Five reasons why men need collagen
You might be asking, why should men take collagen? Well, that’s what we’re going to cover today. Continue reading to find out!
Collagen has become a lot more popular in recent years and there is a common misconception that women use it more than men because of its associations with glowing skin and youthful complexions.
Well, that’s not 100% true. Yes, collagen does indeed have many beauty benefits; however, it also brings a whole host of health benefits throughout your entire body that can support both men AND women.
Collagen, a natural structural protein, is beneficial for muscle recovery, fighting off the signs of ageing and supporting achy joints, but more on those later!
It goes without saying that men will have different concerns to those of women. But despite this our collagen supplements have both men and women in mind. The one thing that is the same for both men and women; is that collagen levels deplete as you age – by about 1.5% EVERY YEAR from your mid-20s!
Hair loss
No man wants to experience hair loss. To look down at the shower drain and see their hair quite literally wash away. Although most hair loss is a result of inherited genetic traits, it’s still not the best sight to see.
As the ageing process starts, hair follicles begin to shrink, leaving hair thin and brittle as a result. A study has found that these ageing cells transform from hair follicle stem cells into skin stem cells, which means they no longer produce hair, causing fewer strands to grow on your head over time.
The good news is that the best collagen supplements for hair can actually help. Collagen maintains the hair follicles, helping to keep them supple and strong by providing amino acids (the building blocks of proteins) that are crucial to hair growth and retention.
Collagen also acts as a powerful, natural antioxidant to fight damage caused by free radicals; the compounds that develop in your body from environmental influences like pollutants and also stress. Research has shown that these can also cause damage to the hair follicles. Unfortunately, for us, the body’s defence against these free radicals decreases with age. Meaning the older you get, the more susceptible to hair damage you are.
Joint health
It’s common to experience more aches and pains as you age, particularly in your joints. Both your joints and bones are full of collagen, and these pains can be caused by the depletion of collagen levels and damage to the cartilage.
Cartilage, which is the tissue that cushions bones inside your joints, is prone to wear and tear in older age from a lifetime of daily tasks and physical activity like walking, bending and stair climbing, among others. Collagen supplementation stimulates the growth of new cartilage and provides support for the repair of soft tissue, bone, ligaments and tendons which can all be the source of pain in our joints.
One of the many benefits of taking collagen supplements, and in particular Proto-col Bioactive Collagen Peptides®, is that not only do they hand your body a great source of amino acids; they also stimulate your body’s own natural collagen production. Which, you guessed it, means more collagen is available to support your body and joints.
You can take control of your joint health with our range of advanced joint-care supplements. These can help to maintain healthy joints, target pain and rebuild cartilage for improved joint flexibility.
Gut health
If you didn’t know already, gut health is key for our overall health, but it can easily get damaged from poor diet, stress, and other lifestyle factors.
Collagen is great for the digestive system and gut health in general. It plays a role in building and maintaining healthy connective tissue throughout it. It is vital to maintain a digestive tract and stomach lining that are strong to prevent the condition known as ‘leaky gut’. This is where damage to the intestinal lining may allow food and waste particles into the bloodstream, causing inflammation.
The ultimate goal of improving gut health is to heal and seal the gut. Collagen is an essential component of this as it is rich in the amino acids glycine, glutamine and proline, which can help your stomach and digestive tract.
Collagen peptides are the most digestible and bioavailable form of collagen, meaning that the body can properly absorb all the nutrients it needs. One study found that collagen peptides were able to prevent further breakdown of the intestinal lining.
By supplementing collagen daily, you can restore the collagen levels in your body, which is good news for your gut health!
Energy levels
If you struggle to get out of bed in the mornings, or start to feel a bit sluggish in the afternoon or generally feel tired as the days go on; then you are not alone. It is entirely normal for all of us experience a lack of energy at some point.
You may be wondering how collagen can help with energy levels, but as a key component of energy production and cellular repair it is a vital part of supporting the processes which will help balance our energy levels.
A boost of collagen can help to increase your metabolism and convert essential nutrients that your body needs for energy. Our Complete Collagen gel sachets also contain a unique blend of added vitamins and minerals like Vitamin B6, Vitamin C and Biotin that provide energy to the body, support muscle strength and ease of movement during exercise and daily activity.
The addition of vitamin C can ensure your body converts collagen into a useable protein, restoring your energy levels.
Muscles
Collagen is also a component of your muscles, with approximately 1-10% of it made up of collagen fibres. It is necessary to keep them strong and working optimally.
As you age, you may notice that you start to lose muscle mass. One of the reasons for this is the reduction in collagen available to your body. A study looking particularly at older men with muscle loss, found that when men combined exercise with a collagen supplement, post-workout, they built more muscle mass than those who received a placebo. Researchers now believe that this could apply to men of any age.
When we exercise, we damage our body – in a good way of course – and create micro tears in your muscles. Collagen can help speed up muscle repair and recovery so, if you love going to the gym but hate the recovery time, collagen may be able to help you due to its high amino acid content.
Competing in International Modern Pentathlon, founder James Greenwell, tore an Achilles Tendon late in his career. Collagen was instrumental in the recovery stage, and it enabled him to return to his sporting career, when doctors said it wouldn't be possible.
There’s no denying that adding a collagen supplement into your daily routine wouldn’t be worthwhile with all its incredible benefits. It’s just a bonus that it can help you age gracefully!
You can find the full range of collagen supplements on our website.