If you have recently become pregnant, you will likely have heard about collagen more and more. In particular, you may have heard about the benefits supplements can have for you in naturally boosting your body with proteins and vitamins. This article will contain the basics of collagen supplements, such as the best collagen powder, helping you learn more about what they can do for you, so read on.
What Collagen Is
Before delving more into collagen supplements and what you need to know, you should be more aware of what it actually is. Essentially, collagen is the name given to several different proteins that help connect human and animal structures. This is a protein product that is oftentimes extracted from animals, such as the skin or bones.
This means it is also found within our bones, muscles, and skins and plays an important part in our well-being. We need collagen to strengthen our tissues and to allow these tissues to repair themselves.
Collagen is exclusively sourced from animals, meaning that collagen supplements will be derived in some way from the connective tissues of animals. There are many different proteins under the collagen name, and all of these are mixed with different substances to help boost our bodies.
They can be broken down into three different types. Type one collagen refers to the structure that forms our bones, skins, tendons, and ligaments. Type two focuses more on cartilage, which helps boost the fluidity of our bones, noses, and ears. Lastly, type three is more about the tissues and muscles, with a focus on our organs.
Pregnancy And Collagen
As touched upon, one of the primary reasons you might need more collagen is due to increased demand from your body to support bone management and otherwise when pregnant. Your body will have undergone mass changes which is perfectly normal. Collagen can help your body healthily manage these changes.
For example, your skin will naturally stretch and expand during pregnancy. You may not know that the main structure of your skin is actually composed mainly of collagen. This means that you may need more collagen in order to support your skin during pregnancy.
Collagen can also help to support your gut health during pregnancy. It is possible that your digestive system will undergo some strain during pregnancy. With more collagen in your system, you could see your gut lining heal and seal. This will be important as this will boost your immunity and prevent further complications.
You need more protein during pregnancy, and collagen can help you to produce more. Protein will play a part in adding to your bloody supply and avoid pregnancy issues or at least lower the chances of them appearing. There will be food high in protein and amino acids, but specialized supplements will aim to boost your pre-natal body and during pregnancy.
You should conduct your own research to help you answer the question, can you take collagen when pregnant? The linked article from This is Needed takes an in depth look into whether you should take collagen when pregnant which should help to answer any of your concerns.
Other Ways To Receive Collagen
While this article has mainly focused on supplements so far, it’s worth knowing other sources in which you can receive collagen. This will mainly come in the form of food. A classic example is meat and poultry, such as fish and chicken. Chicken is often used in some supplements and will be used for some treatments.
Egg whites contain large amounts of proline, one of the key amino acids that helps produce collagen in your body. Another important element of the production process for collagen is vitamin C. This means you should try and source more vitamin C, which comes mainly from citrus-rich fruits. These types of fruit include oranges, grapefruit, lemons, and limes. There will be a few different ways to incorporate this into your diet, such as a snack or in your breakfast.
There may also be some herbs and ingredients that you can use and supplements, but it’s important you don’t swap out a healthy diet for any herbs or supplements. They should be used in conjunction with a nutritional diet, and speak to a nutritionist or doctor if you are unsure on where you should go with it.
What Can Lower Collagen
Collagen production can be altered from factors in age. This means that as you get older, you could start to lose the ability to produce collagen. There will also be other factors that can lower your collagen levels, such as environmental reasons.
For example, if you regularly expose yourself to high levels of ultraviolet light, such as from the sun, that could decrease collagen regeneration. To avoid this over time, you should ensure your skin is covered up regularly through clothing. You can also boost this coverage by using sunscreens.
You may also be taking substances that could alter collagen levels. For example, tobacco use, and alcohol could eat away at your collagen production and decrease collagen production. Alcohol, in particular, can not only affect your collagen, but it can also lead to a depleted level of vitamins and prevent your body from being able to produce these naturally. This is why you should take supplements to help boost your body for vitamins and collagens when it is needed.
When You Can Notice Results
As with many other types of supplements, you should start to notice changes fairly quickly after taking the recommended amount. After a few months, you may start to feel like you’re feeling better and stronger for these supplements.
When you take supplements, you should read the instructions on how to take them, as they should have all the information you need. It may benefit you for this reason to speak to a doctor if you feel like you’re not feeling how you should be after a few months.
There will be different levels of collagen that you can take, which is why there may be a different amount of time it takes to reach noticeable levels of change. Most of the time, you may be required to take between 2.5mg to 15mg a day, but there aren’t any official guidelines as everyone is different. You should know this will only be a starting point for the amount of collagen/protein you need. As mentioned, you will need to accompany this supplement with a healthy diet in order to maximize your health.
Importance Of Speaking To A Doctor
As we have touched upon several times in this article, you will need to speak to a doctor or a medical professional in some capacity if you have any doubts regarding your collagen levels and what you should be taking. They may be able to conduct tests to find out how much you’re currently at and how much more you need.
You should know this won’t be an overnight fix, you may need to take these supplements over the course of a few months in order to see any results start to come through. Speak to medical professionals often over the course of you taking these products so that you can start to see results and make changes where applicable.
