Collagen and weight management: can collagen supplements cause weight gain?
As we age, our bodies go through a great deal of changes. One of those changes is that our bodies lose collagen over time. Some people choose to take collagen supplements in an attempt to restore what they have lost with age. There are both positive and negative effects from collagen supplements. We will be covering a lot of those effects, as well as explaining exactly what collagen is, and why it is important. The focus of this article is on whether or not collagen supplements cause weight gain, but we will also take a look at the benefits and side effects of taking collagen supplements regularly.
What is Collagen?
Collagen is a protein found in your body. In fact, collagen is the most abundant found in your body. Collagen is found in your bones, skin, muscles, and tendons. You could almost think of it this way, if your body was a brick house, collagen would be the mortar that holds all the bricks together.
Collagen is what makes your body strong and durable. There are two general categories of collagen. The first is endogenous, which is natural and is produced by the body. The other type of collagen is exogenous, which is synthetic, and usually comes from an outside source like a supplement. Typically, endogenous collagen is preferable, but as our bodies produce less and less collagen naturally as we get older, it is sometimes necessary to consider a supplement to reinforce bones, muscles, and joints.
Do collagen supplements cause weight gain?
Let’s get to the meat of this article right away. You may have been considering a collagen supplement lately, but maybe you are hesitating because you have heard rumors that collagen supplements can cause weight gain. The truth is, collagen supplements can actually lead to weight loss! While a lot of the science is still out on this subject, the popular theory is that collagen helps to build muscle, and lean muscles burn fat and calories faster than weak muscles.
That means that, while collagen itself does not actually burn calories or cause weight loss, it does help to promote strong muscles, and strong muscles promote weight loss. That being said, there is still the possibility that certain collagen supplements could cause you to gain weight, but only under certain circumstances. For instance, if the specific brand of collagen supplement you are using is loaded with unhealthy ingredients like too much sugar, it could cause you to gain weight.
However, this just means you need to do your research and be sure that you are taking the best possible supplement. Read up on articles and reviews about different brands, so you will know what others had to say about it before you try it for yourself. Another way that it is possible for a collagen supplement to cause weight gain is if you are misusing the product.
Be sure that you always read the instructions and follow them carefully. Misusing any kind of dietary supplement can be hazardous to your health, and cause many unwanted side effects. Overall, collagen supplements are very safe in regards to weight gain.
Why take collagen supplements?
We mentioned this briefly already, but it bears repeating that our bodies do not stay the same as we get older. The older we get, the more we lose muscle mass, and the easier we gain fat. One of the reasons that our bones, joints, and muscles get weaker as we grow older is that we produce less and less collagen naturally.
As we explained earlier, collagen is sort of like the glue that holds the body together. If your body produces and utilizes collagen properly, your bones, joints, and muscles will be much stronger and healthier for it. However, as you get older and you start to experience the effects of less endogenous collagen, it may be necessary to look into introducing some exogenous collagen into your diet in the form of a supplement.
A collagen supplement can help your body produce enough collagen to reinforce joints and bones and keep your muscles strong. Remember, collagen is the most prevalent protein in your whole body, so you can imagine how vitally important it is to your strength and overall health. That gives you an overall look at why collagen supplements can be good for you, but let’s take a closer look at what specific benefits they can provide when taken correctly.
Good for the Skin
Collagen is very important to the health of your skin, which means you need collagen if you want smooth, hydrated, and wrinkle-free skin. As you age and lose collagen, your skin loses elasticity and this can cause wrinkling. Skin also dries as it loses collagen, making it more difficult to maintain the proper levels of hydration.
Even with lotions, and drinking plenty of water, it can be difficult to keep your skin from getting too dry if you are losing collagen. Taking a collagen supplement can also help the production of other proteins like elastin and fibrillin. Collagen supplements can help to increase the levels of collagen in your skin, improving elasticity, hydrations, and the overall health and glow.
Good for the Joints
Many studies have shown that taking a collagen supplement, particularly as you begin to lose collagen due to aging, can help to reinforce the cartilage that protects your joints. As you age and lose collagen, one part of your body that can feel the loss even more than others is our joints.
Knees, wrists, elbows, shoulder, ankles, and knuckles can all begin to develop pain as your cartilage weakens due to the decrease in collagen. A collagen supplement can help to maintain the integrity of your cartilage, keeping it healthier and stronger, and reducing joint pain. This is, perhaps, one of the most important uses for a collagen supplement, since joint pain can make exercise difficult, which can lead to a less active lifestyle.
A decrease in physical activity can lead to weight gain and degenerative joint disorders. As disorders develop, activity decreases, weight increases, and you can see the vicious cycle that it is possible to get stuck in. A collagen supplement might help to avoid that by keeping joints strong and healthy.
Good for the Bones
You have heard it all your life that you need to drink plenty of milk so you can get calcium and keep your bones strong, but did you know that bones are actually made mostly of collagen?
That’s right, the protein collagen is actually the main ingredient in the makeup of your bones, so you can imagine what happens when your body slows down the production of collagen. Several studies have shown that taking a collagen supplement can help to strengthen your bones and improve their general health. While more studies are needed to have definitive results, there is good reason to believe that collagen supplements are highly beneficial to the health of your bones.
Good for the Muscles
Anywhere between one to ten percent of your muscle mass is made up of collagen. You lose collagen as you age, which means you lose muscle mass as well. Taking a collagen supplement could potentially help to slow the loss of muscle mass, and perhaps even help to increase it.
Like some of the other benefits of a collagen supplement, the effects it has on muscles are not entirely certain, but there are reasons to believe that it could be very good for overall muscle health. Some researchers have even theorized that taking collagen supplements can promote the production of other proteins that help with muscle growth like creatine.
Side Effects of Collagen Supplements
While most of the common side effects of collagen supplements are mild and not terribly dangerous, there are a few important things to keep in mind. For one thing, if you have a fish, egg, or shellfish allergy, you should be very careful about which kind of collagen supplement you use, as many of them are made with these ingredients.
The most commonly reported side effects of collagen supplements are mild digestive issues or a bad taste in the mouth. Typically these are nothing to worry about, and you may just have to take a smaller dosage, or give up the supplement for a limited time. Using any product without reading and following the instructions can lead to harmful side effects, so pay attention to the directions and do not take more than the recommended amount. There are very rarely any reported side effects that mention weight gain.
One more thing to watch out for when it comes to collagen supplements. Several brands have been recalled by the FDA in the past for claiming to provide benefits that they do not actually provide. Do your research and exercise caution when reading labels.
There is little evidence that collagen supplements will cause weight gain in most people. The benefits typically outweigh the risks when it comes to collagen supplements, but that is always assuming you are using it properly.
