Collagen Supplements – 12 Amazing Benefits Of Taking Collagen Peptides

Collagen Supplements – 12 Amazing Benefits Of Taking Collagen Peptides

Who wouldn’t want to look and feel better – without expensive surgery, injections or cosmetics?

Here’s the name to remember – Hydrolyzed Collagen Peptides.

The benefits of collagen peptides are so powerful that you can start seeing incredible benefits after just a few weeks of taking collagen peptides – regardless of your current age (1).

Collagen supplements for smooth skin

As health and wellness continues to evolve, more and more people are finding themselves seeking remedies for beauty, mental and emotional well-being, weight loss, and so on.

This “get healthy” train is trending, and of you’ve been part of it, you’ve definitely heard of Collagen Peptides.

In this article we’ll break down collagen peptides, and how it can benefit you in your journey to a healthier you.

What Is Collagen?

Collagen is the most abundant protein in our bodies.

It’s the major component of connective tissue that makes up several body parts like tendons, ligaments, skin, muscle and bone (2).

Think of collagen as the “cement” that holds a building together. If cement fails, the building will become weak and fall apart.

Collagen holds the body together

Types Of Collagen

There are over 15 types of collagen (3), but there are about 5 of them are thought to be the main ones.

These types of collagen are categorized based on the types of organs they are found in.

  1. Type I: – Found in skin, tendons, bones, dentin, blood vessels, fibrocartilage and organs
  2. Type II: – Found in cartilage
  3. Type III: – Found in skin, ligaments, blood vessels & internal organs
  4. Type IV: – Basement membrane in various tissues. It’s found primarily in connective tissue
  5. Type V: – Found in muscles, hair, cell surfaces, placenta, blood vessel wall, synovium, tendon, lung, bone & cartilage

Introducing Hydrolyzed, Collagen Peptides

The raw material that makes up collagen peptides is collagen proteins. These have been hydrolyzed, or broken down into amino acids.

Hydrolyzed peptides have been shown to be more readily absorbed in the body (4, 5).

Collagen Peptides

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Benefits Of Taking Collagen Peptides

There are several benefits of taking collagen peptides:

1: Collagen Is Good For Smooth, Soft, Youthful, Healthy Skin

Collagen Promotes Smooth, Soft, Youthful, Healthy Skin

Collagen (I & III) are major components of the skin providing strength and structure (6).

Each year, our collagen decreases by about 1%, leading to skin aging (7).

Taking collagen supplements has been shown to boost collagen levels in your skin, reduce wrinkles, and improve skin elasticity and hydration (8, 9, 10, 11).

Collagen peptides also stimulate your body to produce collagen on its own, as well as other proteins that help structure your skin, including elastin and fibrillin, reducing wrinkles (12, 13).

2: Collagen Peptides Can Boost Muscle Mass

Collagen peptides build muscle mass

Studies show collagen supplements help boost muscle mass after muscle mass loss due to age (14).

In fact, up to 10% of our muscle is made of collagen, making it an integral component in boosting muscle mass.

Collagen supplements have also been shown to help build muscle after resistance training, as well as help in post-exercise recovery (15, 16, 17).

3: Collagen Peptides Relieve Joint Pain & Promote Joint Health

Collagen supplements promote healthy joints

Collage type II is predominately found in cartilage — the protective cushioning between joints (18).

As you get older, your risk for developing osteoarthritis increases – where the cartilage between joints wears away (19).

Taking collagen supplements has been shown to improve osteoarthritis and reduce joint pain overall (20, 21).

Researchers theorize that collagen supplements accumulate in cartilage and stimulate your tissues to make collagen. This lowers inflammation, better support of your joints, and reduced pain (22).

4: Collagen Supplements Keep Bones Strong

Collagen supplements keep bones strong

Our bones are primarily made of collagen, especially type I (23), which gives them structure and helps keep them strong (24).

As our body makes less and less collagen as we age, so do our bones deteriorate as we age. This may lead to conditions like osteoporosis, low bone density and bone fractures (25, 26).

Taking collagen supplements has been shown to inhibit the breakdown of bones (27, 28, 29, 30).

5: Collagen Promotes Heart Health

Collagen promotes heart health

Since collagen provides structure to arteries, they may become weaker and fragile as we produce less and less collagen (31).

This can lead to atherosclerosis, a disease that causes arteries to narrow. Arteries carry blood from the heart to the rest of the body.

Collagen has been shown to reduce artery stiffness (32), and increase HDL “good” cholesterol (33). HDL  is an important factor in the risk of heart conditions, including atherosclerosis.

6: Collagen Prevents & Reverses Cellulite And Stretch Marks

Collagen cures stretch marks and cellulite

Cellulite is often caused by lack of collagen in the dermal layer of our body, as well as excessive fat.

Taking hydrolyzed collagen supplements has been shown to reverse stretch marks and cellulite (34).

7: Collagen Supplements Improve Hair & Nails

Collagen supplements improve hair & nails

Collagen is the building block of hair and nails.

Taking collagen supplements has been shown to increase the strength of your nails by preventing brittleness. Additionally, it may stimulate your hair and nails to grow longer (35).

Power Hint:
Combine collagen with biotin for best results with hair and nails.

8: Collagen Peptides Can Improve Gut Health

Collagen Peptides Can Improve Gut Health

Collagen is an essential component in the connective tissue of the gut. It works to maintain and strengthen the protective lining of the digestive tract.

A weakening in the intestinal walls can lead to digestive health issues like leaky gut syndrome.

Collagen supplements have been shown to heal and seal the gut in people with leaky gut syndrome (36, 37).

9: Collagen Peptides Can Help In Weight Management

Collagen helps in weight management

Collagen can boost metabolism by increasing lean muscle mass. When combined with exercise, taking collagen helps increase skeletal muscle resulting in an increased metabolism over time.​

At the same time, collagen also boosts appetite suppression (38).

One of the benefits of taking collagen peptides is the effect of feeling full – a reason why some people add protein powders and supplements to their diets.

The good thing about hydrolyzed collagen peptides is that it’s a clean, pure protein which can also keep your appetite in check.

10: Collagen May Help Alleviate Anxiety

Anxiety, mood swings, panic attacks

Anxiety is a crippling condition that affects 18% of the American population (39), and probably hundreds of millions of people worldwide.

Collagen peptides has a high concentration of the amino acid glycerine, which has anti-anxiety properties.

Glycerine works to fight the fight or flight hormone called norepinephrine that is released when we experience anxiety.

This helps reduce anxiety.

11: Collagen Peptides May Help With Better Sleep

Collagen Peptides May Help With Better Sleep

A good night’s sleep is important in keeping us healthy, and preventing a variety of ailments like weight gain (40) and heart disease (41).

The amino acid glycerine found in collagen peptides helps improve the quality of sleep (42), and feeling less fatigued throughout the day as a result.

12: Collagen Supplements May Help Support Teeth & Gums

Collagen Supplements Supports Teeth & Gums

Another benefit of collagen is that it helps strengthen our teeth and gums.

While the dental industry is huge, sometimes all it takes is proper nutrition with more collagen.

Collagen can help to bind our teeth together and keep them firmly placed in the gums. Lack of collagen has been linked to linked to a loss of teeth.

In fact, collagen is made up of the fibers that are in the connective tissues that make up teeth and bones.

Collagen Side Effects

There are not many known risks of taking collagen supplements.

Avoid collagens made with common food allergens like eggs, shellfish and fish.

Some people have reported a bad taste in their mouth feeling of fullness and heartburn (43).

Frequent Questions

Why use collagen for supplement rather than from food?

Hydrolyzed collagen, or the collagen that is easiest for your body to absorb, isn’t found in food that you can eat–which means you’ll need a different way to best supplement your collagen production.

Collagen is especially important for your skin while losing weight. If you lose a large amount of weight in a short amount of time, your skin may not have the ability to bounce back, and you’ll end up with a lot of extra skin hanging around.

Collagen helps your skin be more elastic and tighter, which helps people look great while losing weight. If you supplement your diet with collagen, your skin will be more able to bounce back after your awesome weight loss journey!

What affects collagen?

Collagen production declines with age and exposure to factors such as smoking and UV light.

When can i see first results?

That may depend on what you’re looking for – if you’re taking it  for joint pain, then you might start to feel a difference in 3-6 weeks.

However, if you’re taking it for skin, hair, and nails, you’ll really start noticing results after about two or three months, although some people have reported skin improvements in just 2-4 weeks. 

What role does C-vitamin play in collagen?

Vitamin C has the potential to increase collagen synthesis, and reduce oxidative stress parameters. As you age, your collagen levels begin to decrease. Eating foods rich in vitamin C and protein can increase the levels and collagen in the body as both are important for skin.

Is it okay to use collagen during pregnancy and breastfeeding?

Yes, you can. Hydrolyzed collagen is a pure protein and is also suitable for consumption during pregnancy and lactation. This supplement is also suitable for the elderly and children.

If collagen is naturally occurring, why do we need to supplement with it?

Collagen is the most abundant protein in our bodies. Collagen is found in hair, skin, nails, ligaments, cartilage, tendons, bones and within blood vessel walls—all known as “connective tissue” in the body.

Beginning in our 20s, however, our bodies start producing less collagen, making it important to add it as a supplement.

I’ve heard that you should only mix collagen powder with cooler liquids (i.e. not hot coffee).

This is false. Hot water is one of the best known—and healthiest—ways to extract collagen peptides from their source. For example, when fish scales are heated in distilled water at 70 degrees, the collagen yield is only 6%… but when fish scales are heated to 100 degrees, the yield is 30%. So, keep on mixing your collagen in your hot liquid of choice!

Bottom Line

Collagen is the key component in our bodies, and is responsible for so many important functions of the body such as a healthy skin, bones, teeth, muscle, heart and cardiovascular health, digestive health and many others.

Taking collagen supplements is associated with a number of health benefits and very few known risks.

Collagen supplements are generally quite safe and easy to take, and definitely worth trying for their potential benefits.

Key takeaway:
Aging inevitably reduces our collagen production, estimated at 1% every year.

As the most abundant protein in our body, taking collagen supplements offers huge health benefits that improve the quality of our lives.

These supplements are available in Kenya for pickup in Nairobi, or delivery countrywide.

7 Diindolylmethane (DIM) Benefits – Achieve Hormonal Balance And Bustling Health

7 Diindolylmethane (DIM) Benefits – Achieve Hormonal Balance And Bustling Health

Diindolylmethane (DIM) benefits both women and men. It’s a plant compound that has picked up steam as a go-to treatment for maintaining estrogen and testosterone balance, and as an anti-cancer agent (1, 2).

It’s known to treat a variety of issues such as acne, PMS, mood swings, fibroids, menopause symptoms, as well as a horde of other benefits.

It’s generated when the body breaks down indole-3-carbinol (I3C) (3), which is found in cruciferous vegetables. Cruciferous vegetables include broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower. However, to get the maximum benefit of DIM, you’d need to eat a kilo of these vegetables every day (4).

For this reason, taking DIM as a natural health supplement may be the best way to go.

Secondly, these cruciferous vegetables also contain goitrogens – compounds that mess with your thyroid. The thyroid gland controls several hormones in the body, including estrogen. You can still take broccoli and cabbage but you don’t want piles of it.

When you take a DIM supplement, you avoid those extra compounds with potential harmful effects.

Sex Hormones Explained

Hormones are chemical messengers that tell our bodies to perform various functions.

Estrogen and testosterone are called sex hormones because they control functions of the reproductive system. Both hormones occur in both men and women and control various body functions. This makes their balance critical to health.

As we age, hormone production and balance changes, leading to multiple symptoms like weight gain, muscle loss, brittle bones, etc, as well as that feeling of “getting older”. Diindolylmethane helps in maintaining this hormonal balance for sex hormones.

Estrogen has about 300 known functions currently. For example, it impacts the liver, heart and brain (5).

The following are the benefits of taking Diindolylmethane (DIM):

1) Diindolylmethane Maintains Estrogen Balance

In order to be used in the body, estrogen is metabolized into 2- hydroxy and 2-methoxy, (6) the “good estrogen”, or 16-hydroxy and 16-methoxy, the “bad estrogen”.

The “good estrogen” is involved in beneficial functions throughout the body, such as protecting the heart and brain. Conversely, the “bad estrogen” is involved in the undesirable effects such as weight gain, as well as breast and uterine cancers (7, 8).

DIM helps increase production of “good estrogen” (9) and reduce the effects of bad estrogen (10, 11).

Healthy levels of the good estrogen are associated with:

  • Lower body fat and more muscle
  • Higher quality collagen in the skin and joints
  • Healthy bone density
  • Proper cholesterol levels (in animal models)

Key Takeaway:

DIM helps increase production of “good estrogen” and reduce effects of “bad estrogen”. This results to a bunch of associated health benefits and prevents several undesirable conditions like weight gain and cancer, among other benefits.

2) DIM Is A Hormonal Treatment For Acne

DIM Supplement For Acne Treatment

Hormonal acne has a few tell-tale signs:

  • It appears at the same time during your menstrual cycle
  • It’s usually deep and painful and doesn’t easily pop
  • Usually around the jaw-line, cheeks and chin

Hormonal acne usually occurs when the level of estrogen falls too low in relation to progesterone. This un-checked progesterone promotes too much sebum production, which leads to acne. By controlling estrogen and testosterone balance, DIM can help keep acne in check.

Key takeaway:

DIM helps maintain healthy levels of the good estrogen, as well as testosterone, and prevents the bad estrogen pathways. This healthy balance keeps acne in check.

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DIM Is Now Available At Reed Naturals

DIM

3) Testosterone Supplementation & Body Building Using DIM

DIM supplement for testosterone

By our mid-forties, the levels of our testosterone in both men and women decrease to a level that some body processes may not work properly.

Diindolylmethane inhibits aromatase, which converts testosterone to estrogen (12).

By DIM reducing excess estrogens in men (possibly caused by genetics, diet, or xenoestrogen exposure), there may also be a reduction in estrogen-excess symptoms like fatigue, erectile dysfunction, obesity, and estrogen-related cancers (13, 14).

Testosterone is associated with better muscle tone and growth, which makes testosterone supplementation attractive to body builders.

Since Diindolylmethane inhibits aromatase, it maintains higher levels of testosterone. This promotes enhanced muscle growth and adaptation with exercise.

It supports more efficient fat metabolism and helps testosterone to be liberated from its carrier proteins. The “good estrogen” increases one’s development of stronger and more metabolically active muscles.

Key takeaway:

DIM helps maintain healthy levels of free testosterone which is more available in the body, as well as “good estrogen”. This promotes metabolically active and stronger muscles, protect muscles from exercise-induced damage, resulting in less inflammation, less pain, and more rapid progress in gaining muscle.

 

It also reduces estrogen-excess symptoms like fatigue, erectile dysfunction, obesity, and estrogen-related cancers.

4)Diindolylmethane (DIM) Benefits For Cancer Prevention

As we have seen, DIM promotes healthy metabolism of estrogen. This prevents cancer (13, 14, 15), particularly those related to sex hormones (e.g. breast, prostate, uterus, and ovary), in several ways.

First, stimulating “good estrogen” production causes a simultaneous reduction of the “bad estrogen”, which prevents them from damaging cells and potentially causing cancer.

Second, the “good estrogen” reduces cell division of abnormal cells and hastens cell death of precancerous cells (16, 17).

Lastly, “good estrogen” acts as an antioxidant, protecting the body from the damage of free radicals, which also helps prevent cancer.

Key takeaway:

DIM promotes metabolism of healthy estrogen. This prevents damage from bad estrogen thus preventing cancer. It reduces cell division of abnormal cells and eliminates pre-cancerous cells. It also protects cells from damage from free radicals, which prevents cancer.

5) DIM Leads To Easier Weight Management

One of Diindolylmethane (DIM) benefits is weight loss. DIM’s use has been associated with shedding weight in both men and women.

The balance of “good estrogen” and free testosterone helps release stored fat, and it also assists fat-burning hormones.

Imbalance of estrogen – either too little or too much – is associated with weight gain in both men and women (16, 17, 18).

Furthermore, DIM supplements may stimulate fat breakdown and inhibit fat cell formation (19).

Key takeaway:

As DIM regulates balance of good estrogen and testosterone, it assists fat-burning hormones. DIM supplements may also inhibit fat cell formation.

6) May Protect Against Prostrate Issues

DIM for prostate health

Rising estrogen becomes a problem in middle-aged men. Testosterone is increasingly converted into estrogen, particularly in overweight men.

DIM can help improve prostate health, and help guard against prostate enlargement, a condition known as benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH). 

Research has shown that un-metabolized estrogen accumulates in prostate tissue in men as they get older. Exposure of human prostate tissue to un-metabolized estrogen in the laboratory did indeed result in activation and increased production of prostate-specific antigen protein (PSA). Elevated PSA is associated with prostate cancer.

DIM has also been shown to prevent prostate cancer (16).

DIM directly slows the production of PSA by prostate cells, independent of its effects on estrogen metabolism.

Key takeaway:

Accumulation of un-metabolized estrogen in the prostate is known to cause prostate enlargement. DIM slows the production of PSA and prevents prostate enlargement and cancer.

7) Other Diindolylmethane (DIM) Benefits 

Diindolylmethane (DIM) benefits also include:

  • Regulation of energy metabolism by promoting the active release of stored fat for better energy, especially during exercise.
  • Cell growth regulation, which helps get rid of damaged cells throughout the body.
  • PMS support. Healthy levels of estrogen and testosterone balance in women may help to reduce the symptoms of PMS (Pre-menstrual syndrome).
  • Slows age-related diseases. The “good estrogens” have an important antioxidant activity – which slows some age-related disease, such as heart disease and arthritis.
  • Support perimenopause. Slower hormone metabolism in mid-life can mean higher than normal levels of estrogen and a deficiency of “good estrogen”. Women in perimenopause usually experience slower estrogen metabolism. This can be aided by DIM’s actions of hormone balance and metabolism.
  • Reduced risk of a heart attack. Men with the highest estrogen level have the highest risk of early heart attack. DIM may help normalize the cardiac risk in both men and women related to unhealthy or underactive estrogen metabolism.

Potential Side-Effects Of DIM

Current research shows that DIM is well tolerated. Some side-effects include:

  • Darkening of the urine, an increase in bowel movements, headaches, and gas (20, 21).
  • Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and skin rash (20).

Since DIM supplements interact with estrogen levels, they may affect people with hormone-sensitive cancers or who are on hormone therapies. Such individuals should steer clear of DIM supplements unless under the supervision of a medical professional.

The rest of the side effects of DIM are short-lived and resemble the effects of general detox symptoms — because that’s precisely what’s happening. DIM pulls excess estrogens out of your cells and sends them out into the bloodstream for elimination. While it’s all circulating, you’ll feel like crud.

You can overcome these side effects by:

  • Taking a lot of clean water.
  • Support your liver – since your liver is working overtime, breaking down estrogen, you can support your liver with glutathione, calcium d-glucarate, vitamin C, and liver support herbs like dandelion, burdock, yellow dock, and milk thistle.

If you get detox symptoms for a few days, it’s a sign that you had a lot of estrogen to deal with and you probably really needed to get it out.

Key takeaway:

DIM supplements have not been shown to cause serious side effects. People on hormone therapies or with certain hormone-related cancers should avoid these supplements.

Frequent Questions

Does DIM actually change my estrogen levels?

No, DIM capsules do not increase or decrease your estrogen blood levels. They will only change your body’s ratio of good to bad estrogens.

How long can I take DIM capsules? Do you have to wean yourself off of them?

You can take DIM capsules as long as needed, but most people use the supplement for about six months to a year. You can stop taking DIM at any time.

Can I take DIM capsules while on birth control?

Yes. Women can take DIM capsules while on birth control. Taking DIM can help with both adult acne and the side effects of synthetic hormones.

My DIM capsules have a strange smell. Is that normal?

Yes, and that scent is a good sign! Natural, high-grade DIM made from cruciferous veggies has a strong smell. In fact, if your current DIM capsules don’t have a scent, it likely means your supplement contains fewer active ingredients and will be less effective.

Why not just eat more cruciferous vegetables?

Cruciferous vegetables are protective for hormone-sensitive cancers. However, direct measurements of upward, beneficial shifts in estrogen metabolism indicate you would have to eat at least two pounds per day of raw or lightly cooked cruciferous vegetables to derive the same benefit as two capsules of specially formulated DIM.

What’s exciting about the effect of DIM on premenstrual syndrome (PMS)?

PMS symptom improvement has been noted after beginning dietary supplementation with absorbable DIM. These results suggest DIM is able to correct the estrogen imbalance in PMS.

What’s the best supplementation approach to PMS?

A strong nutritional approach to PMS includes bio-available DIM, chaste berry extract, Vitamin D, calcium, and magnesium. Synergistic interaction of these ingredients benefits PMS

What does DIM do? IN regards to acne treatment.

DIM can have a balancing effect on hormonal receptors. It can also help balance androgen and estrogen receptors and is believed to restore estrogen balance. DIM help balance hormones by blocking the effects of excess testosterone, the hormone that is responsible for the production of more sebum(oil) in the skin, and more acne.

How does DIM help with hormonal acne?

The root cause of hormonal acne is an imbalance of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, which affects the skin’s oil-producing glands. With that in mind, most Dermatologists agree that the best way to clear hormonal and cystic acne is to combine effective topical treatment with hormonal modulation. Hormonal modulation can occur via prescriptions (such as birth control pills) or natural supplementation. Estrogen imbalance, in particular, is a common cause of acne. Because DIM works to balance estrogen receptors, it can help clear up adult hormonal acne in women.

I have hormonal acne, and I’m taking the DIM. When will I see results?

Some women will notice results in as little as four weeks. But be patient. For some, it may take 3-4 months to see optimal results.

Can I take DIM if I have diabetes?

Yes.

Some studies have shown that DIM actually improves diabetes (21, 22). 

Are there any adverse effects of taking DIM?

Some people get a slight headache when they first start taking the capsule. If this occurs, increase your daily water intake and give your body some time to adjust. Once your body has adjusted, the headache should go away.

Summary

DIM is a compound your body creates when you eat cruciferous vegetables. It’s also concentrated and sold as a supplement.

Diindolylmethane (DIM) benefits mainly stem from its ability to balance estrogen and testosterone levels. It helps treat a variety of conditions like hormone-sensitive cancers, prostate issues, PMS, acne, etc.

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