What Happens to Your Body When You Take Collagen Supplements Every Day?
In the world of health, collagen is a trendy topic, but the main questions are: does it work and should I take it daily?
Collagen is becoming more and more popular in anything from pills to powders to baked products. Attention has been drawn to collagen. Influencers are promoting its health benefits while incorporating it into various recipes or morning coffee. Collagen seems to be a fad on grocery store shelves as well as being popular on social media.
Between now and 2030, it is anticipated that the collagen market will continue to grow.1
Are collagen supplements really all they’re hyped up to be, helping to maintain healthy joints and bones, improve the appearance and quality of hair, skin, and nails?
What Are Collagen Supplements?
Collagen is a naturally occurring protein in the body and it plays a key role in forming the structural framework of cells and tissues.2 It provides support, strength, and elasticity to skin, bones, and connective tissue. Collagen also plays an important role in cellular processes including immune response, cellular communication, and tissue repair, and is involved in the processes necessary for tissue repair and maintenance.
According to Pam Hartnett, MPH, RDN, owner of The Vitality Dietitians and nutrition expert, collagen supplements are supposed to function by giving the body the building blocks it needs to generate more collagen as well as encouraging the body’s natural collagen production.
For the treatment of wrinkles, joint pain, and dehydrated skin, collagen supplements are offered in pill, powder, and topical forms.
Types of Collagen Supplements
There are several different types of collagen found in the body with slightly different structures and functions. The most common types of collagen are types I, II, and III, which make up about 80-90% of the collagen in the body.4
“Collagen supplements can contain various types of collagen, but the most common types found in supplements are types I and III,” Kathryn Piper, RDN, LD, NBC-HWC, owner of The Age-Defying Dietitian told Health.
Three different kinds of collagen supplements—vegan, marine, and bovine—are available on the grocery store shelves, and each has a distinct function in the body.
Boiling down cow bones and other byproducts yields the majority of the bovine collagen. The supplement is created by extracting, drying, and powdering the collagen. It has been demonstrated that bovine collagen is particularly beneficial for maintaining healthy skin, as it fosters suppleness, minimizes wrinkles, and boosts skin moisture.5