Collagen is a protein found in the body that helps to keep bones, muscles, skin, tendons, and ligaments healthy. Studies have shown that taking daily collagen supplements can help slow down the aging process, improve skin hydration and elasticity, and reduce wrinkles. The dosage of type I collagen is usually between 5 and 15 grams per day, while type II collagen is usually measured in milligrams. It is easy to incorporate collagen into your diet by consuming foods and supplements rich in collagen or by mixing it with drinks or baking it into muffins. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, postmenopausal women who took a collagen supplement for 8 weeks experienced less dry skin and an increase in skin elasticity compared to those who did not take the supplement.
Additionally, bone mineral density increased significantly in subjects taking collagen after 12 months. Collagen peptides (also known as hydrolyzed collagen) are a form of collagen that breaks down through a process called hydrolyzation and may be more bioavailable than non-enzymatically hydrolyzed collagen. Consuming collagen can have a variety of health benefits, from relieving joint pain to improving skin health. Studies have suggested that doses of 10 to 40 mg of undenatured collagen per day may improve joint health. Other factors such as diet, smoking, alcohol consumption, and sun exposure also affect collagen loss. It is important to note that just because you are taking collagen does not mean that everything goes directly to your skin.
There is some degree of speculation in the online supplement community as to whether or not the temperature taken by collagen supplements may affect their effectiveness. However, I found that I experienced the same results on each type of collagen.
