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Collagen, the body's most abundant protein, plays a vital role as the primary building block of connective tissues, including bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, and blood vessels.
Collagen makes up about 70% of the proteins in our skin and connective tissues. In the skin's dermis, a collagen-rich layer, it helps maintain structure, hydration, and elasticity. Collagen also supports healthy joints by maintaining structure, water content, function, and flexibility.
Collagen levels begin to decline after age 35, mainly due to the reduced activity of fibroblasts, the cells that produce collagen. Nutritional deficiencies in protein, vitamin C, zinc, magnesium, and B vitamins can also contribute, along with factors like smoking, excessive alcohol, UV exposure, and a high-sugar, low-antioxidant diet.
Collagen loss reduces skin elasticity, causing wrinkles, and in joints, it leads to pain and reduced mobility. Collagen supplements help by providing the building blocks for the body’s own collagen.
Considerable scientific support shows that collagen peptide supplementation at dosages typically ranging from 3 to 5 grams daily can provide valuable nutritional support to the skin, hair, joints, and connective tissue.
All of these applications will be described in more detail below.
While most people utilize topical approaches to improve appearance and skin health, there is a growing appreciation for creating “beauty from within.” In this goal, collagen peptides stand out. Human clinical studies show that collagen peptide supplementation has numerous benefits for the skin. Studies have shown that oral collagen peptide supplementation, usually at a dosage of 3 to 5 grams per day over a six-month period, exerts significant anti-aging effects on the skin that can help improve wrinkle depth and skin appearance.6-10
The loss of collagen is the primary reason why skin wrinkles. This loss is usually a combination of the effects of cumulative damage to collagen structures in the skin along with a decreased production of collagen due to aging. A detailed review of all the clinical evidence on collagen peptide supplementation provides a clear conclusion that oral supplementation with collagen peptides is efficacious in improving the hallmark signs of skin aging.10
In addition to taking a collagen peptide supplement, taking a highly bioavailable form of silica (choline stabilized orthosilicic acid [ChOSA] or BioSil®) is also recommended based upon its ability to increase the manufacture of collagen by skin fibroblasts. Clinical studies with Biosil® showed impressive results in women (ages 40 to 65 years) with signs of sun damage and premature aging of the skin. Those receiving 10 mg of Biosil® daily experienced 30% improvements in shallow, fine lines, 55% increased skin elasticity, and a significant reduction in brittle nail and hair.11
Collagen is the primary component for strong, healthy nails. Weak, brittle, or unhealthy-looking nails may be the result of low collagen levels in the nails. Collagen peptide supplementation at 5 grams per day was shown to considerably improve the perception of nail health after only 28 days of supplementation.12 A 2017 study of supplementation with 2,500 mg of collagen peptides resulted in a 12 percent increase in nail growth rate and a 42 percent decrease in broken nails.13 Also, four in five agreed their overall nail appearance improved.
Research has also indicated that collagen peptides may promote healthier, stronger hair. A study of 40 women ages 38-50 years old found that 5 g of collagen peptides supplemented along with vitamins C and E, biotin, and hyaluronic acid. To measure the degree of hair loss, subjects combed their hair for 60 seconds, after which trained staff counted and recorded the number of shed hairs. The results showed that the collagen peptide-based dietary supplement reduced the number of hairs shed by 28% after 56 days.14
The loss of collagen in joint tissue may contribute to the degeneration of cartilage and other joint components. Considerable scientific evidence notes that collagen peptide supplementation can help improve joint structure, range of motion, flexibility, and feelings of comfort. A comprehensive, detailed analysis of 11 double-blind, placebo-controlled studies showed that collagen peptide supplementation produced significant improvements in joint function and joint discomfort scores.15 Several of the studies used a dosage of 10 grams per day to produce these positive effects.16
Loss of the collagen matrix is an important contributor to osteoporosis, which refers to the loss of both the mineral and collagen content of bone. Osteoporosis carries with it an increased risk of bone fractures, especially of the hips and spine. Risk factors for osteoporosis include smoking, vitamin D and/or vitamin K2 deficiency, a sedentary lifestyle, and being a female 65 years of age or older.
According to studies using animal models, collagen can help increase bone strength and density. To test whether collagen peptide supplementation could improve bone health in humans, researchers evaluated the effect of 12-month daily oral administration of 5 g collagen peptides vs. a placebo. Results demonstrated that collagen peptide supplementation increased the bone mineral density (BMD)of the spine and of the femoral neck of the hip compared to the placebo. Specifically, BMD increased by up to 8% in the spine and 4% after the year-long study. These results are quite significant. Markers of improved bone formation also improved in the collagen peptide-supplemented group, indicating increased bone formation and reduced bone degradation.17
Collagen in the form of bone broth and collagen peptides has become a popular recommendation to help support intestinal health. A primary reason is that they both contain high levels of the amino acid glutamine. Glutamine is utilized as an energy source for the lining of the gut. It also promotes the growth of health-promoting bacteria. Not surprisingly, glutamine supplementation has shown considerable benefits in reducing intestinal permeability (a leaky gut).18
Collagen peptides may offer support to metabolic health and blood sugar control. Recently, a new collagen peptide (Nextida® GC) was developed by concentrating fractions that promote the secretion of human glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), a hormone-like compound released by cells in the intestines in response to food components. GLP-1 works in the body to improve insulin action, blood sugar control, and the feeling of satiety or the sensation of being full.
Nextida® GC contains collagen peptide fractions that bind to GLP-1-producing cells known as L-cells to enhance the production and secretion of GLP-1. This effect was shown in vitro and in preclinical studies in mice. A human clinical study has confirmed that Nextida at dosages of 5 g and 10 g is able to decrease after-meal glucose levels by as much as 42%, presumably through increased GLP-1 production and secretion. This indicates that pre-meal supplementation with this form of collagen peptides may help support blood sugar control.19
Scientists have identified at least 28 types of collagen. However, 90 percent of the collagen in the human body is Type 1. Here is a brief description of the main forms of collagen.
Collagen supplements can be divided into two major forms: gelatin and hydrolyzed collagen (also known as collagen peptides).
When denatured by heat, collagen from bovine (cow) or porcine (pig) skin, bones, and cartilage, or from fish sources, forms gelatin, which has been used for centuries as a food source and traditional medicine. You might find that gelatin is the main component of many hard or soft-gel capsules or gummies. Bone broth is another source of gelatin.
Hydrolyzed collagen (collagen peptides) is produced by further breaking down gelatin sources into short chains of amino acids. Collagen peptides generally produce better results than gelatin, presumably because the peptides are easier to break down into the individual amino acids and absorbed for use in collagen manufacture by fibroblasts.1,2 Collagen peptides also dissolve easily, making them easier to use in drink powders or mix into food. Eggshell membrane is another collagen source valued for its support of joint tissues. It contains collagen types I, V, and X.3
Gelatin | Collagen Peptides | |
|---|---|---|
Processing Level | Partially hydrolyzed | Fully hydrolyzed |
Digestibility | Moderately digestible | Easily absorbed |
Solubility | Dissolves in hot liquid but gels when cooled | Dissolves in hot & cold liquids |
Common Uses | Cooking, gut health | Beauty, joints, and gut health |
There are a variety of products being marketed as “vegan” collagen. The term is a bit misleading, as collagen is only found in animals. Most often, vegan collagen products provide free-form amino acids in an identical amino acid ratio as human collagen. The amino acids can be produced through a fermentation process with GMO or non-GMO yeast and then precisely combined in the same exact ratio as human collagen. The concept is that for the body to utilize the amino acids in regular collagen supplements, the body must first digest collagen or collagen peptides into free-form amino acids with the help of digestive enzymes. Vegan collagen sources composed of free amino acids bypass this step to provide the amino acids in a predigested “free” form in the exact ratios as the building blocks to build collagen naturally in the body.
A study with VeCollal®, a vegan collagen product produced from non-GMO yeast, showed a 5-gram dosage to perform similarly to 5 g of marine collagen peptides in a human clinical study in skin health.5 In just four to eight weeks, VeCollal® produced noticeable improvements in wrinkle depth, skin roughness, collagen density, and skin hydration that were overall better than those produced with collagen peptide supplementation when compared to the placebo group.
Collagen supplementation has emerged as a popular approach to boost the body’s collagen content and help fight the loss of collagen associated with aging.
The future of collagen peptide supplementation looks extremely bright, primarily due to an increasing number of human clinical trials on the horizon that will further validate its health benefits.
There will undoubtedly be more “next generation” collagen products entering the marketplace as well. Including additional vegan and sustainable forms as well as specific compositions of peptides designed for targeted effects on a variety of tissues (skin, joints, gut, hair, muscles, brain, etc.) or biological functions (blood sugar control, cognition, mood, physical performance, etc.).
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