If there was a magic capsule that might assist enhance digestion and intestine well being, erase wrinkles, forestall weight acquire, ease joint ache and provide you with wholesome, thick hair and nails, I might purchase it by the truckload. After all, whereas boosting my total well being is a precedence, having shinier hair and minimal crow’s ft is a serious bonus. Though there isn’t any such magic capsule, there’s a complement that guarantees these outcomes and extra: collagen peptides.
Collagen is a protein present in our our bodies; it is in our digestive system, muscle groups, bones, pores and skin, and tendons. However collagen manufacturing decreases with age, therefore wrinkles and sagging pores and skin.
What are the advantages of collagen?
Taking a collagen complement is meant to enhance the elasticity of your pores and skin—actually, a research printed in Pores and skin Pharmacology and Physiology discovered that those that took collagen peptides as soon as day by day for eight weeks confirmed a big enchancment in pores and skin’s elasticity.
As somebody who’s approaching 30 and continually stressing over crow’s ft and brow wrinkles, I hoped collagen would assist easy out a few of these indicators of growing old.
Collagen can also be supposed to assist with joint ache. Though I (fortunately) do not have power ache in my joints, my knees do flare up every now and then ever since I ran a half marathon a few years in the past. I additionally get some soreness in what feels just like the bones in my legs a few instances per week, often after a run or intense cardio session. If ingesting collagen would ease this ache, then I used to be recreation.
Collagen might also forestall weight acquire. Collagen peptides are low in energy and excessive in protein. This one-two punch is the proper recipe for weight reduction. One 2008 research discovered that consuming gelatin (the cooked type of collagen) elevated contributors’ ranges of the satiety hormone, ghrelin. Meaning contributors maintained satiety longer and had fewer emotions of starvation, which implies they had been extra more likely to keep on with their weight-loss diets. There have not been many research completed on collagen peptides particularly, however the concept is identical: consuming low-calorie protein will increase ranges of the appetite-suppressing hormone that reduces meals consumption.
The experiment set-up:
To actually check the well being advantages of ingesting collagen peptides, I vowed to take it day-after-day for 2 weeks.
My collagen energy of selection was Important Proteins Unflavored Grass-Fed Collagen Peptides within the blue tub. I bought the 20-ounce tub and a field of the stick packs, which had been excellent for after I went out of city.
I caught with one scoop from the bathtub for 35 energy, 9 grams of protein, and 10 grams of collagen (this was the identical serving dimension within the stick packs).
After taking the powdered complement for over two weeks, here is my Important Proteins collagen peptide evaluate.
Once I began this experiment, I used to be inquisitive about how lengthy it takes for collagen dietary supplements to work. A skeptic, I assumed there was no manner I might see noticeable earlier than and after outcomes after simply two quick weeks. Boy was I incorrect! The next are a couple of vital modifications I observed by the tip of my experiment. I additionally discuss some hyped-up outcomes that I didn’t discover after my two-week experiment. (So perhaps it does take a bit longer for collagen dietary supplements to work to their full potential.)
I felt full all morning.
Since I drank my peptides within the morning with my espresso (round 9:30), I discovered myself full till lunchtime. I are likely to take a later lunch, round 2:30, so I usually have a snack someday mid-morning to tide me over. Nonetheless, I discovered I did not want my morning snack after I had collagen. It additionally helped to pair my collagen espresso with breakfast, particularly if I ate one thing that wasn’t tremendous excessive in protein resembling avocado toast. The 9 grams of protein from the collagen saved me happy till my subsequent meal.
Whereas I did not weigh myself in the course of the experiment, I might positively see why folks take collagen for weight reduction. Forgoing my normal 200- to 300-calorie morning snack as a result of I felt full positively helped to lower my day by day calorie consumption—particularly as a result of I used to be changing it with a 35-calorie powder. Taking collagen peptides long-term might theoretically imply collagen energy might assist with weight reduction.
My nails had been stronger.
After a few week of taking the collagen, I observed my nails had been thicker and stronger and had been rising sooner. Often, my nails break and tear off after they develop, however after ingesting my collagen, they had been rising properly and sooner than regular. How might I inform? I bought a gel manicure, which is meant to last as long as two weeks, and my nails grew out after about eight or 9 days. It left the bottoms of my nail beds uncovered. Though it was annoying having to get my nails redone, it wasn’t a foul drawback to have!
My complexion was higher.
I am undecided if this was a placebo impact or not, however I felt like my pores and skin seemed brighter. Though I nonetheless wrestle with pimples and dry patches, I felt like my cheeks seemed a bit pinker and total, my pores and skin seemed smoother. It wasn’t a substitute for my tinted moisturizer, however I will take it!
My wrinkles didn’t go away.
Nonetheless, I nonetheless had wrinkles on my brow and the beginning strains of crow’s ft round my eyes. These are two bother areas I am all the time centered on, so I hoped ingesting collagen day-after-day would assist easy these out. Though I did not see any noticeable distinction when it comes to pores and skin elasticity and my wrinkles, I solely did the problem for 2 weeks. I will preserve ingesting collagen each morning and hope it is going to assist my fantastic strains disappear. If something, there are different constructive well being advantages I discovered from taking collagen that I will positively make this a part of my day by day routine.
I did not discover a distinction in my joints.
Since I get soreness in my knees every now and then, I used to be curious if the collagen would assist ease this ache. Nonetheless, nothing actually modified; my knees nonetheless had their routine soreness a few instances per week.
Collagen powder would not dissolve nicely in chilly liquids.
The Important Proteins Collagen Peptides that I used claimed that it might dissolve in sizzling or chilly liquids. Nonetheless, I discovered it dissolved a lot simpler after I poured some into sizzling tea or blended it right into a smoothie. For almost all of the 2 weeks, I put my peptides in my morning iced espresso. As a substitute of dissolving properly, nevertheless, it ended up clumping into gelatinous items all through my espresso. Though the peptides finally dissolved with frequent stirring, I typically ended up slurping up chunks of the peptides.