What is Collagen?
Collagen is one of different types of protein and it accounts for 30% of all the protein in your body. It is what provides structure and support to your skin and bones as well as muscles and connective tissue.
Is there just one type of Collagen?
No, there are 28 types of collagen. Typically they are numbered type 1–28 and Type 1–3 are the most common of all the collagen in your body.
What is collagen made of?
Collagen is a protein so it is made of amino acids. It has a triple helix structure.
How does the body get the collagen it needs?
Ideally our body is capable of naturally producing collagen from its building block amino acids along with essential cofactors:
So, do you really need Collagen Supplements?
As you age, your body produces less collagen and the existing collagen is broken down faster. This means less collagen over time.
Women produce less collagen after menopause, and everyone experiences reduced production after 60 years of age.
How will you know you have reduced collagen?
There is no test for the amount of collagen in your body so you will have to look out for these symptoms:
Certain habits can accelerate collagen loss — smoking, UV ray exposure, and consuming too much sugar and refined carbohydrates.
Who needs collagen supplements?
You can get collagen through your diet. Many foods provide the ingredients needed by your body to make collagen. You can use SPF 30 or above to prevent UV ray damage, and modify lifestyle factors.
However, if your lifestyle prevents you from getting adequate nutrition, then to slow down the loss of collagen due to age or lifestyle, you can take collagen supplements.
Hydrolyzed collagen (broken into smaller peptides for easier absorption) has been shown to improve skin hydration, elasticity, and wrinkles, bone mineral density (BMD) in postmenopausal women, and provide improved function and reduced pain in people with osteoarthritis.
Should you take it in the Morning or Evening?
You can take collagen supplements either in the mornings or the evenings. The most important factor is to be consistent in taking the supplements over time. However, there are nuances worth knowing.
Take your evening collagen 1–2 hours before sleep to prevent any disruption to your sleep. You can take it with or without food.
Post Workout
Collagen goes through a long process to isolate and refine it to its usable form and that makes it expensive. Less expensive collagen may not have such a stringent refinement process — quality matters.
Collagen supplements have not been associated with any side effects. However, other ingredients may be present alongside the collagen supplement — consider how these may affect you, particularly if you are on medication.
