Collagen can do a lot of amazing things for your health.
But can it help with weight loss?
Collagen is still the somewhat new supplement on the scene. As such, some areas of collagen research may be lacking or have only animal studies. This is exacerbated by the fact that most collagen supplements are not so easily absorbed by the body.
When it comes to collagen and weight loss, there isn’t a huge amount of research, but what has been done on the subject looks promising!
In today’s blog, we’re going to review this research and the ways collagen can contribute to healthy weight loss.
What is collagen?
In case you want a refresher before we dive in, let’s briefly cover what collagen is, along with its main function and benefits.
Collagen is the most abundant protein found in the human body, making up about 30% of your body’s protein!
Due to the amino acids that compose it and the way they are tightly twisted like a rope, collagen is extremely strong and stable.
As such, collagen gives structure to connective tissue like skin, cartilage, tendons, ligaments, muscles, bones and blood vessels. It can help maintain healthy nails, stimulate hair growth and plays a major role in the appearance of the skin.
Unfortunately, however, collagen levels deplete with age, starting around age 25. And the quality of the collagen your body makes also goes down.
It’s important to help your body maintain healthy collagen levels because this protein is essential for the health of your skin, nails, hair, bones, body tissues, joints and many more. Moreover. Plus, there’s some evidence that it can even help with weight loss!
How can collagen help with weight loss?
Many of the ways collagen can help with weight loss have to do with how it indirectly affects your efforts. Think of it like drinking a glass of water before singing. Water doesn’t magically help you sing, but it does hydrate our vocal cords – keeping the tool we use to sing in good working order for optimal performance.
Promotes fullness
If you’re looking to manage your weight, one of the most important things is to watch your calorie intake. Anything that can help you burn calories or take in less of them can be a big help when it comes to weight management.
Interestingly, collagen may be able to increase satiety. This is probably due to the fact that it is a protein. Research has shown that protein can help increase hormones that make you feel full while decreasing hunger hormones. [1]
A 2009 study found that gelatin, which is made from collagen, was 44% more effective at reducing hunger than other types of protein. [2]
Additionally, a 2008 study found that increased protein intake can stimulate thermogenesis, a natural process of heat production that burns energy, and therefore more calories. [3]
Although collagen isn’t the only protein your body needs, it certainly increases the amount of protein in the body and can help you feel full by reducing the amount of food you need to feel full.
Increases muscle mass
Fun fact about muscles – because they are so metabolically active, they burn calories at rest. This means that the more muscle you have, the more calories you will burn doing “nothing”.
Collagen is the main structural protein that makes up your muscles. Thus, consuming more of it can help build muscle mass.
In one study, participants with age-related muscle loss completed a 12-week strength training program. Half of them included a collagen supplement in their diet, while the other half took a placebo.
The group taking the collagen not only gained more muscle mass than the placebo group, but they also lost more weight. [4]
This suggests that collagen may aid weight loss by supporting the effects of strength training on muscle mass.
Reduces fat accumulation
Some studies have suggested that collagen may reduce the buildup of fat cells.
A recent study from 2019 found that collagen reduced body fat in humans. [5]
A 2016 study on rats found that collagen had an anti-obesity effect, improving fat metabolism and decreasing fat accumulation. The same was found in 2018 in a similar study done on mice. [6, 7]
These results show that simply maintaining adequate levels of collagen can reduce weight gain from fat. Could this be the reason most people start to struggle with weight management in their 20s? Because they lose their collagen?
Relieves joint pain
Without enough collagen in the body, over time the ligaments and connective tissue around joints can wear down. This can make it uncomfortable not only to exercise, but to move at all.
Loss of mobility can quickly lead to weight gain, as your ability to burn calories becomes more difficult.
A study involving athletes found that those who took a collagen supplement experienced less pain in their knee joints after workouts. [8]
Maintaining healthy collagen levels can help prevent this from happening in the first place. But even if you have joint problems, collagen can help.
A 2015 study found that collagen can help manage osteoarthritis, a condition that causes pain and discomfort after the connective tissue in the joint wears down. [9]
If your joints prevent you from moving, collagen may be able to help!
collagen for weight loss
Research suggests that collagen may not only help reduce weight gain, but also make it easier for you and your body to do the things that make it easier for you to manage your weight.
The studies described in this article were performed using conventional collagen supplements. Unlike them, our sister company – EverBella – has a collagen formula called Complete Collagen Plus, which is designed with bioavailability in mind. Using the same micellar liposomal formula you know and love from Purality Health, more of the collagen can be easily absorbed into your bloodstream and utilized by your body.
If they saw results with the collagen used in the studies above…
Think how highly absorbable collagen would work.
If you think Complete Collagen Plus can help you (or a loved one), EverBella wants to give you 180 days to try it!
For more details – including ingredients, reviews and information on their 180-day money-back guarantee – CLICK HERE!
