THE BENEFITS OF HYDROLYZED COLLAGEN POWDER

Hydrolyzed collagen powder contains a unique profile of 20 different amino acids, including eight of the nine essential amino acids. Glycine, hydroxyproline and prolins account for nearly half of collagen hydrolysates’s amino acid content and encourage collagen production in the body, resulting in reduced joint pain, improved skin elasticity, and stronger hair and nails.

The low molecular weight of hydrolyzed collagen powder allows for great bioavailability. Studies show an impressive 90 percent absorption just six hours after consumption, with a significant accumulation of collagen in vital areas of the cartilage and skin.

Collagen production in the body natural decreases with age, causing skin and muscles to sag and resulting in weaker ligaments and joints. Increased collagen in the skin increases skin hydration, suppleness and smoothness, and provides a more youthful appearance by boosting skin thickness and resilience. Increased collagen in the joints helps to reduce joint pain and discomfort. Several studies even suggest that daily supplementation with hydrolyzed collagen powder can encourage an increase in bone density, making it an ideal supplement to protect against osteoporosis and bone disease in aging populations.

 

Collagen vs. Gelatin: What’s the Difference?

Gelatin is a form of hydrolyzed collegen , which means it’s essentially a part of broken-down collagen. Collagen is “the most abundant protein in the animal kingdom” and the major component of connective tissue in the human body, amazingly making up about a quarter of our total body mass.

Collagen is a key builder of healthy skin, muscle, tendons, joints, bones and other tissue in both humans and animals, so when we don’t produce enough it’s no wonder our health suffers big time. Within the body, collagen goes through a series of  steps to break down its long chain proteins into its original amino acids, which are then absorbed and used for collagen synthesis throughout the body.

Collagen and gelatin are similar in terms of their benefits because they contain the same amino acids, but their uses are slightly different and some people digest gelatin a bit more easily. Cooking collagen helps isolate gelatin, and gelatin only dissolves in hot water. It forms a noticeably gel-like substance when mixed with water, but collagen does not. This means gelatin might have more practical uses when cooking, such as making your own jellies or thickening sauces.

To convert collagen from animal parts into gelatin, several processes are used that break down collagen’s intermolecular bonds and release certain amino acids. Extraction of gelatin in food manufacturing is usually done using hot water and acid solutions to hydrolyze collagen into gelatin. Then certain filtration, clarification and sterilization processes usually take place to form the dried, final product, depending on how it’s sold.

Like with most foods or supplements, the less processing it goes through the better it is for you when you consume it. Gelatin degradation is minimized most by deriving gelatin at the lowest temperature possible, which allows it to hold on to its natural peptide structure that provides its benefits.

 

Gelatin’s Unique Amino Acid Profile

Once isolated from collagen, gelatin is made up of about 98 percent to 99 percent protein by dry weight. It’s considered “unusually high in amino acids glycine and proline which are “non-essential” (or conditional) because the body makes some of them on its own. The amino acid composition of gelatin is approximately:

• 21 percent glycine
• 12 percent proline
• 12 percent hydroxyproline
• 10 percent glutamic acid
• 9 percent alanine
• 8 percent arginine
• 6 percent aspartic acid
• 4 percent lysine

One of the most valuable amino acids we get from gelatin is glycine. Glycine, in addition to other amino acids like proline, is what comprises collagen, which is critical for giving connective tissue throughout the body its strength and durability. Glycine is also important for our ability to naturally detox ourselves of heavy metal chemicals or toxic substances we come into contact with through our diet and environment.

Consuming plenty of glycine has been tied to better  gluthathione  production, which is one the of the most important liver  detoxifiers we have, helping clean our blood and rid harmful substance out of the body.

In addition to supplying glycine, gelatin contains proline, which has some of the following benefits:

• works with glycine to form collagen and connective tissues
• assists in the breakdown of other proteins in the body
• helps with the formation of new cells
• helps with proper muscle tissue maintenance
• protects the digestive system from permeability
• prevents decrease of muscle mass in endurance runners and athletes

lysine

L-lysine is an essential amino acid. Many people know that several amino acids are known as the “building blocks of protein” and are needed in order for a huge number of proper internal functions, including growth.

• May Decrease Outbreak and Frequency of Herpes Viruses
• Reduces Anxiety and Other Psychological Symptoms
• Increases Absorption of Calcium
• Reduces Diabetes-Related Problems
• Supports a Healthy Gut

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 Health benefits:

Lifts Your Mood and Improves Cognitive Abilities

The amino acid glycine is considered an “inhibitory neurotransmitter,” which means it acts similarly to some anti-anxiety or antidepressant medications, only without the unwanted complications and side effects. People use glycine and other forms of amino acid therapy to naturally boost mental clarity and calmness because certain amino acids help lower “stress hormones” like and increase  norephinephrin “happy hormones” like GABA

About half of the inhibitory synapses in the spinal cord use glycine, and research shows that when glycine is not properly metabolized it can result in an increased risk for developmental problems, lethargy, seizures and mental retardation.

Improves  overall Skin Health

Worried about your skin developing wrinkles, sun damage, stretch marks and other signs of aging? Here’s some good news: Consuming gelatin (and taking collagen directly) can help improve your appearance thanks to its positive effects on skin health and cellular rejuvenation. Collagen is considered a primary building block for skin and is partially what gives skin a youthful, healthy appearance.

Gelatin is important for the process of renewing skin cells and can also help block your skin from UV light damage, therefore protecting you from free radical damages  wrinkles and potentially skin cancer. One of the reasons we develop signs of aging is because of collagen depletion, which for most of us usually starts when we are in our 20s or early 30s and only continues to accelerate. As we continue to lose collagen, we can develop cellulite, loose skin and fine lines as a result of skin losing its firmness.

The older we get and the more we put our bodies through, the more we could use extra collagen to to buffer the effects of environmental stress we all face. Consuming more gelatin is a smart natural skin health habit because it helps stimulate new and non-fragmented collagen, not only restoring skin’s durability, but also helping you maintain strong hair, nails and teeth.

 Helps Maintain Heart Health

One of the most beneficial roles that gelatin plays in the body is neutralizing chemical compounds that we acquire from eating meat. Animal products including meat from chicken, beef, turkey, etc., along with eggs, are high in a type of amino acid called  methionine.

While methionine has some beneficial roles in the body, in excess it also raises your risk for heart problems and other ailments because it increases the amount of  homocysteine in your blood. (The more methionine we consume, the more we require other nutrients that help lower homocysteine’s negative effects. High blood levels of homocysteine have been linked with increased inflammation levels and diseases like  atherosclerosis , other forms of cardiovascular disease, stroke, weakened bones and impairments in cognitive functions.

It’s not that you need to cut out all animal products in order to become healthier; rather you need to make sure you balance out the types of nutrients you get from your diet. If you have a diet that’s high in meat/eggs or low in animal products in general (you’re a vegetarian), you want to consume substances like gelatin to make sure you get a range of important amino acids in healthy amounts.

Maintains Strong Bones

Our bones require a steady supply of nutrients to maintain their density and strength. Gelatin is rich is nutrients like calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon and sulfur, which help form bones and prevent fractures or bone loss. Those nutrients are also great for bone  and healing  Researchers now believe that gelatin (collagen hydrolysate) can act like a safe, therapeutic agent for treating osteoarthritis and osteoporosis even when used long term in chronic disorders.