What Does Supplementing Collagen Actually do for Your Joints?

What if I told you that osteoarthritis may have started with you while you were in your twenties? Seems a bit harsh, but when I was told that (I’m now in my mid-30s) it made sense to me. The worst part is by your seventies it’s just about a sure thing for just about everyone. I’m not going to say it’s a guarantee for everyone, but there are some Captain America’s out there that will avoid it, but the odds are that if you’re reading this, you’re in for some osteoarthritis in your seventies. To keep things simple let’s go over what happens – As you age your collagen production declines – collagen is the foundation for your joints and cartilage – this ultimately means that your cartilage will inevitably erode away creating joint pain and stiffness. Ultimately, like Thanos, this is inevitable (my Marvel references are on point today).

Enter collagen supplementation! Collagen supplements have been around for years. I’ve said it many times, but collagen got its start as a supplement for improving hair, skin and nails. Ironically, the collagen production decline dynamic plays a similar role in hair, skin and nails as it does for cartilage and joints. However, to say that the results are the same is not reasonable, but the application has many parallels. Let’s start with the basics.

Collagen is the major component of connective tissue in the body. It’s found just about everywhere in your body and is the most abundant protein across the animal kingdom. While some people are insistent that collagen supplementation doesn’t impact your tendon and joint health, there are enough studies out there that show taking collagen provides support for growth and repair of cartilage tissue as well as relief of inflammation and pain ESPECIALLY if your active and accelerating the breakdown. As we discussed, the path towards osteoarthritis seems inevitable, however collagen supplementation has been shown to help (See Study by NCBI and this study by Elisangela Porfino and Gustavo Bernardes Fanaro). Essentially, what we’re seeing is that supplementing collagen promotes a protective effect on cartilage and may stimulate regeneration. At the end of the day, this means less wear and tear, less pain. Is it a cure? Absolutely not, but studies have shown it enables people to be more active, longer.

Here’s another beautiful thing about collagen, especially Zammex Nutrition’s Hydrolyzed Collagen Peptides – it can be seamlessly incorporated into your diet. It’s not an allergen and can be taken by simply mixing into your morning coffee undetected. It’s an easy supplement that offers much more than just joint and tendon support. There is an entire list of benefits of collagen supplementation, but aiding in the fight against osteoarthritis is a big one!