Have you heard the hype about supplementing with collagen yet? Do you know what collagen is? What it is used for? Collagen is the most abundant protein in your body.

Collagen is what helps give our skin strength and elasticity, and replaces dead skin cells. It’s the “glue” that helps hold the body together. As we age our body’s production of collagen slows down. This attributes to wrinkles, sagging skin and joint pains (think of decreased cartilage in our joints). Other factors that affect collagen production are eating a diet high in sugar, smoking, and sun exposure.

Collagen has over 1400 amino acids on each chain and each collagen molecule has 3 chains. The most note worthy amino acids are:

• Proline: Proline makes up almost 15 percent of collagen.  Proline helps protect blood vessels, improve joint health and has cardiovascular benefits.
• Glycine: Around 1/3rd of the protein found in collagen is glycine. It helps build healthy DNA strands and is one of three amino acids that form creatine (which promotes healthy muscle growth and boosts energy production during workouts).
• Glutamine: Research shows that glutamine has benefits for preventing anxiety, tension, sleep disorders/insomnia, a lack of concentration, poor digestive health, a weakened immune system and low energy.
• Arginine: Arginine (also commonly called L-arginine) breaks down into nitric oxide within the body, which is an important compound for heart health. Arginine has also been shown to improve circulation, help strengthen the immune system and has a positive influence on male libido.

Top Benefits of Taking Collagen

1. Healthy skin, hair and nails – Collagen benefits also include reducing cellulite and stretch marks. When skin loses its elasticity as a result of decreased collagen, there’s another side effect: more visible cellulite. Because your skin is now thinner, cellulite becomes more evident — no more hiding what’s happening below the surface. Collagen for skin helps its elasticity and helps reduce potential dimpling.
2. Reduces joint pain – when we lose collagen, our tendons and ligaments start moving with less ease, leading to stiffness, swollen joints and more.
3. Improves liver health – If you’re looking to detox your body of harmful substances, improve blood flow and keep your heart young, collagen is extremely helpful. That’s because glycine helps minimize damage your liver experiences when it absorbs foreign substances, toxins or alcohol that shouldn’t be passing through it.
4. Heart health – The amino acid proline helps your artery walls release fat buildup in the bloodstream, shrinking the fat in the arteries and minimizing fat accumulation. Proline is needed for tissue repair within the joints and arteries, plus it helps control blood pressure.
5. Helps heal leaky gut – If you suffer from leaky gut syndrome, a condition where bad toxins are able to pass through your digestive tract. Collagen helps break down proteins and soothes your gut’s lining and heals damaged cell walls.

How to Consume Collagen

• Collagen supplements, like collagen protein powder, are an easy way to increase your collagen intake. Collagen supplements can be mixed into coffee, smoothies, soups or even into baked goods without adding any taste.
  

• Bone broth is a great source of collagen. You can either buy bone broth or make your own! (Its super cheap to make your own.)
  

• Collagen is found in the connective tissues of animals. Thus, foods such as chicken skin, pork skin, beef and fish are sources of collagen.

Chiropractic

If you have joint pain, combine chiropractic care with supplements like collagen. Chiropractic helps your body function more efficiently and by keeping your body aligned, it helps reduce the stress on joints and uneven wear.

Give us or a chiropractor near you a call if you have any questions! Chiropractic can help you to start feeling better and living a healthier life! Chiropractic isn’t a one visit fix. Just like taking a pill isn’t a one pill fix. Even if you don’t have pain, its always a good idea to get your spine checked! Prevention will allow you to live a longer, healthier, pain free life.

~Dr. Lacey~
Carder Chiropractic Clinic, INC.
El Reno, OK 73036