
The benefits of increasing collagen in your body are numerous, and so are the many different ways you can add supplemental collagen intake to your everyday life. You can consume collagen as a powder that easily mixes with the food and drinks you already consume. Or, you can alter your diet to include more collagen-rich foods like bone broth, chicken, and egg whites. However you decide to add collagen use to your daily routine, you’ll likely start to see great improvements to your overall health.
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X BENEFITS OF USING COLLAGEN TO STRENGTHEN YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM
Many people don’t give enough consideration to the role their immune system plays in their health. This could be because it doesn’t seem as urgent a concern as other issues, such as being overweight or having an acne breakout. That is, until their immune system weakens and they come down with a nasty cold or the flu. However, even if you were cognizant of the role your immune system plays in your daily health, you probably have not considered ways that you can boost your immune system yet.
The Role Of Collagen In Boosting Your Immune System
One way you can improve the way your immune system works is by taking collagen. Collagen is a substance that is used by many of your bodily systems, such as your skin, bones, connective tissues, hair, teeth and nails. Most of your bodily systems use the “Type 1” collagen which is the toughest kind of collagen, and thus, possibly the most important type of all. Your immune system is also dependent on the presence of collagen to function well.
Let us now examine how you stand to benefit if you rely on collagen to improve your immune system.
Collagen Helps Heal Your Defective Digestive System
Around 70% of your immune system processes occur within your intestines - that is commonly just called “your gut” in layman’s terms. For some people, digestion can be a problem, so there are corresponding effects on your immune system when this happens. If you take collagen supplements, you will be addressing your digestive problems directly from the inside out. This means you will derive immunity benefits if you simply supplement your diet with collagen. You may want to see if marine collagen helps immunity in your case.
Collagen Can Address Effects Of Autoimmune Disorders
An autoimmune disorder is characterized by your immune system suddenly attacking your bodily systems because it perceives those systems to be “invaders” or enemies. So instead of your immune system attacking certified enemies of the human body, such as bacteria or viruses, it attacks you. This makes you weak and in some cases vulnerable - this is when medical science describes your symptoms as signs of an “autoimmune disorder”.
One source claims that autoimmune disorders occur because of chronic inflammation due to leaky gut, or impaired intestines. The leaky gut itself is characterized by “holes” within the walls of the intestines that allow particles such as toxins, bits of food, and even infections to “leak” into your bloodstream. This results in inflammation. When the inflammation continues for some time, the immune system then kicks in and “attacks” the source of the inflammation of the bloodstream. So you come down with an autoimmune disorder, meaning it is your own immune system that is attacking you.
Collagen Taken Orally May Minimize Inflammation
Another source indicated that the collagen that is consumed by mouth does have the potential to reduce molecules that are believed to be linked to inflammation and disease. Since autoimmune disorders may result from prolonged inflammation, this implies that collagen can indeed address autoimmune disorders.
Sources Of Collagen Supplements
If you do indeed need collagen, you may be surprised to know that it is quite easy to get extra supplies of collagen through your diet. Try eating the following to get extra collagen supply:
● Garlic
● Avocados
● Pumpkin seeds
● Cabbage
● Tomatoes
● Berries
● Eggs
● Citrus
● Leafy green vegetables
Bone broth is also said to be a good source of collagen, as stated by some sources. Even while snacking, be mindful about opting for healthy choices that will sustain your immunity.
You may also try to use a refrigerated and liquid form of collagen, or you can try mixing a collagen powder supplement with cold water instead. Either way, the collagen will make it into your digestive system and work from the inside out which is good for people who have digestive issues.
If you have allergies, make sure to be careful where you source your collagen from. Some common allergens are:
● Seafood (such as fish, shellfish or shrimp)
● Eggs
Conclusion
The best way to use collagen supplementation is to do it religiously. If you prefer to drink your collagen supplement in the morning, then do it every day at around that time. This will help you to keep track of when you take the collagen, so you can monitor its effects closely. One source says that you need to give your body a stable supply of collagen so that you optimize the benefits. It will also help to keep a journal to keep track of symptoms that you are attempting to treat with collagen supplementation. Take note of the effects of the supplements on your symptoms, so that it will become clear to you whether the collagen is doing what it’s supposed to do, or not.
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