Top 5 Reasons To Take Collagen Every Day
You've probably heard of collagen by now. It's the hottest new trend on the natural health and beauty scene. But the benefits of collagen are too good to be dismissed as just a fad. So, what is collagen, and why is everyone from your favorite health blogger to your esthetician recommending it?
Collagen: The Magic 'Glue'
Collagen is the most abundant protein in your body. It makes up 70% of the protein in your skin and 30% of the protein in the rest of the body. It's what gives your skin suppleness and keeps you looking young. It's a glue that keeps your bones and connective tissues strong and flexible. Collagen has many benefits to your body. Here are the top five:
Top 5 Benefits Of Collagen
1. Improves Skin Health
Collagen is one of the best natural skin care supplements. Research shows that women (35-55 years) that took 2.5 – 5 grams of collagen for eight weeks showed improved skin health1. The women reported better skin elasticity and moisture, as well as improvement in skin dryness and roughness, without any side effects.
2. Strengthens Nails and Hair
When you run low on collagen, it surfaces as brittle nails and hair loss. Studies reveal that collagen can help regenerate nails and promote hair regrowth by improving hair follicle regeneration2.
3. Protects Joints and Muscles
If you experience stiff, sore joints, it could be due to a loss of collagen in your body's tissues. Studies show that taking collagen can help ease joint discomfort and reduce the risk of joint deterioration.3 4 5
4. Helps Heal the Gut
If you suffer from leaky gut syndrome, supplementing with collagen may help heal your gut lining. There is evidence that patients with inflammation in the gut have low serum concentrations of collagen6. Supplementing collagen helps form connective tissue to heal the delicate lining of the intestinal tract.
5. Builds Muscle and Burns Fat
If you work out to increase muscle mass, collagen can be your best friend. Collagen is rich in amino acid glycine, which helps make creatine. It should come as no surprise that taking collagen can help you train longer, increase muscle mass, and burn fat.
Our bodies naturally produce collagen to keep up with everyday wear and tear. But the body's collagen production starts to slow down as we age, causing things like:
- Wrinkles
- Sagging skin
- Joint pains
- Brittle nails
- Hair loss
Besides aging, other lifestyle factors also play a critical role in influencing the amount of collagen your body can produce. Reasons why you may be running low on collagen include:
- Eating refined or processed food
- Too much sugar in your diet in the form of soda, energy drinks, and sugary beverages
- Don't protect yourself from harsh UV rays from the sun
- Exposure to pollutants, pesticides, and other chemicals
- Smoking
- Drinking too much alcohol
- Low intake of collagen-rich foods
The good news is, despite aging and lifestyle factors, you can still keep up your collagen levels by kicking up your collagen intake.
Ways To Increase Collagen Levels:
Include Plenty Of Vitamin C-Rich Foods: Vitamin C helps build collagen. Include plenty of vitamin C-rich foods in your diet, like citrus fruits, bell peppers, kale, and broccoli.
Drink Bone Broth Regularly: Although it is time consuming to make bone broth, it helps amp up your collagen levels. You can also purchase bone broth and add it to soups and recipes.
Try Collagen Supplements: NATURELO's collagen supplement is a powder that dissolves easily in drinks. It includes collagen peptides, the most digestible form of collagen, to support healthy skin, joints, and more.