Collagen peptides have been a part of my personal supplement routine for years, and are something that I often recommend to my patients for a variety of issues. Not only is collagen a great source of protein, but it keeps your muscles, joints, tendons, bones, hair, and nails strong and healthy, in addition to giving you glowing, hydrated, and bouncy skin.
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What is Collagen?
Collagen is the main protein in our bodies making up 30% of all human protein content. It is the second most abundant substance in our bodies next to water. Collagen is the key component of connective tissues and is found in our skin, bones, muscles, ligaments, tendons, and joints. Collagen provides the structural framework that holds everything together- without it we would be a puddle of mush.
Why Do We Need Collagen?
As we age, the body becomes less efficient at producing collagen, declining about 1% per year beginning around age 25. Lifestyle habits like sun exposure, smoking, stress, poor gut health, sugar consumption and inflammation can contribute to this decline as well.
As diets have evolved from consuming the entire animal to eating only specific parts as we do now, our once collagen-rich diets have evolved to have less and less collagen in them.
Signs of Collagen Deficiency:
Arthritis and joint pain
Slow wound healing
Brittle nails
Decreased bone density
Dull, lackluster, sagging skin
Hair loss
How Does It Work?
Collagen is found in bovine (cow), fish, or porcine (pig). There are no known sources of vegan protein as of now.
Collagen peptides can be described as an “active” protein because it triggers the synthesis and reorganization of new collagen fibers, therefore supporting skin, bone, and joint tissue structures. They essentially “wake up” your body’s ability to produce more collagen naturally and on its own.
Additionally, collagen peptides supply your body with amino acids needed as building blocks to renew tissues like skin, bones, and joints. Over 90% of the collagen peptides appear in our bloodstream within a few hours after consumption. This rapid absorption ensures an effective delivery of the essential peptides and amino acids to their site of action within the body.
Collagen peptides are characterized by a high level of key amino acids: glycine, proline, hydroxyproline. The amino acids in collagen are the same as found in the body which gives them unique bio-functional properties that cannot be found in other protein sources.
How To Use Collagen:
Collagen can be added to any drink or smoothie, but dissolves best with room temperature to. Hot liquids. I use this frother from amazon to mix in the collagen so it doesn’t clump.
Your body can typically process 20-30g of protein at a time, so if you are mixing collagen with a protein powder take note of the amount of protein you are consuming in total. I use two scoops (20g) in my coffee in the morning with a light breakfast.
I get my collagen from Vital Proteins, and love them because of the quality of their products as well as the sourcing and sustainability that their company focuses on.
They have amazing products like Peach Matcha Collagen and Coconut Creamer Collagen (so good and dairy-free), but I typically stick to the unflavored Collagen Peptides because I love it in my coffee.
Collagen Peptides Unflavored
Skin, hair nail support
Healthy joints and bones
Good for athletic performance
20g of collagen peptides per serving
80mg hyaluronic acid
100% DV Vitamin C
0g Sugar
Gluten free, dairy free
Sustainabliy sourced from the hides of grass-fed, pasture raised cows through a network of farms in brazil. See more about the farms here:
Vital Proteins also has a pescatarian option:
Marine Collagen
Skin hair and nail support
Healthy joints and bones
Athletic performance
12g of collagen peptides per serving
0g of sugar
Gluten free, dairy free
Sourced from the scales of non-GMO wild caught white fish caught off the coast of Alaska.
As always, please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions regarding adding collagen to your diet. You can purchase Vital Proteins through my FullScript page under the Collagen section.
With Love,
Charlotte Morgan, M.S. L.Ac.