Collagen is known as the most abundant protein in your body. It has many important roles, including providing structure to your skin and body, as well as aiding in the clotting of your blood. 

In recent years, collagen has gained popularity as a supplement as well as an ingredient found in shampoos and body lotions.

However, you might wonder what collagen is, as well as what it’s good for. This article gives you a complete overview of this important protein.

What is Collagen?

Collagen is the most abundant protein in your body, accounting for about one-third of your body’s composition of protein.

It’s a major building block in the body for bones, skin, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Collagen is also found in many other body parts, including teeth, the cornea, and blood vessels. 

Think of collagen as the “glue” that holds your body together. In fact, the word collagen derives from the Greek word “kólla,” which means glue.

What Does Collagen Do in Your Body?

There are at least 16 types of collagen altogether. The four main types are type I, II, III, and IV.

Here’s a look at the four main types of collagen and the roles they play in your body:

As you age, your body begins to produce less and lower quality of collagen.

One of the visible signs of this decrease of collagen in your body is in your skin, which becomes less firm and less plump over time. Cartilage also weakens with age.

Nutrients That Increase Collagen Production

All forms of collagen start off as procollagen.

Your body creates procollagen by combining two amino acids — glycine and proline. This process also uses vitamin C. You can help your body product this important protein by making sure you get plenty of the following nutrients in your diet:

Additionally, your body also needs a high quality protein that contains the amino acids that are needed to create new proteins. Sources such as meat, poultry, seafood, dairy, legumes, and tofu all contain great amounts of amino acids. 

Things that Damage Collagen

Almost of greater importance, avoid these vital collagen-destroying behaviors:

Certain autoimmune disorders, such as lupus, can also damage collagen.

Natural Collagen Food Sources

Collagen can also be found in the connective tissues of animal foods, such as large amounts in chicken and pork skin.

Another particularly rich source of collagen is bone broth, which can be made by boiling the bones of chicken and other animals. Gelatin is essentially cooked collagen and is also very high in the amino acids.

Despite this, there is still a debate over whether consuming collagen-rich foods actually increases the levels of this protein in your body.

When you consume protein in any form, it’s broken down into amino acids and then reassembled, so the collagen you eat will not translate directly into higher levels of collagen in your body. 

That said, you can still gain the benefits of consuming collagen. More below.

Benefits of Collagen Supplements

There are two types of supplements that are gaining popularity — hydrolyzed collagen (collagen hydrolysate) and gelatin. Gelatin is created when collagen is cooked, as mentioned above.

These forms of supplements have already broken down the large protein down into smaller peptides, which in turn are more easily absorbed in the body.

While there are not as many studies on collagen supplements, those that do exist show promise for benefits in the following areas:

Some medicine practitioners, doctors and nutritionists also advocate using collagen supplements to treat leaky gut syndrome.

You can view more studies of collagen benefits here.

Safety and Side Effects

Despite it’s popularization, there is limited reliable information available on the safety and efficacy of collagen supplements.

The potential side effects of collagen supplements include an lingering unpleasant taste in the mouth or feelings of fullness. Also, if you’re allergic to the source of the supplement, there is a potential that you could have an allergic reaction.

How to Supplement with Collagen

Collagen peptides come in a powder that can be easily added into beverages and foods, like Wholy Dose Collagen Peptide Powders.

This peptide form of collagen doesn’t gel, as in comparison to the gelatin, so you can mix it into smoothies, soups, or baked goods without affecting the texture.

When considering supplements, you should look for a high quality source of collagen. Marine collagen, which is derived from fish skin, is also available.

Other Uses of Collagen

Collagen has many uses, from medication, to food, to manufacturing.

For thousands of years, collagen was originally used to create glue. Even today, it’s still used to create strings for musical instruments.

In food, collagen is heated to create gelatin and used to create casings for many foods like sausages.

Whereas in the medical field, collagen is used as a filler in plastic surgery and a dressing for severe burns.

The Bottom Line

Collagen is an important and essential protein that provides structure for many parts of the body.

As a bonus, certain foods and nutrients you eat can help your body make this protein.

Collagen supplements are beneficial with studies showing that they improve skin quality, muscle function, and reduce the pain associated with osteoarthritis.