Can Collagen Promote Heart And Gut Health?

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States.

In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that one person dies every 36 seconds in the U.S. from cardiovascular disease (1).

In addition, 60–70 million people in the U.S. have digestive diseases (2).

There are many things you can do to help your heart, including eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy weight, and not smoking.

For optimal gut health, eat a healthy diet, drink plenty of water, get enough sleep, exercise regularly, and take antibiotics only when necessary.

Adding a collagen supplement to your daily routine may be another thing you can do to keep your heart and gut healthy.

Collagen is a fibrous, supportive protein that makes up about ⅓ of the protein in your body (3).

It is a major building block of your bone, skin, muscle, and connective tissue.

It is the glue that holds your body together.

You can get collagen from fish, beef, chicken, egg whites, bone broth, or a collagen supplement.

Collagen supplement powders are usually hydrolyzed to break down the collagen and make the proteins easier to absorb.

Hydrolyzed collagen, collagen hydrolysate, and collagen peptides are all different names for the same thing.

Arteries are blood vessels that carry blood away from your heart to the rest of your body.

Atherosclerosis happens when the buildup of fat in the walls of your arteries causes them to become thick and stiff.

There are two main causes of atherosclerosis: fat and cholesterol deposits in the arteries and hardening of the arteries.

Atherosclerosis progresses slowly with no symptoms, so you may not know you have a problem until you have severe cardiovascular disease, blockage, a heart attack, or a stroke.

The stiffness of your arteries is a good marker for atherosclerosis and can predict your risk of coronary artery disease and cerebrovascular disease.

Keeping your arteries soft might reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke.

Just like other parts of your body, collagen provides structure to your blood vessels, and it may help you keep your cardiovascular system healthy in several ways.

In one study, participants were given 16 grams of collagen tripeptides each day for six months (4).

The study showed that the collagen supplements reduced the stiffness of the participants’ arteries and increased their HDL levels (good cholesterol).

These two benefits can help prevent and treat atherosclerosis.

In another study, 70 participants were split into two groups (5).

For 12 weeks, one group was given 2.5 grams of hydrolyzed pork collagen each day, and the other group was given a placebo.

The group that received the hydrolyzed collagen had a significant reduction in the stiffness of their arteries, which could help in the prevention of atherosclerosis.

Another study had 58 participants with slightly high blood pressure or high-normal blood pressure (6).

One group received hydrolyzed chicken collagen and the other received a placebo.

After 18 weeks, the group that received the collagen had lower stiffness of the arteries and lower blood pressure.

Collagen is mostly made up of three amino acids: proline, glycine, and hydroxyproline.

Glycine has been linked with heart health, and taking a collagen supplement will increase your intake of glycine.

One study followed 4,109 participants for 7 ½ years (7).

Researchers found that participants with low levels of glycine in their blood had a higher risk of having a heart attack.

This was especially true for participants who had high LDL levels (bad cholesterol).

Other research showed that hydrolyzed chicken collagen might help prevent atherosclerosis by reducing inflammation in addition to lowering cholesterol levels (8).

If you decide to take a collagen supplement to get more collagen in your diet, choose a collagen supplement that has a concentrated amount of collagen.

A typical suggested dose is about 10 grams per day.

Some collagen supplements, such as gummies, have a very low amount of collagen. Hydrolyzed collagen powders are usually more concentrated.

Collagen supplements can come from several sources, such as beef, pork, and fish (marine).

Marine collagen is considered the most sustainable because it is made from the bones, scales, and skin of fish, which would be wasted otherwise.

Different sources provide different types of collagen, so choosing a multi collagen powder with collagen from different sources will provide a broad range of benefits.

Choose a collagen supplement powder that doesn’t have added sweeteners, artificial flavors, or other additives.

And always talk to your doctor before adding any supplement to your diet.

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Disclaimer: The information contained within this site is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice. If you have, expect to have, or suspect you may have any medical condition, you are urged to consult with a health care provider. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.

These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any diseases or medical conditions. Results are based on 5minutereviews.com Ranking System and do not necessarily reflect typical results from the use of these products. Please visit product websites for more information.

FTC Disclosure: We represent a professional research and review team, and on our page you may find affiliate links for which we could be compensated for by clicking on them. https://5minutereviews.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

All logos and names are respective to each company and brand, all registered trademarks and protected images are used under the terms of 'fair use'. Please reach out, we're human too.