The Benefits of Collagen

Up until the age of around 35, your body will produce collagen on its own, but after this, the body slows down collagen production. By the age of 40, the collagen your body produces will be depleting faster than your body can reproduce it. By the time you reach 60, over half of your body’s natural collagen production will be exhausted. The rapid decline of collagen as we get older is why it is vital to find good quality and well-sourced collagen supplements. Other factors which can deplete collagen from the body are external factors such as smoking, pollution, extreme sun exposure, and nutritional deficiencies. Our holistic/functional medicine experts in Tulsa, OK, are on hand to help you decide if collagen is the right supplement for you and discuss the benefits of collagen for your health needs.

What is collagen?

Collagen is essentially the “glue” that holds our bodies together. It comes from the Greek word “kolla,” directly translated as ‘glue.’ It is a protein found throughout the body in your organs, muscles, skin, bones, blood vessels, joints, and even your digestive system. There are 16 variations of collagen that all have different roles to play within the body. The majority of collagen, known as “type 1,” is more robust than steel! It can be found in your bones, organs, eyes, skin, and digestive tract.

What are the benefits of collagen?

You may already know some of the benefits of collagen. Collagen protein helps us maintain healthy and robust hair, makes the skin soft and supple, and supports strong nails. But did you know that collagen also has some other health benefits? It also helps your gut, heart, and joints. If you go to any store or beauty store, you will have noticed the vast array of products that now contain collagen proteins, including protein bars, tea, coffee, and even creamer! Taking a good quality collagen protein supplement means that you will continue to reap the benefits of collagen no matter your age.

Collagen benefits in detail:

Collagen improves your skin, hair, and nails.

As we age, it can become noticeable that our skin lacks the plump softness of our youth. Skin can become wrinkly and saggy with prominent creases. Your nails may have become dry, brittle, and easy to split or break. Your hair may become thinner, dryer, and more prone to breakage. This is because collagen is vital in maintaining healthy skin, nails, and hair, and when the natural collagen productivity decreases in the body, it affects all of these things. By taking a collagen supplement, you can bring back all three’s healthy look and feel. Not only that, but collagen can also limit the look of cellulite by plumping up the skin making the dimples less obvious. Magic!

Collagen can help to fix a leaky gut.

Almost 80% of your immune system is in your gut. So if your gut starts to leak, all manner of toxins and food particles can infest your body and enter your bloodstream. This causes inflammation which over time can cause autoimmunity. The intestinal walls are built with collagen; therefore, if you have a leaky gut, you can take collagen as part of your daily diet, and it can start to fix the leaky gut and rebuild the walls. If you have an autoimmune illness or a thyroid condition, you may also have a leaky gut that may benefit from taking collagen.

Collagen supports bone growth and repair.

Not widely known, but collagen makes up a third of our bone structure. This gives our bones flexibility along with calcium for strength. Bone cells are constantly turning over, so adding collagen protein to your daily diet can support your bone health by increasing bone density. According to several studies, it is also believed to help with osteoporosis if you take hydrolyzed collagen 4.

Collagen impacts liver function and benefits heart health.

The toxins in our body must go through the liver to be processed and removed from our body. A component of collagen, glycine, can support your liver during the potentially harmful detoxification stage. Another thing found in collagen, proline, can help minimize the fat deposits within your arteries and repair the tissue around them. There are many ways that collagen can support our bodies inside and out, make sure to look for a high-quality collagen supplement that you can incorporate into your daily health routine. Book a complimentary phone call with our holistic medicine experts in Tulsa, OK, for more information and to begin your functional medicine health journey today.

Jennette Berry, RDN, LD

Jennette Berry, RDN, LD is our lead functional medicine practitioner, owner and CEO of Functional Nutrition Resources in Tulsa, Oklahoma, founded in 2011. Jennette earned her Bachelor of Science in Dietetics and completed her postgraduate training and internship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital - a Harvard Medical School teaching affiliate. She has advanced training in functional medicine and nutrition including coursework with the Institute of Functional Medicine-Certified Practitioner Program. [Read Full Bio]

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About Functional Nutrition Resources

Known for their objective and thorough analysis of mystery illnesses, Jennette Berry and her team at Functional Nutrition Resources combine an integrative and functional medicine approach with the appropriate lab testing and lifestyle change.

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