Quickly and recently amino acids have become a big business and it doesn’t matter whether you are looking for collagen supplement, bone broth or even more meat as well as dairy foods, the different amino acids that make up these proteins is what you are actually buying.
The body uses amino acids to build muscle, cartilage, bone, skin, hair, connective tissues and much more. There are several types of amino acids and the most abundant type is the one that makes up the body’s collagen. Collagen is basically the structural protein that forms the protective tissue and the skin.
The collagen of the body declines with age and this implies that you need adequate collagen for strong bones, joints as well as skin that adds up more to your diet.
What is collagen powder?
There are several types of collagen each of which is composed of different peptides or amino acids. Different types of collagen form the skin and tendons as opposed to cartilage. Most of the collagen peptides contain a hydrolyzed collagen that is extracted from hides, bones or fish scales. Hydrolyzed chains simply mean that the amino acids have been broken down into smaller units through a process that allows the powder to dissolve in hot and cold liquid. This type of collagen has become very popular due to the fact that you add it to hot coffee, soups, cold brew and smoothies.
Benefits
There are several researches that are ongoing to establish the side effects as well as potential benefits of collagen powder. What we know right now is the fact that the joints benefit a lot from collagen powder. This is because the supplements are known to reduce arthritis. When patients of osteoarthritis are administered with a daily dosage of 40 mg then their pain level drops by an average of 26%.
There is some evidence that certain amino acids which are found in the collagen and in particular glycine help to reduce GI inflammation as well as aid in digestion. However, most of the evidence do not point directly to collagen powder but rather to amino acids in general.
Is it safe?
Just like any other food supplement, the food and drug administration does not monitor collagen powders for safety or efficacy unless the manufacturer claims that the supplement can cure the disease or something goes wrong.
