Clean Beauty with Collagen Peptides

Skin care enthusiasts are raving about collagen peptides these past few years. It’s definitely a trend that keeps on growing and growing. It is being marketed as a fountain-of-youth miracle additive found in sparkling teas, coffee pods, gummies and smoothies.  In fact, celebrities like Jennifer Aniston and Kourtney Kardashian have endorsed this liquid radiance for gorgeous skin, hair and nails. 

 

 

When I heard it may help with sagging of the skin I’m was like really? Yes, I need that! Because one thing I’m not into are needles. The thought of getting shots or even lasers to plump my skin is too much maintenance. I’m not into it. Plus the thought of the pain scares the hell out of me. 

Since I’m always trying to find the latest and greatest in clean beauty I wanted to dig deeper and find out if I should incorporate collagen peptides / collagen supplements as part of my healthy lifestyle. Let’s begin!

The collagen market is slated to hit a reported $7.5 billion globally by 2027. Holy cow! First let’s find out what the big deal is and why it matters. Here are six skin and healthy benefits from taking collagen peptides / collagen supplements:

1. Collagen Slows the aging of the skin

Collagen plays a role in making your skin stronger and hydrated. This is important because we produce a lot less as we get older. Yeah, no kidding, tell me about it. 

According to a study, women who took a supplement that contained 2.5–5 grams of collagen for eight weeks found their skin was less dry and an increase in skin elasticity (the ability to stretch and snap back to its original shape) compared with those who did not take the supplement. 

Here’s another study. They found that women who added the supplement in their drinks daily for 12 weeks experienced increased skin hydration and a lot less reduction in wrinkle depth.

Study with Collagen Supplement and Nail Growth

The results: Daily supplementation with collagen peptides may boost the growth of fingernails by 12%, and reduce the frequency of broken nails by 42%.

Related Skin Care Tips: Lactic Acid for Radiant Skin

 

 

2. Relieves joint pain

Since collagen decreases in our bodies as we age we also risk getting osteoarthritis and joint pain. Heck I need this too because of my ankle sprain from tennis few years ago.

In one study, 73 athletes who consumed 10 grams of collagen daily for 24 weeks experienced a significant decrease in joint pain while walking and at rest, compared with a group that did not take it.

Another study showed adults who took 2 grams of collagen daily for 70 days experienced less joint pain and were able to more physical activities than those who did not take it. 

3. Prevent bone loss

Just as the collagen in your body deteriorates as you age, so does bone mass which may lead to osteoporosis. Oh my my! I need this too. Given that I am 56 and in menopause I am definitely susceptible to osteoporosis. 

Studies have shown that taking collagen supplements may have certain effects in the body that help slow down osteoporosis. 66 women who took 5 grams of collagen daily for one year showed an increase of up to 7% in their bone mineral density, compared with women who did not consume collagen. 

Related Health Tips: How to Inflammation with Celery Juice

 

 

4. Boosts muscle mass

Amen! I’m bringing up menopause here again. I so need this because when you have menopause your estrogen levels go down. When that happens your muscles get loosey goosy. So this year I have invested in a private trainer twice a week to focus just on lifting weights. It’s a tough workout. But I keep going because I am seeing the results. 

In one study, 27 frail men took 15 grams of collagen while participating in a daily workout program for 12 weeks. They found that the men gained a lot more muscle mass and strength compared with men who exercised but did not take the supplement.

5. Reduce heart-related conditions

Collagen provides structure to your arteries, which are the blood vessels that carry blood from your heart to the rest of your body. 

You arteries need collagen in order in order for them to be strong. In one study, 31 healthy adults took 16 grams of collagen for 6 months every day. The result? They experienced a significant reduction in measures of artery stiffness. They also increased their levels of HDL “good” cholesterol by an average of 6% which is a crucial factor in a healthy heart.

Related Heart Health: Benefits of Ylang Ylang for High Blood Pressure

6. Could prevent hair thinning 

Hair is mainly made up of the protein keratin and structural lipids. To consistently build keratin, it needs several types of amino acids, many of which are part of collagen peptides. In fact, the main amino acid in keratin is proline, which is found in collagen peptides. By ingesting these amino acids, they can help support your natural levels of these essential ingredients. 

My menopause has definitely contributed to the thinning of my hair! As I research and write this blog at the same time it’s amazing how much my body is craving more collagen at the age of 56.  5 out of the 6 benefits I’ve listed apply to me mainly because of my age and menopause. 

Related Hair Tips: DIY Hair Loss Remedy

 

 

Introducing Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides

I decided to buy this particular brand called Vital Proteins because they literally dominate this market. They hold the no. 1 spot in the U.S. market. Their collagen protein contains 20,000 milligrams of collagen per serving, more than what many doctors recommended. So that was impressive I thought. 

What are the ingredients in the Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides?

• Sourced from grass-fed, pasture-raised bovine hides to ensure a natural, high quality, and sustainable source of the powerful ingredient
• Bovine Hide Collagen Peptides
• Hyaluronic Acid (from sodium hyaluronate)
• Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)

It is Paleo friendly, free of gluten, dairy, and sugar. Flavorless and odorless. Love all that! 

 

 

How do you take it?

• Simply add a scoop to food (oatmeal, soups, sauces), hot or cold beverages like juices, smoothies’ tea or coffee. Dissolves quickly. 
• Add into recipes for entrees or desserts.
• Cold liquids: fill your glass 1/3 of the way with lukewarm water, adding a scoop of collagen, then top it off with cold liquid and mix for the best sipping experience.
• Hot drinks: thoroughly stir in the powder until it’s fully dissolved.
• There are many people who claim taking collagen on an empty stomach provides them with the best results.

   

Summary

Since collagen comprises up to 80 percent of your skin you’d better start paying attention to it as soon as you hit your 20s. Heck had I know my body would go through the nightmare of menopause I would have been better prepared to deal with it. No doubt collagen breaks down with age, and overexposure to sun and pollution can rapidly breakdown collagen too. Consuming collagen regardless if it’s in foods or a supplement clearly has plenty of skin and health benefits. 

 

 

Legal Disclaimer

Statements regarding dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or health condition.

Disclosure: Please note that the Vital Proteins links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the link. I have personally purchased and used these clean beauty products because they simply work, not because of the small commissions I make. Please do not spend any money on these products unless you feel you need them or that they will help you achieve your skin, beauty, and health goals.