Do You Have A Collagen Deficiency or Even Worse, Insufficiency?

Collagen deficiency has emerged as a major area of medical study and I have spent time doing extensive research on collagen over the past few years. Now I understand why we have seen such an explosion of collagen supplementation on the market.

Here is my explanation of why collagen is such a hot seller…

The short answer – collagen is probably the easiest step you can take for your health. It supports your joints, gut lining, hair, skin, nails, bone structure, and much more; plus it’s incredibly easy to use because it dissolves in anything without changing the flavor or consistency. It’s basically a miracle supplement.

What Is Collagen?

Collagen is essentially the glue that holds your body together. The name collagen comes from the Greek κόλλα (kólla), meaning “glue”. Collagen is necessary for your gut to heal, to keep your joints moving, for your skin to heal, and many other vital functions.

The problem is, as we develop, our bodies produce plenty of collagen up to the age of 20 years old. Collagen production begins to decrease rapidly after your mid 20’s.  By the age of 40, if we are not getting enough collagen from nutrition, our body is breaking down quicker than it can rebuild itself and we begin to suffer from collagen deficiency.

If you take all of your body’s protein, about 30% of that protein is collagen! That is a big deal! In the United States today, we might get 1-2% of our proteins in collagen form. When we go to the store, we typically purchase boneless and skinless meat products. The bones, skin, and ligaments of the meat we buy are where the majority of collagen comes from. Because our collagen production decreases as we age and we get minimal collagen from the foods we consume, we need to start looking for other sources such as supplements.

THE BENEFITS OF COLLAGEN:

Skin and Healing:

Collagen is what gives our skin firmness and elasticity skin. The bulk of your skin is collagen. If you are noticing wrinkles, reduced elasticity of the skin, brittle nails, or a decrease in healing time. Chances are you need a collagen supplement. In certain European countries, doctors recommend patients to take collagen supplements post-surgery to aid in the healing process. A study in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology found that oral collagen supplementation increased density in the dermis (the layer under the outer layer) in just 4 weeks, after 8 weeks they noted an increase in hydration to the skin i.e. fewer wrinkles, more firmness, and better healing.

Bones and Joints:

As we age, we begin to feel the aches and pains associated with collagen deficiency in our bodies because our bodies are breaking down quicker without this much-needed nutrient required to rebuild. Collagen peptides are essential for the strengthening of joints and bones Collagen helps give joints strength, flexibility and keeps them mobile. Studies have also shown that those with osteoporosis who take a high-quality collagen supplement have noticed a significant increase in bone density as compared to a control group which was not given collagen. This to me is amazing because everyone talks about taking calcium, magnesium, and Vitamin D3 for bone strength but who is talking about collagen which holds all that together.

Gut and Immune Health:

If you struggle with IBS, leaky gut, or an autoimmune disorder, collagen can aid in strengthening your gut lining to relieve you of symptoms naturally. Why? How? Well, just like your skin needs collagen to keep its strength and integrity the same applies to your gut health. Due to our standard American diet, our gut integrity is constantly under duress. Over time this strain in our GI tract may lead to a weakening of the lining, aka leaky gut. Once we have a leaky gut our immune system is constantly stressed or is on high alert because unwanted material gets into our system and this leads to compounding systemic immune issues. Collagen is absolutely necessary and vital to the healing of our gut lining from the years of stress and damage our diet has done.

There is so much more collagen can and will help with. I hope you can see why I say that taking a high-quality collagen supplement is the easiest thing you can do for your health.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A HIGH-QUALITY COLLAGEN SUPPLEMENT:

1. A diverse amino acid profile. The more diverse, the better!
2. Must be hydrolyzed. Hydrolyzed means it’s broken down into small particles, allowing it to absorb better. This type of collagen can be added to any food or drink without changing the taste or consistency.
3. Bovine collagen. You want it to come from beef! Collagen is found in many sources, but testing has shown the most potent and effective are from bovine type I and III. Type I and III also make up 90% of your body’s collagen.
4. Look for type I and III. Many products on the market have three or more collagen types, causing them to be watered down and less potent. I would be wary of something containing marine collagen because they can literally be using any marine animal (shellfish, jellyfish, small and large fish).
5. Make sure it’s pure! No artificial flavors or sweeteners. All you need is high-quality collagen.

 

PRO-TIP: Making this easy

Every morning, I mix two tablespoons of Re‘s clean collagen in my coffee or tea. Most evenings, I make tea with another serving of collagen. It’s that easy!

I will say, collagen does not work like a magical pill. It must build up in your system to see and feel the effects. For many of us, we have been deficient for so long we have become insufficient.

So, the question is, how much collagen do you need? Are you collagen deficient or insufficient? I have created a quick test that will determine the answer, and by the end, you will receive personalized results and the recommended dosage of collagen your body needs to begin rebuilding and functioning at its best.

Take the test today by going to life.re/collagen-test.