Issue #315: Collagen Isn't Just for Your Skin
Good morning. It’s Tuesday, March 12th.
Stat of the Day
The percentage of our protein that is collagen - makes up the white fibers of our skin, tendons, bones, and cartilage. (source)
Learn
What’s the Deal with Collagen?
A lot of people are buying collagen these days. It’s now almost a $10B market globally.
So why are so many of us adding it to our smoothies these days?
The #1 Protein
Collagen is the most abundant protein in our body - it’s responsible for maintaining the structure and integrity of our skin, muscle, tendons and ligaments.
That’s why it’s very literal when they say “protein is like the building blocks of life.”
Proteins are combinations of amino acids - there are 20 amino acids that combine in different variations to build up the protein in our body. Three (3) amino acids - proline, glycine, and hydroxyproline - combine together thanks to support from Vitamin C, zinc and copper to create the triple helix that is the protein collagen.
So the easy thing to do is to eat foods rich in these amino acids and vitamins/minerals - this boosts the natural way we create more collagen. But just like our muscle - this starts to degrade over time as we get older.
In fact, some of us start losing collagen as early as our 21st birthday (which, ironically, is the age we’re after if we believe all the hype around collagen).
But the benefits aren’t just about our skin.
Collagen also supports our tendons and ligaments. As we get older, we start losing our explosiveness. We start feeling a bit slower.
And we start worrying about injury.
Most of us in our 40’s think it’s time to stop the pick-up basketball games. We’ve seen too many knee injuries and I’ll never forget seeing a guy in LA tear his achilles tendon in one game.
We become more brittle over time without sufficient collagen. Without the fluid going in and out of these tendons - which have much less blood flow than muscle - have a much higher risk of strain under pressure.
But the answer isn’t to totally stop all active sports or explosive movements - we need to keep up our VO2Max. Instead, the answer is to make sure we have sufficient collagen.
Get Collagen Naturally
Ok - so collagen is really good for us.
But before buying a supplement - there are some things we can do to boost our collagen naturally:
Don’t Smoke - smoking increases an enzyme metalloproteinase that breaks down collagen. It’s one of the reasons smokers have more wrinkles and worse skin health than the rest of us.
Limit UV Rays - we talked about the benefits of the sun for Vitamin D and some sunlight is actually great for us. But too much of this light exposure will decrease collagen structure.
Avoid Sugar - apparently sugar breaks the links in the collagen bonds that can’t be repaired and instead produces glycation, which makes us look older.
We can also use our diet, not supplements, to increase our collagen. Remember those amino acids and minerals/vitamins that need to come together to produce collagen?
Here’s the collagen eating plan:
Proline - bone broth, wild-caught fish, eggs
Glycine - red meats, turkey, chicken, peanuts
Vitamin C - red bell peppers, oranges, kiwis, strawberries, broccoli, Brussels sprouts
Copper - oysters, shiitake mushrooms, tofu, sweet potatoes, cashews, salmon
Now unless you want to eat the whole animal like our ancestors (i.e., organs, skin, cartilage) and go out for oysters all the time, it might be tough to get enough collagen every day.
Supplements?
There’s a lot of headlines out there saying that “collagen supplements aren’t absorbed by our body.”
That’s true - if you get the wrong kind of collagen. To maximize absorption, you need to get either “hydrolyzed collagen” or “collagen peptides.”
Even the articles that say “research is limited” admit that in most studies collagen has a real benefit - citing both improved look and health of skin.
I’ll tell you as a sample of one that if I have collagen in my smoothie for a couple of weeks I feel like I’m cutting my nails all the time and they are much stronger.
Now if you are going to supplement - make sure you get a reputable brand that uses the highest sources of collagen and avoids heavy metals, which are a huge problem in way too many supplements.
Look for grass-fed bovine collagen or marine collagen - these are the easiest to absorb.
Here’s a good summary of all the various forms of collagen.
Bottom Line - if you are looking to supplement, look for “collagen peptides” from a highly reputable brand that you trust.
Try
Pre-Workout Collagen
If you’re feeling a little stiff these days - try adding a high-quality, grass-fed bovine collagen supplement to your workout routine.
By taking the collagen before/during your workout (just add it to your water bottle), you’ll help loosen your joints and tendons while you lift and/or get after that Zone 5 HIIT class.
Thrive25 Partner Spotlight
We’re only biased because it’s good. Our friends at Primal Kitchen make one of the highest quality collagen supplements on the market and they’re always doing regular testing to keep out the heavy metals that invade too many of these unregulated supplement.
So try Primal Kitchen’s Collagen Fuel - no artificial sweeteners, dairy, whey or soy, and 100% paleo and keto friendly.
Enjoy a 10% discount off your entire order at Primal Kitchen. Don’t miss out - click HERE to claim your discount today!
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Welcome to the Oscars
Did that pesky DST make you miss Jimmy Kimmel on Sunday?
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