Collagen: What is it? Should you use it?

sports nutrition

Aug 28

Collagen has been trending over the past few years in the health, beauty, and fitness industries, and I recently did a little more research into current and past studies regarding collagen supplementation to determine my own personal and professional opinions about this particular supplement. So, collagen. What is it? Should you be using it? If you want to use it, which products do I recommend?

What is collagen?

Collagen is the most abundant protein found in the body, and it’s a critical component in skin, connective tissue such as tendons and ligaments, cartilage, and bones. There are three types:

Type I: found in bones, ligaments, tendons, and skin
Type II: found in cartilage
Type III: found in skin, blood vessels, and internal organs

Collagen supplements are sourced from animal bones, skin, and connective tissues. Outside of supplements, food sources of collagen include fish, eggs, spirulina, and bone broth.

Collagen supplements usually are in the form of collagen peptides. This is because the body does not absorb collagen molecules in whole form but breaks them down into their component amino acids, which the body then uses to synthesize its own collagen and other proteins. In theory, the amino acids necessary for collagen production can come from any protein source — whether it be bone broth, cheese, beans, quinoa, etc. In other words, adequate protein intake throughout the day equals collagen synthesis in the body.

Some important nutrients to keep in mind when it comes to collagen production are vitamin C, zinc, and sulfur. Vitamin C is a necessary cofactor in collagen synthesis, and it also functions as an antioxidant to combat oxidative stresses that would degrade existing collagen in the body. Food sources of vitamin C include citrus fruits, peppers, strawberries, and tomatoes. Zinc and sulfur are additional cofactors in collagen production. Zinc food sources include red meat, poultry, beans, nuts, certain types of seafood, whole grains, and dairy products; food sources of sulfur include broccoli, onions, and garlic.

Should you use a collagen supplement?

Collagen supplements are fairly new to the market, and studies are still being conducted regarding the efficacy of supplementation. However, some studies have shown promising results on skin elasticity, wound healing, and joint health. This particular study demonstrated that the supplementation of specific collagen peptides in young adults with functional knee problems led to a statistically significant improvement of activity-related joint pain. Personally, I found this highly encouraging since I have knee pain and limited cartilage in both knees after my collegiate softball career.

You do not NEED to take a collagen supplement, and a diet rich in vitamin C, antioxidants, essential amino acids, omega-3 fatty acids will naturally promote collagen synthesis in the body. However, if you find it difficult to consume enough protein to support your athletic endeavors, type II collagen supplementation may support injury recovery and prevention by helping with joint inflammation and pain through strengthening and repairing of connective tissue. Although I am still a food-first advocate when it comes to protein, collagen supplementation may not hurt and can be an effective way to ensure adequate protein intake for performance and recovery.

Which collagen supplements are recommended?

It is incredibly important to choose a product that is transparent about how they source their product. I highly recommend to be cautious when it comes to your supplement selection, and look for a product that is third-party tested for quality and safety. Specifically, I trust supplements that are NSF-certified for sport or Informed Sport certified.

Personally, one of the qualities I look for in a collagen supplementation is texture. Does it blend well? Is it chalky or chunky when blended? I like to add a scoop of collagen peptides to my coffee after a morning workout, so it’s important to me that whatever product I am using tastes and blends well with a hot liquid.

Professionally and personally, I would recommend Momentous Collagen Peptides because this product checks all of the boxes I highlighted above, and it also contains vitamin C, a mandatory cofactor for collagen synthesis. This product is a little pricier than other products on the market, but for good reasons. Momentous prides itself on quality ingredients in their products, and all of their products are NSF-certified and Informed Sport certified. Those certifications are expensive for companies to acquire; hence, the higher price tag on a company’s products.

What’s the timing for the dosage of collagen? When should I use it?

I would recommend using collagen peptides like you would a protein powder supplement, preferably around the time of your workout (before or after). I typically eat a meal to promote recovery within 30 minutes of a workout, and if I’m going to supplement with collagen, I will add 10-15g to my coffee. Again, I am still a food-first dietitian, but I do think that collagen supplementation could have some potential benefits when it comes to joint health.