Collagen supplements have immensely been gaining popularity in the fitness and sports nutrition industry. But what are they all about? First, collagen is the largest protein in the human body. Second, marine collagen is obtained from fish as well as other sea life like jellyfish.
It is the main component of connective tissues located in areas such as the skin, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. It is used in critical functions such as strengthening bones and offering skin structure. This article will discuss what marine collagen does for your body.
Advantages of Collagen to Your Body
1. Collagen improves the health of your skin
Collagen plays a significant role in strengthening the human skin and increases its hydration and elasticity. As a person ages, their body releases less collagen which in turn results in dry skin and wrinkles. Collagen supplements can help to reduce the aging process by reducing skin dryness and wrinkles.
Supplements with collagen can stimulate the human body to release collagen on its own thus its wrinkle-reducing effects. More so, these supplements can encourage the production of proteins that are used in structuring the skin such as fibrillin and elastin.
2. Collagen helps to alleviate joint pain
Collagen is used to maintain your cartilage's integrity, a rubber-like tissue used to protect the joints. As a person becomes older, the likelihood of suffering from degenerative joint disorders like osteoarthritis increases. Taking supplements of collagen can help to improve osteoarthritis and generally reduce joint pains.
Supplemental collagen accumulates in the cartilages and thus, stimulates human tissues to produce collagen. This helps to reduce inflammation, support your joints better, and reduce joint pains.
3. Collagen helps to reduce bone loss
Human bones are made majorly out of collagen which offers them structure and keeps them strong. Supplemental collagens possess certain effects in your body that minimizes bone breakdown that results in osteoporosis. The strength of bones is calculated using bone mineral density (BMD).
BMD is a measure of the approximate density of minerals like calcium that are present in your bones. Having a low BMD signifies weak bones and the growth of osteoporosis. Fortunately, intake of collagen supplements is advantageous because it increases your BMD and keeps the blood proteins that encourage bone breakdown to the minimum.
4. Collagen enhances muscle mass
About 1% to 10% of human muscle tissue is made of collagen. This protein is useful for strengthening your body's muscles and keep them functioning properly. Supplemental collagen increases muscle mass in people suffering from sarcopenia – a condition in which a person experiences age-related loss of muscle. Consuming collagen helps to encourage the synthesis of muscle proteins such as creatine. Additionally, collagen helps to encourage muscle growth after exercising. That is the reason why it is recommended for fitness and sports nutrition.
Conclusion
Consuming collagen is associated with numerous health benefits to people of all ages. They improve the health of the skin by decreasing skin dryness and wrinkles. They also help to reduce bone loss, alleviate joint pains, and boost muscle growth. Whether you're an athlete or an aging person, taking supplemental collagen can be helpful and they are generally quite simple to use and most importantly, safe. You should try them out to enjoy their benefits!