Should I take a Collagen Supplement

Great question, in fact for a while I have been wondering this very thing. Is it just me or is EVERYONE taking collagen right now? I think even my Mom is taking a collagen supplement….Maybe it is the amazing marketing but Vital Proteins blows up my instagram feed, I feel like most people I follow who are instagram famous are on this stuff. You know these people. The beautiful people. Young, healthy people whose only job seems to be growing their instagram following. Is it the collagen that lets you avoid having a 9-5? If so, I want IN.

For more reasons than that though….we want to know what collagen is, what it does, and how supplementing your diet with collagen may benefit you (if it all). So let’s dig in.

What IS collagen?

Collagen is the main structural protein found in connective tissue. Cool. So what is connective tissue? There are four primary tissue types in our body, from which all of our organs are formed. These include:

• Epithelial

• Connective

• Muscle

• Nervous

Connective tissue makes up part of EVERY organ in the body. It is abundant, to say the least. Within connective tissue, cells are separated by an extracellular matrix, making it structurally different from the other three tissue types. Several important functions of connective tissue include:

• Encloses and separates tissues and organs

• Connects tissues to one another (well what do you know connective tissue connects)

• Structural support and movement

• Storage of energy and minerals

• Cushioning and insulation

• Transporting substances throughout the body (gases, nutrients, enzymes, hormones etc.)

• Protection against toxins and injury

So…..you’re saying it’s important then? Yup. Collagen is very important.

Remember that extracellular matrix that makes connective tissue so different than the other tissue types? Right. That matrix has three main components: protein fibres, ground substance, and fluid. The structure of this matrix dictates the functional characteristics of a given connective tissue. For example, the ability of tendons and ligaments to withstand tension. Or the ability of your hair to look fabulous.

Collagen is one of three protein fibres that help form connective tissue, the others being reticular and elastic fibres.

FUN FACT: Collagen fibres make up 6% of your total body weight!

Different amino acid profiles make up different types of collagen fibres, of which there are at least 20. Most fibres are specific to certain tissues:

Type I Collagen: tendons, ligaments, skin, and bone

Type II Collagen: cartilage

Type III Collagen: reticular fibres

Sadly, as we age we produce less collagen. Less collagen means brittle bones that are less resistant to fracture and skin that loses its elasticity. Is it possible taking a collagen supplement would slow the aging process? Would we look more youthful? Would our joints feel more supple? Could Grandma fall 7 times and stand up 8 (without a hip fracture)? This is the promise of collagen supplementation. Ok, maybe not the part about Grandma but generally the claim is that your hair, skin, and nails will be noticeably healthier looking, and your joints will be free of nagging aches and pains. It’s a pretty smooth theory when you think about it. Your body produces less…so if you ingest more then don’t we effectively solve the problem? It’s possible.

In order for your body to make collagen, it needs ample dietary consumption of:

• Vitamin C

• Protein

If your diet is lacking, it’s possible your body is not able to make the most of its collagen producing capability. However, it’s not just a crappy diet or getting older that that affects our collagen production. Sun exposure, smoking, and alcohol consumption all contribute to the changes we see in our skin as we age. So if you’re hacking darts on the regular, a collagen supplement is not your cure-all.

If you want to increase collagen consumption in your diet, you don’t necessarily have to reach for a supplement. Food sources include:

• Bone Broth

• Egg Whites

• Gelatin (yummy……ish?)

• Citrus fruits (don’t forget the Vitamin C component)!

But if you’re worried your diet might be lacking in collagen sources you could consider a supplement. Most collagen supplements have been extracted from animal hides, bones, or fish scales (sorry folks collagen is not vegan). You will see the term ‘hydrolyzed’ thrown around a lot meaning the proteins have been denatured to make for easier absorption. Hydrolyzed collagen also dissolves nicely into both hot and cold beverages so you can add a collagen supplement to your morning coffee or shake!

But WAIT, does taking a collagen supplement actually DO anything? Let’s take a lot at what we know so far…

A 2016 systematic review of 9 studies concluded that hydrolyzed collagen supplementation had a therapeutic effect in treating osteoporosis and osteoarthritis, potentially through increasing bone mineral density and providing a protective effect on articular cartilage but primarily in providing symptomatic pain relief (Porfirio, 2016). Keep in mind, only 5 of the 9 included studies were in humans while the rest were in vivo or in vitro rat/mice studies. Given the heterogeneity between studies, it’s not clear what the optimal daily dosage for collagen supplementation should be.

A recent double blind, placebo-controlled study reported promising improvements in skin elasticity after daily collagen supplementation over 8 weeks (Proksch, 2014). 69 women between the ages of 35-55 were randomized to either a 2.5g or 5.0g daily dose of collagen or a placebo. Even four weeks after the last dose of collagen, women in the experimental group had greater skin elasticity than women in the control group. No side effects were noted.

Interestingly, it’s not just skin that can show an improvement with collagen supplementation….nails too! After 24 weeks of taking a daily collage supplement (2.5g/day), participants in a recent 2017 study found a 12% increase in the growth rate of their nails and a 42% decrease in nail breakage. More than 2/3 of participants showed a clinically meaningful improvement in brittle nails (Hexsel, 2017).

Compared to a placebo, taking 5g of collagen per day for 12 weeks effectively reduced activity-related knee pain in young athletic adults (Zdzieblik, 2017). Study authors caution that although the source of collagen does not seem important, the results of this study may be specific to the collagen peptide product used and may not be extrapolated to other collagen supplement products.

In short, we don’t quite know exactly what dose of collagen nor the exact amino acid sequence that makes one collagen product superior to another. This is by no means an exhaustive search of the literature but it does give a brief overview of some of the current evidence we are seeing in support of collagen supplementation for both aesthetics and pain relief. Although no side effects were reported by these studies it’s important you speak with your health care provider before introducing supplements to your diet. Likely a naturopath is your best source of information to recommend a collagen supplement. Since the evidence is still growing, at this time taking collagen will have to be a personal experiment to determine whether you see and/or feel any noticeable changes (and if it’s worth the cost!).

Happy Experimenting!

Coach P

References

1. Porfirio, E , & Bernardes Fanaro, G. 2016. Collagen supplementation as a complementary therapy for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis and osteoarthritis: A systematic review. Rev Bras Geriatr Gerontol. 19(1): 153-164

2. Proksch, E, Segger, D, Degwert, J, Schunck, M, Zague, V, Oesser, S. 2014. Oral supplementation of specific collagen peptides has beneficial effects on human skin physiology: A double-blind placeob-controlled study. Pharmacology and Physiology. 27:47-55

3. Hexsel, D, Zague, V, Schunck, M, Siega, C, O Camozzato, F, Oesser, S. 2017. Oral supplementation with specific bioactive collagen peptides improves nail growth and reduces symptoms of brittle nails. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. 16(4):520-526

4. Zdzieblik, D, Oesser, S, Gollhofer, A, Konig, D. 2017. Improvement of activity-related knee joint discomfort following supplemenation of specific collagen peptides. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 42:588-595.

    

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor and this blog is not medical advice, please seek your health care provider’s approval before making changes to your exercise and/or diet.