You have probably seen an advertisement for or heard a friend talk about taking collagen supplements. Collagen is often marketed as an anti-aging solution and a remedy for arthritis and other health concerns. But what exactly is collagen and can taking supplements really provide significant health benefits?

Healthline refers to collagen as the “most plentiful protein” in your body. It serves many purposes, including giving structure to your skin and helping to form necessary blood clots. You can think about collagen as the glue that holds your body parts together and helps it to function. As you age, your body starts to produce less and less collagen. This can lead to a number of negative symptoms involving your skin, joints, bones, and muscles. To counteract these symptoms, some people choose to take collagen supplements.

The majority of collagen supplements come in two forms: hydrolyzed collagen and gelatin, which is the result of cooking collagen. In these forms, collagen is broken down into smaller pieces which are easier for your body to process and use. According to Healthline, studies show collagen supplements can help to increase muscle mass, lessen the effects of arthritis, and improve the appearance and feel of skin by minimizing wrinkles.

There are several options available when it comes to how you take collagen. Collagen peptide is available in powder form, which can be easily mixed into your food. Collagen peptide does not congeal when hydrated, so you can also add it too drinks, soups, or smoothies. Collagen peptide can also come in liquid form, which you can add to other products or drink on its own. Collagen gelatin is primarily used to make chewable gummies. There are dozens of recipes online that you can use to make tasty collagen products at home. One of the most popular gelatin recipes is homemade collagen jello!

Dr Axe, who manufactures and distributes a line of collagen products, says that collagen is “perfectly safe” for the majority of people to take. While some individuals may have allergies or sensitivities to the animal products used for many collagen supplements, many people find that taking collagen improves their overall health. Dr. Axe’s best-selling collagen products have a serving size of 10g of powder, which you can add to food or drink once a day to combat the effects of aging and help you to feel stronger.

Collagen supplements only work for as long as you continue to take them, so they are most beneficial when they are integrated into your regular diet. If you are interested in finding out if taking collagen can improve your health, talk to your physician or another health consultant today.

Sources:
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/collagen-benefits
https://store.draxe.com/collections/collagen