What is collagen?
Collagen is one of the most abundant proteins in the human body and the amino acids that make it up are important building blocks in supporting the integrity and structure of our skin, bones, tendons, ligaments, muscles, blood vessels, and teeth as well as the entire gastrointestinal tract lining. There are almost 30 types of collagen in our body, but most of the collagen found in our bodies are the following Type I, Type II, Type III, and Type IV which are all involved in supporting what I list above.
As we age, our body gradually produces less collagen. It is pretty different for everyone, but genetics, stress level, diet, smoking, age, and sun exposure may all influence how much we are producing.
The history of collagen
Our ancestors and traditional cultures around the world largely consumed collagen in the form of animal products. Collagen is found in the hides, hooves, and bones of animals. Traditional cultures ate nose to tail, where no part of an animal was wasted and the bones were often used to make mineral-rich, nutrient-dense broths. These nutrients are not nearly as abundant in the modern diet today as we tend to consume a lot of muscle meats (i.e. chicken breasts) that do not contain this important protein and rarely eat other parts of the animal that contain collagen in abundance. Collagen is also found in some plant foods.
The benefits of collagen
Three amino acids (and building blocks for protein) abundant in collagen are proline, glycine, and lysine. Glycine helps build lean muscle mass and has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties known to decrease oxidative stress and improve brain and muscle performance. Proline is known to stimulate collagen synthesis within our own bodies and works as an antioxidant by scavenging free radicals to prevent cellular damage. Lysine is an essential amino acid, meaning that our bodies can’t make it. It is important for growth and muscle turnover and helps to transport fats across the cell membranes to be utilized for energy. It is also known to help support wound repair in the body and may reduce feelings of anxiety for some by reducing the stress hormone, cortisol.
It is important to note that while collagen contains high-quality protein and many beneficial amino acids that we may not be consuming a whole lot of elsewhere, there is little evidence that consuming collagen peptide supplements plays a direct role in our bodies utilizing that collagen for collagen production in our bodies. Rather, it may be more likely that the body utilizes the amino acids wherever they are needed, maybe for collagen production and maybe for another reason just as our bodies utilize collagen-rich foods. The most effective way to increase collagen production in the body is to regularly eat a wide range of collagen-rich foods or foods that are known to create the building blocks (amino acids) important for collagen production. If you are not eating these regularly, a good collagen supplement could be a nice alternative too.
There are some studies that certain types of collagen can help the appearance of aging skin, may lead to stronger hair and nails, reduce joint pain, help support increased bone density in post-menopausal women and be beneficial for women in pregnancy due to its high levels of glycine which is important for pregnant women.
Collagen rich foods
My favorite way to get in this important nutrient is in homemade or high-quality store-bought bone broth. Bone broth contains the most bioavailable form of collagen that your body is able to use right away, making it a better option compared to the more processed alternatives like collagen supplements. I have a pretty easy recipe here that you can make on the stovetop or in an Instant Pot (my preferred method to save time!). I completely understand that not everyone has the access or time to make their own broth and good-quality store-bought broth can be quite pricy. Some of my favorite store-bought broth brands include:
Bonafide Provisions (found in the freezer section of the grocery store)
Kettle and Fire
Bare Bones
Pacific Foods Organic Chicken Bone Broth (Costco carries this)
Most if not all of these options do not come salted, so be sure to add plenty of high- quality sea salt to bring out the broth’s natural flavor.
If you are not into making your own bone broth or just don’t love the flavor, other animal sources of collagen include animal proteins like meat, fish, and eggs. Plants typically contain smaller amounts of collagen, but the best sources include berries, citrus fruits, red and yellow vegetables, leafy greens, tomatoes, bell peppers, garlic, beans, avocados, soy, cashews, and white tea. If you are plant-based only or just want to eat whole food sources of collagen, eat these foods regularly.
It is also helpful to eat foods rich in vitamin C to help support your collagen production. Vitamin C is an important nutrient for the synthesis of hyaluronic acid which may promote collagen production according to one study.
Collagen powder, specifically bio-available collagen peptides are another decent option in an easy-to-consume powder form. Collagen peptides, also known as hydrolyzed collagen, are tasteless, have no texture, and easily blend right into foods and beverages. You can add it to your morning coffee or tea, smoothies, soups, or other recipes. You can also bake with it. It’s important to note that many topical beauty products contain collagen, but they may not be entirely effective. Collagen molecules are too large to be absorbed through the skin. We need to consume it internally for the body to break down the amino acids into a usable form to support collagen production.
Collagen is not all created equal. As with all of our food, the sourcing, and quality of the collagen we consume matters, especially if it is something we consume daily. It is important to find a brand that sources its collagen peptides purely from grass-fed, pasture-raised cattle or from sustainable wild-caught fish. This will ensure that the collagen you buy is pure and doesn’t contain toxins or additives and comes from healthy animals. A company that tests for glyphosate (pesticides) is even better.
Here are some of my favorite brands for collagen peptides. I tend towards the plain varieties because they have fewer ingredients and can be mixed into anything:
For a less processed option, bone broth collagen powder is great. It is essentially, a powdered version of liquid bone broth and is dehydrated to remove the water/liquid. It is then processed and made into a concentrated powder that is convenient and shelf-stable. It provides many of the same benefits as liquid bone broth. The bone broth powders do have a slight flavor to them and have less collagen per serving, but a similar protein profile. I still find that this flavor is pretty undetectable when I mix it into foods and drinks. High-quality bone broth powders may contain additional nutrients like glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, hyaluronic acid, and minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus which can also be supportive of the gut, joints, and skin.
Collagen peptides and bone broth powder supplements are made differently and contain collagen from different sources. Collagen peptides may be extracted from bovine hides, eggshells, and other sources, while bone broth powder is typically made from bones, ligaments, tendons, etc. It is really up to your personal preference and taste. I like the following bone broth powder supplements:
Collagen is one of the few supplements I believe many people could benefit from taking daily, especially if you don’t have access to bone broth or are not drinking it regularly. There are many potential benefits of consuming it including more youthful-looking skin, less inflammation, easier muscle growth, faster wound healing, less anxiety, and more. Still, not all supplements are right for everyone. If you are unsure if collagen is appropriate for you, please check with your doctor or health practitioner.
Sources:
https://www.furtherfood.com/collagen/
https://www.vitalproteins.com/pages/why-collagen
https://www.peptan.com/science/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collagen
https://www.medicinenet.com/collagen_diet/article.htm
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23949208/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22500661/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5793325/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32939556/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4822517/