Collagen is a substance that makes up over 30% of the body. It’s found in hair, skin, nails, connective tissue, bones, joints and muscles, and even plays a vital role in gut health. The body makes its own collagen, but after age 30, collagen production rapidly declines, leading to signs of ageing such as sagging skin, fine lines and wrinkles, joint pain, recurrent injuries, as well as decreased bone density and weaker connective tissue. This is why supplementing with collagen – especially as we age – is vital to stay active, healthy and strong.

In this blog, you’ll learn 5 of the best collagen powder benefits, and how collagen can help you feel your best.
 

How Does Collagen Powder Work?

Before we cover the best collagen powder benefits, it’s important to know how collagen works, so you can understand exactly why collagen is so beneficial for all of us. Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body, containing amino acids such as glycine, hydroxyproline, proline, glutamine and alanine. These amino acids all have specific benefits, such as helping maintain strong joints, improving the elasticity and hydration of the skin, protecting the gut wall, building strong and healthy hair and nails, and even speeding up injury healing time. [1] When we take collagen powder, enzymes in the stomach break it down and utilise the amino acids to address issues in the body, such as signs of ageing or injuries. Perhaps one of the most impressive collagen powder benefits, is that when the amino acids from collagen enter the bloodstream, they travel to the places they’re needed most! When ingested, collagen also travels to areas known as fibroblasts, stimulating them to make more collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid to rejuvenate the skin and other tissues. [2]

Now you know how collagen powder works, let’s look at 5 of the best collagen powder benefits:

1. Collagen Powder Can Improve Joint Health

As we age, issues like joint health and joint pain can become more common, which is one of the reasons supplementing with collagen powder is so important – especially if you want to stay active. Collagen is abundant in the connective tissue in joints and bones, but the production of collagen starts to decline after age 30, potentially leading to more pain and injuries. Collagen powder helps improve joint health by stimulating the production of collagen in and around joints, and studies show it inhibits inflammation and tissue catabolism (the rate at which tissue breaks down) within joints. Hydrolysed collagen – which is found in the Love Life Supplements Hydrolysed Collagen Peptides powder – also contains biologically active peptides that are able to reach joint tissue and protect against issues like arthritis. [3]

2. Collagen Powder Benefits For Skin

The amino acid hydroxyproline in collagen powder stimulates hyaluronic acid production in the dermal layer of the skin, and is proven to increase skin’s moisture levels and smoothness. [4] Collagen powder also increases collagen and elastin in the skin, with many studies showing visibly reduced wrinkles after supplementing with collagen for 12 weeks. [5] When it comes to scarring, the amino acids and peptides in collagen powder are digested and sent to the areas they’re needed most, including areas of scarring such as acne or injury scars. The collagen builds up around the scar, and with the addition of increased hydration and smoothness, this can effectively reduce the appearance of scarring. [6]

The best type of collagen powder for skin is type 1 collagen, found in the Marine Collagen Complex – get yours here.

3. Collagen Powder May Prevent Bone Loss

Bone density decreases from roughly age 35, and could potentially lead to problems like osteopenia, osteoporosis, or simply a higher incidence of fractures. Women approaching perimenopause and menopause are at a higher risk of osteoporosis due to the hormonal changes that occur during this stage of life, but weight baring exercise and collagen powder can go a long way towards preserving bone density. Studies show that supplementing with collagen powder can significantly increase the organic substance of bone, [7] and further research reveals that a year of supplementing with collagen peptides measurably increased bone density in menopausal women.  [8]

You’ll find collagen peptides in the Hydrolysed Collagen Peptides Powder here.

4. Collagen Powder Can Boost Muscle Mass

If you want to build muscle and strength, considering your nutrition alongside exercise is vital. Whilst exercise like strength training breaks muscle down, supplementing with collagen powder can promote the synthesis of muscle proteins such as creatine, as well as stimulating muscle growth after exercise. Collagen powder – especially collagen peptides – can also increase microcirculation to the muscles, therefore improving the nutrients and oxygen they receive and enhancing performance and recovery. [9] Other studies show that collagen powder can help maintain a positive nitrogen balance in the body, which promotes muscle growth. [10]

The Love Life Supplements Hydrolysed Collagen Peptides With BODYBALANCE is shown to decrease fat mass, increase lean body mass and provide more muscle strength. Get yours here. 

5. Collagen Powder Benefits For Gut Health

Perhaps one of the best kept secrets about collagen powder benefits is that it can help improve gut health. Marine collagen in particular supports gut health thanks to the amino acids proline, glycine and glutamine. The amino acids help strengthen and rebuild the delicate lining of the digestive tract, as well as reducing inflammation. Especially as so many issues such as eczema, bloating and gas and IBS are often related to a damaged gut, supplementing with collagen powder is an important step in addressing many different issues that relate back to gut health. [11]

How To Use Collagen Powder For The Best Benefits

For the best collagen powder benefits, take collagen on a daily basis. It can be mixed into smoothies, porridge, warm meals, used in baking, or simply stirred into water. You can also easily mix collagen powder into hot drinks, or blend it into a bulletproof coffee. The Marine Collagen Complex comes in a useful capsule form- take two capsules daily with food. The Hydrolysed Collagen Peptides With BODYBALANCE are an easily digestible collagen powder with a neutral taste – take 1 scoop daily.

References

• [1] Mathew-Steiner SS, Roy S, Sen CK. Collagen in Wound Healing. Bioengineering (Basel). 2021 May 11;8(5):63. doi: 10.3390/bioengineering8050063. PMID: 34064689; PMCID: PMC8151502.
• [2] Reilly DM, Lozano J. Skin collagen through the lifestages: importance for skin health and beauty.Plastic and Aesthetic Research. 2021; 8: 2. http://dx.doi.org/10.20517/2347-9264.2020.153
• [3] Martínez-Puig D, Costa-Larrión E, Rubio-Rodríguez N, Gálvez-Martín P. Collagen Supplementation for Joint Health: The Link between Composition and Scientific Knowledge. Nutrients. 2023 Mar 8;15(6):1332. doi: 10.3390/nu15061332. PMID: 36986062; PMCID: PMC10058045.
• [4] Pu SY, Huang YL, Pu CM, Kang YN, Hoang KD, Chen KH, Chen C. Effects of Oral Collagen for Skin Anti-Aging: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients. 2023 Apr 26;15(9):2080. doi: 10.3390/nu15092080. PMID: 37432180; PMCID: PMC10180699.
• [5] Al-Atif H. Collagen Supplements for Aging and Wrinkles: A Paradigm Shift in the Fields of Dermatology and Cosmetics. Dermatol Pract Concept. 2022 Jan 1;12(1):e2022018. doi: 10.5826/dpc.1201a18. PMID: 35223163; PMCID: PMC8824545.
• [6] Geahchan S, Baharlouei P, Rahman A. Marine Collagen: A Promising Biomaterial for Wound Healing, Skin Anti-Aging, and Bone Regeneration. Mar Drugs. 2022 Jan 10;20(1):61. doi: 10.3390/md20010061. PMID: 35049916; PMCID: PMC8780088.
• [7] König D, Oesser S, Scharla S, Zdzieblik D, Gollhofer A. Specific Collagen Peptides Improve Bone Mineral Density and Bone Markers in Postmenopausal Women-A Randomized Controlled Study. Nutrients. 2018 Jan 16;10(1):97. doi: 10.3390/nu10010097. PMID: 29337906; PMCID: PMC5793325.
• [8] UCLA health. (2022).Collagen peptides may be beneficial for menopausal bone loss. [Online]. UCLA health. Last Updated: December 2022. Available at: https://www.uclahealth.org/news/collagen-peptides-may-be-beneficial-menopausal-bone-loss [Accessed 22 August 2023].
• [9] Zdzieblik D, Oesser S, Baumstark MW, Gollhofer A, König D. Collagen peptide supplementation in combination with resistance training improves body composition and increases muscle strength in elderly sarcopenic men: a randomised controlled trial. Br J Nutr. 2015 Oct 28;114(8):1237-45. doi: 10.1017/S0007114515002810. Epub 2015 Sep 10. PMID: 26353786; PMCID: PMC4594048.
• [10] Martin Ebner. (2021). Collagen vs. Whey: Which Is Better for Building Muscle?. [Online]. EBY Life. Last Updated: July 2021. Available at: https://www.ebylife.com/blog1/collagen-vs-whey-which-is-better-for-building-muscle [Accessed 22 August 2023].
• [11] Abrahams M, O'Grady R, Prawitt J. Effect of a Daily Collagen Peptide Supplement on Digestive Symptoms in Healthy Women: 2-Phase Mixed Methods Study. JMIR Form Res. 2022 May 31;6(5):e36339. doi: 10.2196/36339. PMID: 35639457; PMCID: PMC9198822.