Why do I need collagen?
Collagen is the most abundant protein in your body - it accounts for about one third of all of the protein. It is a major component of connective tissues, and it is found virtually everywhere, your skin, muscles, bones, tendons. It is the most prevalent component of extracellular matrix (2) - our cells literarily swim in collagen. We need collagen to maintain our skin elasticity, connective tissues, and bone strength. Unfortunately, we produce less and less collagen as we age starting already at the age of 20. By the time we reach 40 years of age, we produce almost none. The existing collagen keeps breaking down leaving us in need for supplementing this crucial protein.
Does collagen reduce wrinkles and help skin elasticity?
Yes, collagen has been scientifically linked to wrinkle reduction and skin elasticity improvement. Unlike other proteins, collagen contains higher amounts of proline and glycine. These amino acids have been shown to significantly improve skin elasticity, reduce wrinkles, and slow down sun damage. A daily dose of 10g is recommended to see results in 4 weeks. Several double blinded, placebo controlled, randomized trials have already been conducted to show the enormous benefits of collagen on skin (1).
Does collagen promote longevity?
Collagen has been shown to have a long list of health and anti-aging benefits. It has been shown to support gut health (8), maintain healthy body composition (5) or improve sleep (9). All these benefits help you to improve your overall health, quality of life and longevity.
Does collagen help you lose weight?
First off, you look amazing as you are. If you, however, want to lose a few pounds to feel healthier, collagen can help you do that. As a pure protein, collagen can make you feel fuller and reduce your appetite. It will give you energy needed to enjoy your day. Lemon & Co. collagen elixir is formulated with no added sugar, so the only calories you are getting are from the collagen itself and the lemon juice. We recommend drinking Lemon & Co. elixir as a supplement to your normal diet. If you want to see results sooner, try replacing a snack or a small meal with Lemon & Co. drink.
Does collagen help your hair grow?
Yes, collagen might help you get longer and thicker hair!
Does collagen make your nails stronger?
Yes! Collagen has been shown to strengthen your nails. They will be beautiful again. Studies have shown to increase nail growth rate by 12% and decrease of broken nails by 42 (10).
Does collagen improve sleep quality?
Yes, collagen may help you sleep better. Collagen contains higher amount of amino acid Glycine. Glycine has been linked to over improvement in overall quality of sleep (9).
Is collagen good for gut health?
Yes, collagen may help with your gut inflammation. Gut inflammation may lead to thinning of the intestinal wall and cause the so-called leaky gut. Although, more studies are need, it has been studied that collagen might have anti-inflammatory properties (7) and prevent further breakdown of the intestinal lining (8).
Is collagen good for hearth health?
Yes, it has been shown that collagen may improve cardiovascular health. Collagen is a large component of your arteries and supports their integrity. Without enough collagen, the structure of arteries may become weaker and stiffer. Weak arteries could then narrow as a result - this is called atherosclerosis. A study, participants supplemented collagen for 6 months and at the end of the study they showed significant reduction of artery stiffness measures. (6)
How does the collagen get into the skin?
The collagen we consume is a string of amino acids. After ingesting collagen, it breaks down to individual amino acids which are then absorbed. These absorbed amino acids act as building blocks to form new proteins. To synthesize (form) more collagen in our body the amino acids Glycine and Proline play a crucial role. By having more of Glycine and Proline we are signaling to the body to build more collagen in the places where needed such as skin, connective tissues, or bones. Supplementing collagen in our diet, gives the body the necessary building blocks to rebuild more collagen.
Is marine collagen better than bovine?
The source of collagen matters. As an animal derived product, you want to make sure that the animal has not been exposed to any harmful farming practices. Currently, majority of farmed livestock is frequently treated with antibiotics, hormones and fed GMO feed. Wild fish, on the other hand, cannot be exposed to any of these practices. It is as pure as nature gets. This is why we source our collagen from the wild fish in the North Sea, the purest collagen we found.
Does collagen increase muscle mass?
Yes, collagen can help you increase lean muscle mass and improve your body composition. Particularly, when combined with a regular resistance training, collagen supplements have been shown to increase fat-free body mass, muscle strength and decrease of fat body mass (5).
Does collagen improve joint health?
Yes, collagen helps maintain the health of your cartilage. As we age, we are at an increased risk of developing joint disorders such as osteoarthritis. It has been shown that supplementing collagen may improve symptoms of osteoarthritis and reduce joint pain. But that's not all. Collagen can also be beneficial to athletes who stress their joints at a young age already. It has been shown that athletes who supplement collagen do benefit from decrease of joint pain in recovery (3).
Does collagen improve bone density?
Yes, collagen has been shown to improve bone mineral density and slow bone breakdown that may lead to osteoporosis (4).
