COLLAGEN: OUTLASTING AGING

Protein supplements are popular according to the words of fitness experts. Most of those people trying to seek knowledge about fitness supplements to include in their healthier adaptations to lifestyles often do not come across the concept of collagen. Probably the first question that most people will have is, “How do we take them?” or “Are they similar to protein supplements?”. Collagen supplements can be taken both orally or injected into the blood directly. While the latter, not a preferred choice, orally taken products like collagen powders, collagen pills, and collagen gummies are easy to consume and a more practical option to pursue.

 

Collagen – Composition and Functions

Collagen forms one-third of one’s body protein. Protein is made up primarily of amino acids, and collagen is a part of it. So essentially, collagen contains two significant amino acids – glycine and proline, with vitamin C aiding its formation process, each having distinct functions and collagen benefits. Collagen is of sixteen different types, out of which type 1, type 2, and type 3 are most prominent in the human body. They are accountable for supporting all the densely packed and loosely packed fibres in the body – the skin, cartilages, bones, connective tissues, tendons, teeth, muscles, organs, etc.

 

Collagen produced in the body often reduces quantity due to age and exposure to specific external factors like sunlight and smoking. But one must understand that including collagen-rich foods or supplements better the overall health of a person.

 

Advantages of consuming collagen as a supplement

 

• Easily digestible protein: Including protein in a daily diet is one of the most famous nutritional advice. People who have fitness goals that include the production of muscles often have to consume large quantities of protein. Even though they concentrate on burning as many calories as they need to, protein is a complex structure to digest, especially in whole foods. Collagen can aid this indigestion as it is hydrolyzed to be processed quickly. Thus, collagen can satisfy protein requirements that a fitness-seeking person aspires to without having any discomfort.

 

• Improves skin elasticity: One of the main reasons behind collagen being sought for cosmetic purposes is its efficiency on the skin. It has effectively smoothed wrinkles in women from the ages of thirty to fifty, just by adding a few grams of collagen to their regular diet. It significantly improves skin elasticity and hydration, giving the skin a fresher, plumper, and preserves a youthful appearance.

 

• Increases bone density: With age, bones tend to become weaker and take more time to heal or produce new bones in times of injury. Adding collagen to one’s diet increases bone density that can prevent them from injuries in the first place.

 

• Prevents joint deterioration: Joint pains are a common indication of old age. In most cases, it is caused due to lesser density of bones or lower mobility. Cartilages are responsible for joint functions.

Collagen is a proven source of tissue and cartilage development through maintaining its integrity and structure and also helps in reducing inflammation – both of which can effectively reduce joint pains.

 

• Gains muscle mass: Studies have proved that consuming collagen supplements with strength training can increase muscle mass. Muscles play an immense role in burning calories. Naturally, having more muscle mass will increase the rate of metabolism and also burn excess fat.

 

• Hair and nail health: They are also effective in promoting better hair and nail health in some people. People consuming collagen showed an improved thickness of hair, reduced hair fall, faster nail growth, etc.

 

With its numerous impressive benefits stated above, one can readily experiment with involving collagen in their everyday diet. Most people do not prefer mixing a powdered supplement into their drinks to consume it, but a solution is now at hand. Collagen gummies are mostly flavoured, and taste like candies make it easier to include them without dreading the taste.