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Does collagen make you gain weight? It is an important topic to talk about as many people want to lose weight.
Whenever it comes to skin problems or joint weakness, the first thing that comes to mind is protein deficiency1. You must be wondering what kind of protein can save you from all these problems.
According to research, protein is not only essential but a necessity for the overall growth of muscles. But there is a protein that your body naturally produces and can also be taken externally, which is called collagen.
Are you someone who wants to add collagen to their diet to claim all these benefits but still has a question in your mind does collagen make you gain weight or not? To find a solution, you need to understand what collagen is.
1. What is Collagen?
The amplest protein in the human body is known as collagen. It makes your skin’s structure and boosts the strength of your joints, ligaments, and overall bone density2.
There are 3 Types Of Protein That Your Body Needs:
- Fibrous
- Membrane
- Globular
Collagen belongs to the group of Fibrous proteins3. These are naturally produced in your body.
Collagen is highly beneficial for your body. Adding collagen to your diet can keep you young and strong forever.
Many people are superstitious and think collagen will help build muscles, which may aid obesity or weight gain.
Before getting knowledge about collagen and its side effects. Let’s understand what benefits can be claimed by including collagen in your diet.
Read more about Collagen.
2. Benefits of Collagen
2.1) Great for Skin Health
Collagen can improve skin texture and maintain the elasticity of your skin. It causes reduces wrinkles and fine lines. This amino acid can provide the required nutrients that your skin needs to maintain internal health.
2.2) Collagen for Bone Density and Joints
Lack of the required amount of collagen in your body can have very severe repercussions on your bone density and joints. Not only joints, but it can also make your ligaments, tendons, etc., weak.
Now you must be wondering how collagen can improve your bone mineral density. Collagen is produced in our body that helps maintain the elasticity of connective tissues.
Maintaining the elasticity of your skin is pivotal to preventing aging; likewise, maintaining the elasticity of connective tissues is essential to preventing your bones and joints from aging.
Reports say that collagen deficiency may be why people become the victim of spirals of diseases and aging at an early age. Studies showed that collagen peptides4 combined with supplements could build the health of the skin and joints.
Scientific research showed that collagen could act as a preventive for Osteoporosis. Being a type of protein, collagen can increase the Body mass index (BMI)5 of people.
The various studies showed that hydrolyzed collagen might help to fulfill the requirement and prevent Osteoporosis.
If you have joint pain and difficulty walking or running, you might be suffering from collagen deficiency.
2.3) Aids The Growth Of Hair And Skin
Suppose you love to style your hair and paint your nails. Then, the overall health of your hair and nails can be improved by increasing collagen production in your body.
For increasing collagen production, you need not depend on collagen supplements or collagen peptides as it can be done naturally by adding foods such as bone broth (boiled bones of chicken) or other foods rich in amino acids.
Other nutrients can increase collagen production like vitamin C, copper, proline, and glycine.
2.4) Collagen For Weight Loss
Are you someone dubious about does collagen makes you gain weight or not? Collagen has no role to play in weight gain, as per researchers.
Collagen is effective in stimulating metabolic rate and ultimately improving digestion, and reducing inflammation.
People, who are concerned about collagen making them gain weight can give collagen peptides a try. Many pieces of research found the benefits of collagen peptides for weight loss.
3. Collagen Peptides
These are small pieces of protein, and the sources of these are animal products. You may try these bioavailable forms of collagen for a long-term effect.
Reports say that taking collagen peptides for a minimum of 2 months may show some amazing results like improving the overall body health.
Then collagen peptides may help you. But still, consulting a doctor before adding collagen peptides would be a better option as there are no scientifically proven reports on this.
Read more about Collagen Peptides.
4. Side Effects Of Collagen
Excess intake of collagen naturally or in the form of supplements may show some side effects. The standard dosage should be between 2.5 and 15 grams per day.
It won’t help if you take below the bottom line or excess the upper line. Taking more than 15 grams daily may show side effects such as:
- Badmouth
- Improper digestive symptoms
- Heartburn
- Feeling of fullness
- Reduce hunger
If you are taking collagen in the form of supplements, you must be sure about all the ingredients used in that supplement.
There are people allergic to some ingredients that may be found in collagen supplements. So to avoid side effects, it is always better to consult your doctor.
5. Why Does Your Body Require Collagen?
Your body requires collagen to build your muscle and works as a glue that keeps your joints connected and supports the connective tissues.
People struggle during old age because they don’t care about collagen deficiencies that may have some bad side effects in old age. These days people are growing old at an early age. The reasons are:
- Deficiency of collagen
- Unhealthy eating habits
- Improper diet
- Bad Lifestyle
You should not skip this protein that makes you walk, stand, and live happily. Collagen can act as fuel for your bones and skin.
Like your stomach needs food, your skin and bones also need food to keep working. If you don’t add collagen to your diet doesn’t matter if it is natural or through supplements, then it can be derogatory on your part of your health.
So, Does Collagen Make You Gain Weight?
Every time you suffer from any illness, you are running from some nutrient deficiencies.
Maintaining a healthy body mass index is vital for anybody to stay fit and for a long life span. Collagen can be your saviour from aging with various other health benefits.
People are skeptical about collagen. Some people are perplexed if it will work or not. People have various doubts in their minds before taking collagen.
The most debated one is whether collagen makes you gain weight or not. All of them need to realize that collagen has nothing to do with increasing body weight but boosting your bone density and body mass index.
Nothing can prevail in human credence. If you believe something, then it takes time to come out of it. But it would help if you realized what your body needs. Consult a doctor and clear out your doubts about does collagen makes you gain weight.
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- Sukhatme, P. V., and Sheldon Margen. “Models for protein deficiency.” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 31.7 (1978): 1237-1256. ↩︎
- Helgason, Benedikt, et al. “Mathematical relationships between bone density and mechanical properties: a literature review.” Clinical biomechanics 23.2 (2008): 135-146. ↩︎
- Huggins, Maurice L. “The Structure of Fibrous Proteins.” Chemical Reviews 32.2 (1943): 195-218. ↩︎
- Zhao, Xiaocao, Xuejiao Zhang, and Dengyong Liu. “Collagen peptides and the related synthetic peptides: A review on improving skin health.” Journal of Functional Foods 86 (2021): 104680. ↩︎
- Nuttall, Frank Q. “Body mass index: obesity, BMI, and health: a critical review.” Nutrition today 50.3 (2015): 117-128. ↩︎
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