Keto Know How: Benefits of Collagen Peptides

There’s a lot of debate about the benefits of collagen peptides (sometimes confused with collagen protein) or if it’s just another trend that will fade out. While the debate rages on, there’s some real science and health facts about why supplementing your diet with collagen peptides can be beneficial. I’ve been adding collagen peptides to my Bulletproof coffee recipe for years – long before I went Keto – and I have my opinions, but let’s start with what science has to say about collagen peptides and their benefits on us humans.

Benefits of Collagen Peptides

1. Helps with Skin Health and Anti-Aging

This?study published in 2014?chose 46 of 69 women between the ages of 35-55, to take a collagen supplement. 23 of the women took a placebo. The participants who took the collagen supplement? They showed an improvement in skin elasticity within four weeks and in a similar study, women showed a reduction in wrinkles after eight weeks of use.

2. Improves Gut Health

Our gut, the microbiome and digestive health is a hot topic lately. I never heard more about leaky gut in my life. However, it’s important, it’s here and it’s not going away. And collagen is essential to gut health because it’s the building blocks of your gut’s connective tissue and the lining of your digestive tract. Studies have shown that those with issues like irritable bowel syndrome lack adequate collagen. So while it’s iffy science – more collagen is not a bad thing for your belly.

3. Promotes Fat Burning and Muscle Growth

Collagen has two elements that are great for your workouts to assist both fat burning AND muscle growth. First, collagen is a big part of your muscle tissue – i.e. because it’s an important part of ALL of our tissue – so adding collagen to our diets can aid building muscle mass. The part that I love, is that collagen also packs a significant amount of glycine – one of the amino acids that works with creatine in our bodies to burn fat. Need I say more?

So that’s what the experts have to say.

Here’s my take: it’s a fact that while our bodies produce collagen, that production slows down with age, and can result in a host of issues – namely in your skin and in your gut health. If you find your skin isn’t as supple or elastic as it used to be as you approach 40 years old and after, you’re probably right. Your collagen production has slowed down and you should consider supplements. As I said above, I have been adding powder collagen peptides to my morning coffee for years – and the benefits to my skin, nails and hair and digestion are obvious. I’ve always had healthy hair and nails – however they are thicker and stronger than ever, grow like crazy (both a blessing and a curse) and like bone broth, the added collagen has supported a healthy gut – which means I’m not bloated, I’m regular and I’ve seen a difference in my belly getting flatter. Especially since switching to a ketogenic lifestyle – I’ve seen the benefits grow exponentially.

And as I age (I’m 45), I think I have less joint pain and aches as my peers and my skin has never looked better. I’ve actually seen little wrinkles disappear and I certainly am not getting any more wrinkles yet!

There are lots of collagen supplements out there, so do your own research, but I’m a fan of Vital Proteins and their products. I alternate between their Marine Collagen and regular (Bovine) collagen – both dissolve quickly in cold or hot liquids and are odorless and tasteless. Two scoops a day keeps wrinkles, dry hair and brittle nails away!

Do you supplement with collagen? Let me know in the comments below!

PS: This is one of my Costco keto must-buys — you’ll find it at the best price!