4 things to look for in your collagen supplement

Written by Progressive Nutritional

Collagen is the unsung superhero in your body. It is a key structural protein within your connective tissues that supports healthy skin, hair, nails bones, and connective tissue.¹ Collagen production occurs naturally within the body to maintain healthy skin and helps make the body flexible.¹ Collagen supplements have been revving up the health and wellness industry because of all of their do-good work in the body.

Even though your body creates the protein internally, natural collagen production slows down over time.² Also, modern diets may be deficient in glycine – the key amino acid found in collagen.³ That’s why it’s important to consider a collagen supplement. 

THE BENEFITS OF COLLAGEN SUPPLEMENTS

Taking collagen can benefit your body in more than just one! Let’s start with skin. Research shows that tacking a collagen supplement helped increase skin elasticity and hydration.⁴ Moving on to bones, research points to collagen supplementation helping with bone formation and reducing bone breakdown.⁵ When it comes to building muscles, research shows collagen supplementation combined with exercise can help increase muscle mass and strength.⁶

Getting more out of your collagen supplement

Taking a collagen supplement is one thing, but ensuring it’s fully absorbed is another way to reap the benefits of supplementation. It’s not longer “you are what you eat” it’s more like “you are what you absorb”. That’s why it’s important to consider the type of collagen you are taking and which additional ingredients are added to it. For instance, hydrolyzed collagen, is collagen that’s been broken down into smaller pieces so it can be easily absorbed by the body and even the way it mixes into your beverage of choice.⁷ Other ingredients that ensure complete absorption of your collagen is pineapple and papaya. Doesn’t sound intuitive right? Research has shown that pineapple⁸ and papaya⁹ may contain specific enzymes to aid in this process.

Now, let’s not forget that our body’s natural collagen production doesn’t completely stop, it just slows down. What’s important to know is that there are ingredients which can help your body’s natural collagen production. Based on research, Vitamin C helps in collagen formation to maintain health bones, cartilage, teeth and/or gums!⁷

Last but not least, collagen is a protein BUT it’s not a complete protein. Collagen lacks essential amino acid – tryptophan so it’s important to look for a supplement that has it added so you get a complete amino acid profile and most benefit.

Check your collagen supplement to see if it has the following ingredients, so you can get the most out of it:

• Hydrolyzed collagen: for easy mixing and better absorption
• Based on research, Vitamin C: for collagen synthesis
• Tryptophan: to complete the aminos

We’ve got you covered

Complete Collagen™ has you covered with all the ingredients you need to achieve the maximal benefit. Complete Collagen™ contains non-GMO hydrolyzed collagen from pasture raised, grass-fed cattle that is free of both antibiotics and added hormones. Each scoop provides 10 grams of collagen along with Vitamin C, Tryptophan, Pineapple and Papaya.

Complete Collagen™ is designed to help:

• Collagen and connective tissue formation
• Maintain healthy bones, cartilage, teeth and gums
• Maintain healthy hair, skin and nails
• Build lean muscle when combined with regular resistance training and a healthy balanced diet

Complete Collagen™ is mixes easily into water. Try the vanilla ice cream for a healthy treat or the unflavoured to add to your favourite beverage! 

Your body works hard for you. It allows you to run, walk, work out, lift your kids and go about your busy life. But without the right support to mend and repair, you can start to experience the aches, pains and other signs of an active body. Be sure to support your body with Progressive Complete Collagen™.

References:

1. MediLexicon International. (n.d.). Collagen: What is it and what are its uses? Medical News Today. Retrieved October 8, 2021, from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/262881.php#uses. 
2. Varani J, Dame MK, Rittie L, et al. Decreased collagen production in chronologically aged skin: roles of age-dependent alteration in fibroblast function and defective mechanical stimulation. Am J Pathol. 2006;168(6):1861-1868. doi:10.2353/ajpath.2006.051302
3. de Paz-Lugo P, Lupiáñez JA, Meléndez-Hevia E. High glycine concentration increases collagen synthesis by articular chondrocytes in vitro: acute glycine deficiency could be an important cause of osteoarthritis. Amino Acids. 2018;50(10):1357-1365. doi:10.1007/s00726-018-2611-x
4. Choi FD, Sung CT, Juhasz ML, Mesinkovsk NA. Oral Collagen Supplementation: A Systematic Review of Dermatological Applications. J Drugs Dermatol. 2019 Jan 1;18(1):9-16. PMID: 30681787.’
5. 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;10(1):97. Published 2018 Jan 16. doi:10.3390/nu10citat010097
6. Health Benefits of Collagen: Pros and Cons, Nutrition, and More (webmd.com)
7. Karen E. Burke, Chapter 8 - Prevention and Treatment of Aging Skin with Topical Antioxidants, Editor(s): Nava Dayan,In Personal Care & Cosmetic Technology, Skin Aging Handbook, William Andrew Publishing, 2009, Pages 149-176, ISBN 9780815515845, https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-8155-1584-5.50012-0.
8. Renu, I C & Thampi, Hari. (2020). Studies on Collagen Hydrolysis by Pineapple (Ananas Comosus) Stem Bromelain. 10.13140/RG.2.2.29822.13126.
9. McDermott, A. (2018, December 4). Papain: Benefits, side effects, and more. Healthline. Retrieved June 1, 2022, from https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/papain#:~:text=Papain%20is%20a%20proteolytic%20enzyme,papain%20from%20eating%20raw%20papaya.