How To Choose a Collagen Supplement

We all want to be healthy, but not all of us are born with optimal health or have the time to nurture a healthy diet and lifestyle. While nothing can replace a wholesome diet, or regular exercise, we can supplement the many nutrients our body needs through other alternatives, like supplements.

The majority of essential vitamins and nutrients we get during the day come from what we eat. A balanced diet should include fresh vegetables, proteins, and grains. But our busy lifestyles can make it hard to consume the right foods.

Luckily that is why we have supplements. Supplements are an easy way to ensure that we are getting our daily dose of nutrients and maintain good health.

What is Collagen?

Collagen is thought of as an anti-aging supplement, but it also provides many other benefits inside our bodies as well. Collagen is one of the most abundant compounds in the body as it is vital to forming the structures of various tissue that makes up our organs, bones, and more.

Collagen, when taken regularly as a supplement, has been shown to providemany health benefits, including support for healthy joints, bone health, a normal metabolism, a healthy heart, liver and kidney function, and may even promote relaxation and restful sleep.

The Best Form Collagen

Now, choosing the right supplement for you may seem daunting, but here are some tips to find what is right for you.

Hydrolyzed Collagen

There are a number of collagen supplements available, some oral and some topical. One of the key things to look for when choosing a collagen supplement is hydrolyzed collagen. Hydrolyzed collagen is made up of smaller molecules, therefore enabling it to be more easily absorbed by the body. The powdered form is the most popular choice amongst collagen supplements as it dissolves well in liquids and food. Studies have shown that after just eight weeks, women have seen visual evidence of improvements, and continued to see these improvements after twelve weeks.

Hydrolyzed Collagen Peptides

You may see collagen supplements also referred to as hydrolyzed collagen peptides. The term ‘peptide’ means that the collagen has been broken down into shorter chain amino acids, which are considered more easily absorbed. The most common collagen sources are protein and meat, but for those who would like vegetarian options there are eggshell membrane collagen supplements taken from the shells and whites of eggs. Fish collagen is also a very popular and effectively absorbed collagen supplement as an alternative to collagen sourced from bovine and poultry.

Topical Collagen

Topical collagen supplements are also popular, particularly in the beauty industry, but are thought to be less effective as the molecules are too large to be thoroughly absorbed by your skin. Topical collagen supplements do not always have the same rigorous effects as ingested collagen either. Topical collagen is primarily taken in pursuit of its anti-aging properties, whereas ingestible collagen supplements carry a higher absorption rate as well as a wider variety of positive effects on your overall health.

While collagen can do wonders on the interior and exteriors of our bodies, we also want to make sure we are getting the most out of our supplements. Assuring that our bodies are capable ofoptimal absorption can be tricky and depends on the type of supplement you are using. Topical collagen has been said to have the lowest absorption rate, sometimes as low as 3%. Ingested collagen supplements, on the other hand, have a high absorption rate and there are natural ways our bodies can increase collagen absorption. It is as simple as vitamin C.

How To Increase Collagen Absorption

Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin that our bodiescannot produce and must be obtained through our diet. Vitamin C is needed for collagen to form in our bodies. Without it, collagen formation is disrupted; so consuming foods with vitamin C along with your collagen supplement is an important key to maximizing absorption rates and promoting the body’s natural ability to create collagen.

You can take a Vitamin C supplement, or is to incorporate foods rich in vitamin C into your diet. In addition to vitamin C, they also have other important nutrients that a supplement may not offer.Foods that are rich in vitamin C include but are not limited to leafy greens, bell peppers, watermelon and cantaloupe, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, berries, parsley, kiwi, and bok choy.

Obviously eating these fresh off the vine would offer the highest intake of vitamin C, but fresh fruit is always readily available so head to your local grocer’s produce section and look for whole fruits, juices, or dried alternatives.

In short, there are many varieties of collagen supplements on the market, but to ensure you are getting the utmost from your supplement routine, ingestible collagen carries benefits beyond healthy-looking skin. If you are adding a collagen supplement to your diet, it’s hard to go wrong.

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Natural Healthy Concepts is a leader in educating people to change their lives through wellness and natural health. They have been offering education on essential oils, collagen, turmeric, and more since 2004