After giving birth to my third child, my dietician friend put together a custom meal plan to help me eat better and lose my extra baby weight.
She also recommended I add a few things to my diet, one of them being collagen peptides.
I hadn’t heard of collagen before, but since that day, it’s become a must in my daily routine.
Many people may have heard of collagen as a skincare hero or hair-strengthening savior, but did you know it could also boost your digestive system?
Whether you’re currently taking collagen, or considering adding it to your diet, come learn more about collagen, and why some nutritionists believe it could be a valuable support to improve gut health.
Why Digestive Health Matters
Your digestive system doesn’t just break down your food to provide energy; it’s a critical component of your overall health and well-being.
In additional to providing your body with the nutrients it needs, a properly functioning digestive system also helps supports the immune system, with about 70% of immune cells located in the gut.
Perhaps most surprising of all, the gut is actually closely connected to the brain through the gut-brain axis, meaning that an imbalanced digestive system can negatively impact your mood and mental health.
Over time, poor digestive health can increase the risk of chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and inflammatory diseases, making it vital to maintain a balanced and healthy gut.
What Exactly Does Collagen Do for Your Gut?
Collagen is often referred to as “glue” in your body, holding various organs and tissues together, including those that make up the digestive system.
Additionally, however, collagen contains glycine, glutamine, and proline, amino acids that play important roles in supporting digestive health.
Glycine is known for its anti-inflammatory properties, and helps protect the gastrointestinal lining.
It also supports the production of bile and digestive enzymes, both of which are crucial for breaking down food.
Glutamine is a key fuel source for the cells lining the intestines, and helps maintain the integrity of the gut barrier.
This makes it especially important for healing a “leaky gut” and supporting overall immune function in the digestive tract.
Proline is needed to synthesize the collagen protein, allowing it to help maintain the strength and elasticity of the digestive system’s connective tissues.
The combination of collagen and these essential amino acids could be an easy and effective way to improve overall gut health.
What Do Nutritionists Actually Say?
Nutritionists generally view collagen as beneficial for gut health, though they will often emphasize that the evidence is still emerging and not yet conclusive.
Many nutritionists recommend getting collagen through whole foods, including bone broth, eggs, and fish with the skin, as these sources also provide essential vitamins and minerals to the body.
However, high-quality collagen supplements (especially hydrolyzed collagen peptides) are often considered a convenient and effective alternative.
While anecdotal evidence and preliminary studies are promising, most nutritionists also stress the importance of a well-rounded diet and lifestyle that promotes gut health, rather than relying solely on collagen.
How to Add Collagen to Your Routine
One of the best things about collagen is that it’s incredibly simple to add it to your everyday routine.
Do you drink coffee? Simply add a scoop of collagen powder into that first cup in the morning.
Do you enjoy smoothies? Toss the collagen powder in while blending your other ingredients.
You can even stir it into soups or teas if those are your top choice for comfort and warmth.
If you want an even easier option, then collagen capsules, collagen gummies, or ready-to-drink options are available too. Just choose what works best to fit your lifestyle!
Does Collagen Really Work?
Research into the link between collagen and gut health is still in its early stages, but the current anecdotal evidence is promising.
That being said, if you add collagen to your daily routine, you need to be consistent. Collagen, just like any other supplement, doesn’t start working overnight.
Expect to see initial improvements, like reduced bloating and better digestion, after two to four weeks of regular use.
More noticeable benefits, such as improved gut lining integrity, reduced inflammation, or relief from symptoms of leaky gut or IBS, could take eight to twelve weeks or longer.
Finally, remember that to see the best results, you should pair collagen with other gut-friendly practices, including eating whole foods, taking probiotics, and minimizing irritants like alcohol and processed sugar.
While collagen may have initially become popular as a beauty supplement, its benefits for gut health have quickly made it a mainstay in many people’s daily routines.
So, if you’re looking for ways to reduce bloating and improve digestion, it could be worth giving collagen a try for yourself.
Check out the different options available and see how collagen works for you!