The Ultimate Guide To Collagen
What is Collagen?
Collagen makes up bout 30% of the structural protein in the body. It is the fundamental building block of our connective tissues, including bones, cartilage, tendons, ligaments and the skin. As the key structural protein that ensures cohesion, elasticity and regeneration of the above body parts, Collagen is the flexible mortar that holds all the bricks together.
Here’s the most important fact about Collagen: Our bodies naturally make it from amino acids, vitamins and minerals we ingest. The issue is - our bodies natural collagen production consistently declines as we age. What does that mean? Well, it can mean a lot of things – creaky, achy joints, thinning cartilage, slower muscle recovery/building, leaky gut syndrome, wrinkles, sag and maybe even cellulite – are all some of the usual suspects.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE TAKING COLLAGEN SUPPLEMENTS
If you’re well-versed on the health benefits of Collagen then you’re probably in the market to purchase. In order to make an informed purchase, it’s important you understand everything before picking a Collagen supplement for your usage.
1. Not All Collagen is Created Equal
The trickiest part of buying a dietary supplement is falling into the trap that they are all the same. If you’re sourcing an ingredient how could one jar on the shelf really be so different from the jar right next to it. First and foremost, you always want to buy “hydrolyzed” Collagen. In terms of quality and bioavailability that is imperative. Equally important, you want to look for grass-fed, pasture raised for Bovine Collagen and wild-caught for Marine Collagen. Supplementing the right Collagen not only benefits you, but also has a positive impact on the environment as the sources of Collagen from animals is often put to waste – i.e. fish scales, skin, bones.
2. Collagen Comes in Different Forms
The most common form of Collagen supplements is powder. However, if you do not like mixing the powders in food or drink and would prefer pills – they exist as well. The efficacy of the Collagen is the same in either powder or pills.
3. The Main Benefits of Collagen
There are many benefits to Collagen supplementation that are well-documented on our website. We cannot specifically call out a particular benefit but some clinically proven benefits are – joint pain relief, reduced inflammation, rejuvenated hair/skin/nails, improved digestive health, builds lean body mass – reduces fat/cellulite through appetite control, and much more.
WHAT ARE COLLAGEN
SUPPLEMENT BENEFITS?
The Collagen Dietary Supplement global market is projected to reach over USD$6 billion by 2025 according to Grand View Research. This number is driven by the healthcare sector with cosmetics having the largest impact on the total sales as of 2017. However, the overall health benefits of collagen as a consumable dietary supplement is the main factor for growth over the next decade. The growing popularity is a direct result of increased consumer knowledge of the clinically proven health benefits of supplementing Collagen. Let’s break it down quite simply what those benefits are –
1. Promotes Healthy Joints & Ligaments
Outside of the cosmetic application of Collagen, one of the oldest tested benefits of supplementing is the impact it joints and ligaments. Studies go back to 1990 that cite collagen as reducing inflammation for arthritis patients. Modern day studies show overall preservation and restoration of connective tissue in the body. As you age, this is something that absolutely cannot be taken for granted especially if you’re an active person.
2. Reduces Visual Signs of Aging
The most well-known application of supplementing Collagen is the impact it has on your skin, hair and nails. There are a significant amount of studies that clinically show Collagen supplements to have reduced skin dryness, wrinkles and even cellulite. It even showed improved skin firmness in a period of 12 short weeks. On top of these positive benefits, it’s also shown to improve brittle nails as well as hair growth and quality. As stated, this one of the most well-known benefits of Collagen and there are studies to back it up.
WHO SHOULD TAKE
COLLAGEN SUPPLEMENTS?
Not Just a Supplement for Women!
“I am a 37-year old male. I’m a husband, a father and lead an active lifestyle. My health is very important to me, but like many I’ve tried a billion different things to fully optimize my overall wellness. I’ve had reconstructive surgery on my left knee, both of my shoulders have had enough tendinitis to choke a pig and I have about a half dozen other little physical hurdles that make it hard for me to feel like I’m at my best. I like to stay in good shape, avoid the dad bod, build lean body mass, but also make sure I’m functioning at a high level. I haven’t tried a few dietary supplements, I’ve probably tried hundreds. Anything from whey protein to fish oil to even fat burners. For a while, I was less concerned what was on the label and more concerned with what these random products could do for me. In hindsight, how stupid is that? Eventually, I started paying attention to what was in my dietary supplements and soon thereafter learned that about 80% of them have stuff in them I don’t want in my body. It was around this time I stumbled upon Zammex Nutrition’s Multi-Collagen Protein. Never in a million years did I think Collagen Peptides was something I should supplement – I’m not a female...”
The above is a true story from one of our loyal customers
Are There Collagen
Supplement Side Effects?
Is It Worth It?
Zammex Nutrition is built on the principle of Health Made Simple. Because of that we would never create a product that may have adverse side effects on our customers. However, it is vitally important that every person who chooses to take our products understands there may be side effects that aren’t anticipated. The good news is – Collagen as a dietary supplement has very few side effects. Because Zammex Nutrition’s products are derived from the best possible sources and remain totally pure, there are even fewer side effects. Here are a couple potential issues you should be aware of –
1. Hypersensitivity Reactions
There’s always a chance that you may have a hypersensitivity reaction as an abnormal response of the immune system against certain foods, drugs and supplements. While rare, it’s very important that you make sure you can consume Collagen prior to purchasing. Also, please be aware of the Collagen you are purchasing and the animal from which it came. For example, Marine Collagen comes from naturally caught Tilapia and could trigger a fish allergen. Whereas the Multi Collagen Powder contains Collagen from avian sources. Please inform yourself by reading our blogs or asking questions prior to consumption.
How To Choose A
COLLAGEN SUPPLEMENT?
1. “Hydrolyzed” Collagen
Without question you want to choose a Collagen that has the fewest ingredients as possible. Purity Realized is one of Zammex’s founding principles and should be in the forefront of your mind when picking a product. Ensuring your Collagen is hydrolyzed will optimize its bioavailability (absorption and usage) so you are maximizing every scoop you ingest.
2. Avoid the Flavors
If you’ve ever supplemented protein powders you’ve seen some flavors beyond your wildest dreams – The sports nutrition companies are quite creative! They are also quite good at loading those products up with artificial flavors, sweeteners and other nonsense that does nothing but run riot on your digestive system. For Collagen, Health Made Simple, no sweeteners, no artificial flavors or colors. Stay pure and mix it with something that brings foods natural flavor to your palate.
3. Third Party Certified.
The final prerequisite for a Collagen supplement is make sure it is Third Party Tested. The FDA doesn’t really have a handle on regulation, thus it’s important to look for UL, NSF or USP Certifications from these manufacturers. There are a lot of imitators out there without the proper certifications and they should be avoided. ZAMMEX makes an unflavored collagen peptides product the UL has certified.