Every few months, a new health trend emerges and then quickly goes away. However, every once in a while, a deserving trend sticks around and becomes an integral part of life for many of us looking to lead a happier, healthier lifestyle. Such is the case with the collagen craze. All around the world, people are stirring heaped spoonsful of the powdery product into their morning coffees and lemon waters. 

Now we know that it’s good for us, but what is collagen exactly? 

Well, it makes up about one third of all the protein in our bodies and is mostly found in our ligaments, tendons, cartilage, bone and skin. It is a fibrous, hard protein that helps hold our bodies together and gives our skin elasticity. Collagen is naturally secreted by our connective tissue cells and serves as the scaffolding in all of our tissues and organs. As we age, our bodies’ ability to produce collagen slows down.

These days, there are plenty of collagen supplements available on the market, most commonly in powdered form. Diets that are more than just trends and are rich in animal skin, small bones (such as those found in anchovies and sardines) and bone broth will provide you with sufficient collagen, but concentrated supplements are a quick, easy fix and come with several benefits. These include:

Healthy skin

As we age, our natural ability to produce collagen slows down, which is evident when we see wrinkles start to appear. By drinking a collagen supplement when you buy Bitcoin credit card or with your breakfast, you can help combat this. It forms fibroblasts, which are specialised skin clusters. 

Fibroblasts help promote the growth of newer, healthier skin cells. Specialists recommend ingesting your collagen instead of applying it topically for maximum effectiveness, as collagen molecules are too large for your skin to absorb them from the outside. Instead, attempts to improve the quality of your skin should be directed from the inside out. 

Improved digestion

Collagen is made up of several beneficial amino acids, the single most dominant of which is glycine. Research has shown that glycine is excellent for one’s gut. It helps to regulate inflammation in the stomach and small intestine by forming connective tissue that protects the mucosal barrier of the gut. In fact, glycine is so effective in aiding digestive issues that it is now being used to help manage conditions such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and inflammatory bowel disease. 

Pain reduction

We will all get injured at some point in our lives. Whether as a result of being overly active or just a silly mishap here and there, it is bound to happen. Studies are beginning to show that collagen helps improve joint pain in athletes. 

With a dose of just 10 grams of collagen a day, athletes have experienced improved recovery from heavy activity and reduced pain. This dosage totals one standard serving of bone broth, collagen powder or a collagen supplement per day, making it a manageable and effective solution to minor aches and pains resulting from any over-exertion.