Collagen is an essential building block in your body most often associated with skin and hair health, but there is so much more collagen does for you. With natural collagen production decreasing as part of normal aging, collagen supplements are becoming more and more popular. Nobody wants to miss out on all the benefits this essential protein has to offer.
The Many Benefits of Collagen Supplements
1. Joint Support
Collagen is an essential component of cartilage, which is a very important part of your body, as it keeps your joints running smooth and pain-free. As we age, the cartilage in our joints wears thinner, contributing to increased joint stiffness. If you’ve noticed stiffness in your joints, a collagen supplement could be worth a try. It’s an easy, effective way to boost your body’s collagen levels for better joint flexibility and mobility.
2. Boost Muscle Mass
Collagen makes up about 10% of your muscle tissues. As we age, our muscles naturally degrade somewhat in a process called sarcopenia, but there are ways to help mitigate this. Getting regular exercise is important, but you can boost your efforts with a collagen supplement for increased mobility. Taking a collagen supplement while engaging in a rigorous exercise routine has been shown to help improve muscle mass.
3. Boost Gut Health
Gut health is incredibly important to the health of your entire body overall. Some people swear by collagen as an effective means to strengthen your gut lining, which can help protect against a leaky gut. If your gut lining is weak, your ability to pull valuable nutrients from your food is impaired.
It becomes easier for bad bacteria and other harmful pathogens to enter your digestive tract. Taking a collagen supplement could help efforts to restore your gut lining, which can support proper digestion, nutrient absorption, energy levels, mood, and quality of sleep.
4. Promote Heart Health
Another understated function of collagen is that it helps provide structure to your arteries and blood vessels. When you get older, and your collagen supply decreases, it can cause your blood vessels to lose their shape, affecting other parts of your cardiovascular system. Taking a collagen supplement can help support arterial health and aid in the maintenance of cholesterol levels. This is still a fairly new area of research, so more studies need to be done on the effects of collagen on heart health, but the results have been promising so far.
5. Skin Health
Collagen helps regulate the aging process by keeping your skin pores plump and full of protein. This can help reduce the appearance of aging skin, including wrinkles, crow's feet, crêpe skin, and other unsightly issues. Collagen supplements can help keep skin hydrated and stimulate your body’s natural production of collagen, which is especially effective when it comes to healthy aging.
6. Hair and Nails
A lack of collagen can cause your nails and hair to become brittle. Supplementing with collagen could help prevent this and keep your nails and hair from breaking too easily. By supporting the cellular structure of your nails and hair, collagen can also encourage your hair and nails to grow longer.
The Bottom Line
These are just a few reasons why a collagen supplement may be right for you. Of course, there are a lot of options out there, and the selection can be daunting. On top of that, there are multiple forms of collagen available. Whether your goal is healthier joints, skin, hair, nails, or just an overall health boost, a collagen supplement could be the solution you are looking for.
