Lots of talks and debates are doing the rounds regarding collagen supplements. There has been a great hype about various collagen products. Collagen containing foods and other products have been seen to line the shelves and racks of departmental stores. The catch here is what is the reaction of the customers and health experts to these products? There are actually mixed reactions in this matter. While some opine highly regarding the products and supplements, some are highly skeptical. In this article, attempts have been made for covering the various aspects of these supplements.
What is collagen?
Collagen is one of the most important proteins which is found in the human body and in almost all mammals. It is produced in the body quite in abundance. All the connective tissues in the human body are made up of collagen. It is a vital protein, which helps in making of and maintenance of hair, skin, veins, muscles, bones, joints, organs etc.
With aging, the production of collagen in the body reduces. The impact of the same can be seen on skin, hair health, joints and bones etc. At this point, many people resort to collagen supplements as these promise to compensate for the lower levels of collagen in the body.
Collagen drinks, powders and supplements – the growing global market
It is a well-known fact that demands of collagen powders, drinks and supplements are high in the market. As per reports from Grand View Research, Inc., it has been seen that the size of the global collagen market is estimated to reach $6.63 billion by the year 2025. This will be registering 6.5% CAGR during the period of forecast. The growing application of such products can be seen in the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries as well as in the food and beverages industry. The food and beverages industry is expected to turn highest CAGR of 7.1% in terms of revenue over the forecast period. This growth is attributed to the affluence of middle-class people and improved lifestyle conditions mostly in Asian countries like Japan and China. There is increased consumption of functional food products and dietary supplements. In Europe and Americas too, the collagen supplement market has seen a great boom and will do so in the future bringing great revenue for the continents. North America needs special mention in this regard.
Debate on the effectiveness of collagen supplements
Collagen supplementation is available in various forms, tablets, capsules, powders etc. Health experts opine that if you are looking for faster weight loss or boosting workout sessions, collagen might not be of much help. Regarding this matter, the hype is more than reality. Just like any other form of protein supplement, collagen will work likewise. But it will be an overly expensive thing as these supplements are pretty expensive. No added benefit will be obtained through these supplements because the amino acid profile of these supplements is weak. However, on the other hand, if you are looking for good hair and skin, looking to deal with inflammation or want to improve joint and bone health, there is no better alternative than these supplements. You have to choose the right collagen product for that. Collagen drinks, powders, pills, capsules – choose the one that matches your requirements best.
Collagen and hair and skin
One of the most visible effects of taking collagen supplements can be seen on skin and hair health. It has been proved that collagen plays an important role in maintaining quality of skin and improves skin complexion. It also keeps away signs of aging from skin. With supplementation of collagen, the skin retains its elasticity and also skin hydration is boosted. Appearance of wrinkles, fine lines, dark circles, dry skin etc. can be prevented with this supplementation. Appearance of cellulite is also restricted in women. Collagen also helps in maintaining hair health and keeps hair shiny and strong. The luster and quality of hair is maintained with collagen supplements.
Fat loss and collagen supplements
Many people opine that collagen supplements help with fat loss or plays a crucial role in improving workout sessions, but in reality these supplements don’t help much in these regards. For losing fat and improving weight loss process, high quality protein powders are better choice than collagen supplements. Protein powders break down easily in the stomach and the nutrients get absorbed readily. Collagen powder is not only expensive when compared to protein powders, but they have to be taken in greater amounts as well.
Joint health and collagen
This is another area where health experts are confused regarding the effects of collagen supplements. Ideally collagen should be very good for joint and bone health. However, the kind of collagen the joints need is very specific. Type II collagen is needed for joint health. If you are successful in finding un-denatured type II collagen, it might help with bone and joint health and lead to less pain and inflammation. In majority of the cases, collagen which is sold is hydrolyzed collagen. Though this is healthy, it is heavy on the digestive system in the body. The chemical structure of type II collagen is different than that of normal collagen.
Before staring collagen supplements, ensure that you know in details about the contents of the products and the effects that are seen. UC-II supplements are the best option in this regard as they are processed by the body easily and the results are evident.