How to take dry collagen powder correctly

It has been established that the aging processes of the body begin at 25-27 years of age. At this time, a person may notice a loss of skin tone, the first wrinkles, cracking in the joints and stiffness in movements. The reason for all these phenomena is a decrease in collagen protein synthesis. It is he who creates the “framework” of the tissues of our body:

• A network of collagen fibers maintains skin elasticity;
• It also triggers the production of hyaluronic acid, a substance that retains water inside cells and maintains skin tone;
• All connective tissues that form the capsules of internal organs and muscles are 90% collagen;
• This protein is the basis of the internal elastic layer of blood vessels and vein valves and takes part in regulating their condition. Therefore, a lack of collagen can also affect itself in the form of arterial hypertension, edema and varicose veins;
• It is an integral part of the articular surfaces and synovial fluid, intervertebral discs and the knee meniscus. They are the ones who primarily suffer from protein deficiency, which explains the decrease in range of motion and pain in the joints and back in people over 40 years of age.

Additional intake of collagen in the form of tablets, capsules, powder and solutions can compensate for nutrient deficiency and slow down the aging process. It is especially important for athletes. Collagen is a building material, without which muscle growth remains impossible.

What is collagen

Collagen is a unique protein that provides tissue strength and is responsible for the integrity of muscles, organs, bones and the entire body. The substance is responsible for the mobility of the entire system, preventing its components from “falling apart”.

As we age, natural protein production begins to decline. This is due to the environment, bad habits, stress and other negative factors. To avoid health problems, you need to maintain the collagen content in the body at the proper level.

Types of collagen: which one is better to take for the skin and which one for the joints?

Collagen is a complex protein, the chain of which can include a variety of amino acids. And according to its composition, it is divided into as many as 28 types, but only three of them are present in the human body:

• I type

  present in the skin and its derivatives - hair and nails, as well as fibrous capsules of internal organs;

• Type II

  – a constituent element of cartilage of joints and intervertebral discs;

• III type

  determines the elasticity of the walls of blood vessels.

Therefore, if your goal is rejuvenation and improvement of the condition of the skin and hair, it is recommended to take type I and type III collagen at the same time.

This will ensure the supply of the necessary structural elements and the flow of nutrients to the “problem areas”. For joint diseases and intense physical activity, collagen types II and III are required.

Is it possible to take two collagens at the same time?

Not all types of this protein are compatible with each other. So, you can take type I and type III collagen together. But II is special. If you want to combine it with I or III, then you must separate them in time. For example, take one type in the morning on an empty stomach, the second - half an hour before lunch.

How to take collagen correctly

When taking dietary supplements, you should consider the following recommendations:

• Best taken in the morning on an empty stomach, 20-30 minutes before meals;
• the maximum permissible dose is 5 mg per day (taken at a time). For athletes and people with certain diseases, the dose can be doubled. In this case, you need to take 5 mg 2 times a day half an hour before meals;
• Collagen is not absorbed with dairy products and whey proteins, so you need to wait at least 1.5 hours between taking them.

Indications for taking collagen

Every human body needs “building material”. But until the age of 20-25, collagen is regularly synthesized by fibroblasts in our body from proteins obtained from food. Later, the rate of its production gradually decreases. Therefore, we can say with confidence that people aged 25+ will not benefit from taking it.

But there are also special categories for which collagen is urgently needed:

• People suffering from diseases of the joints and bones - arthrosis, osteoarthritis, meniscus injury, osteochondrosis and other diseases.

  For them, the daily portion of collagen should be at least 10 g;

• Athletes.

  In particular, bodybuilders and weightlifters have the greatest need for collagen. After all, all the body’s resources during intense strength training are directed toward building new muscle fibers, and the shell of each of them is represented by this particular protein. The daily norm of collagen for bodybuilders is 5-10 g;

• Women during menopause.

  At this time, the hormonal activity of the body decreases, metabolism slows down and intensive protein destruction occurs. This causes a sharp decrease in skin elasticity, hair loss, joint pain and hot flashes. Collagen will help support metabolism and minimize the impact of hormonal status on appearance.

It is also recommended to take fibrillar protein for people who want to slow down the aging process, improve their well-being and increase their own activity. For them, doctors have prescribed a dosage of 5 g of collagen per day.

Contraindications and adverse reactions

Collagen-based preparations have a minimum of contraindications:

• period of pregnancy and lactation;
• hypersensitivity to the constituent components of the drug.

It is better not to take it for people who have problems with amino acid metabolism.

When used for therapeutic or prophylactic purposes, the following reaction reactions may occur:

• allergies manifested by skin irritations (rash, urticaria, inflammatory reactions);
• disruption of the gastrointestinal tract;
• decreased blood pressure;
• unpleasant taste in the mouth.

Origin of collagen and quality issues

In the catalog you can find both cheap and very expensive preparations under the general name “collagen”. The differences between them are quite significant:

• The most affordable supplements for joints and ligaments with collagen are based on animal protein - from the skin and tendons of pigs and cattle. A significant disadvantage of such collagen is the large size of the molecules, which are difficult for our body to digest and absorb. When choosing products in this price category, give preference to well-known brands that use technologies for hydrolysis and protein breakdown - in this case, the benefits of the drug will be higher and the risk of side effects will be minimal;
• Plant collagen.

  Its high cost has more to do with the difficulty of isolating it from algae, soy and wheat than with its usefulness. This group of drugs is only good for convinced vegans, since the rate of absorption of plant collagen is significantly lower than that of animal collagen;

• The marine version is obtained from fish and seafood.

  In terms of bioavailability, it is superior to all other collagen-based preparations. These drugs are quickly absorbed and rarely cause side effects. But, if you are allergic to seafood, it is better to choose option 1.

Sometimes you can find synthetic collagen. But its benefits are highly doubtful. After all, artificial formulas are rarely perceived by our body as complete protein.

Types of collagen

What is collagen for and what is it?
Simply put, it is a structural protein that is involved in many vital processes in the body. In total, there are approximately 28 types of collagen in the body, but three are the most important. They are responsible for ensuring that your skin is elastic and firm, your nails are long and strong, your hair is shiny, your joints are mobile and your heart is healthy. Let's look at the types of collagen:

• Type I:
  the strongest version of collagen in our body, it is the one that takes part in the formation and regeneration of tissues, ligaments, tendons, bones, helps maintain skin elasticity and protects it from damage.
• Type II:
  joint helper, helps ensure their strength and flexibility, also participates in the formation of cartilage and prevents the development of arthritis and other joint diseases.
• Type III:
  the basis of the skin and organs, most often found in conjunction with the first type, ensures the safety of blood vessels and cardiac tissue.

Now that you know what types of collagen there are, you should understand what foods contain collagen. The main sources are, of course, meat: beef (type I, III), chicken, turkey (type II). This invaluable protein is also found in fish, gelatin (type I) and spirulina.

How to increase collagen content in the body?

Before answering the question of how to increase collagen content, we should talk about how to understand that you need it? So, the following may indicate collagen deficiency:

• the appearance of muscle weakness;
• blurred vision;
• fragility of joints and bones;
• sagging skin;
• deterioration of the condition of nails and hair;
• the appearance of caries and tooth decay;
• scoliosis.

All these symptoms occur due to a chronic lack of collagen, which must be replenished.

By the way, less collagen is released in the body not only due to age, but also in the following cases:

• excess sugar consumption;
• abuse of alcohol and tobacco products;
• prolonged exposure to sunlight;
• hormonal disorders;
• little sleep;
• stressful conditions;
• low physical activity.

There are several ways to increase collagen content in the body:

1. stimulation of natural production by taking foods and dietary supplements that promote collagen synthesis;
2. consumption of food of animal origin;
3. taking collagen as a dietary supplement.

Let’s take a closer look at taking collagen in the form of a ready-made supplement. The following types of collagen are distinguished:

• powder;
• capsules and tablets;
• liquid;
• hydrolyzate.

Which collagen is better to drink? It all depends on your end goal. As we have already said, three types of collagen predominate in the human body and you should proceed from what your goal is. For example, hydrolyzate is considered sports collagen because it is essentially protein in its pure form. However, if you are looking for collagen for joints, then here it will have no equal. Liquid collagen is perfect for improving skin condition, but hydrolyzed collagen will cope with this task just as well.

Forms of collagen release – which one to choose?

All proteins in the human body are broken down in the stomach and duodenum. Therefore, when choosing drugs based on them, it is hardly worth paying attention to protective factors, such as the tablet shell. However, when choosing a dietary supplement, it is worth considering the ease of use:

• Liquid collagen

  – ready-to-use form. It is biologically available and is suitable even for people suffering from gastritis and enteritis. It is convenient to take and does not require dosing - 1 bottle contains a daily dose of 5 g;

• Powder

  – has the same advantages: bioavailability and ease of digestion. But, if you do not buy the powder in sachet form, then you will have to dose and prepare the drink yourself, which is not very convenient for business trips and travel;

• Capsules and tablets

  – the most comfortable form of reception that you can take with you to work, on a trip or a business trip. But its main disadvantage is the dry compressed form, which can cause problems with digestion and absorption of collagen, in particular. Therefore, you need to drink them with plenty of water.

Another frightening factor for many is the unpleasant taste and smell of collagen. In this case, it is better to choose tablets that do not have it. An alternative solution is to dissolve the powder in juice or water with honey and lemon.

Please note that you cannot dissolve collagen in milk, yogurt or kefir - this reduces the percentage of its absorption.

What vitamins should you take collagen with?

Each nutrient has its own synergist - a substance that helps it be absorbed and overcome biological barriers. Collagen has several of them:

• Hyaluronic acid is the “vitamin of youth”, necessary to maintain skin elasticity. If you take collagen for the purpose of rejuvenation, getting rid of stretch marks and wrinkles, then it is better to combine it with this particular substance;
• Vitamin C is an antioxidant that slows down the aging process and accelerates metabolism in the body. If your goal is to build muscle mass, tighten the skin at the same time as losing weight, then you need to take collagen along with ascorbic acid;
• Vitamin D is responsible for bone strength and joint mobility. It is recommended for simultaneous use with collagen for diseases of the musculoskeletal system.

You can often find supplements for joints and ligaments based on collagen, which already contain hyaluronic acid and vitamin C. And this is very convenient for taking for the purpose of rejuvenation, improving the condition of skin and hair, and losing weight.

It is also important to understand the fact that collagen is a building material for joints. It is able to restore damaged areas, but has no effect on inflammatory processes. Therefore, for intensive treatment it is often combined with other drugs - chondrosamine, capsicam, anti-inflammatory ointments and PRP therapy. And this is quite acceptable, because they do not interfere with each other’s absorption and fulfillment of their role.

Collagen: benefits and harms

Let us highlight the main beneficial functions of taking collagen, including:

• is a “building” component of teeth, bones, muscles, skin, and connective tissue;
• slows down the aging process, the appearance of cellulite and stretch marks;
• strengthens and stimulates hair/nail growth;
• accelerates metabolism, promotes weight loss and muscle building;
• promotes tissue restoration after intense sports;
• protects the liver from the effects of toxins and alcohol;
• protects blood vessels and prevents blood clots;
• improves sleep quality and general condition of the nervous system;

Of course, it is necessary to talk about the possible harm of consuming collagen supplements, but there are very few of them:

1. individual intolerance;
2. heartburn and bloating.