What Science Says About Taking Collagen For Joints & Pain Relief

Young people have a sense of invincibility—it’s sweet, endearing and unfortunately for all of us—fleeting. As you mature, you not only have a better appreciation for your health, but your body starts to tell you that you BETTER take good care of it! My knees were the first to tell me they were ready to retire from my athletic endeavors. At first, I tried to ignore their cries for help, until it got too painful to do normal activities like walking stairs, or picking up my daughter. That’s when I knew I had to do something about it. So I asked a trusted source. “Alexa, search the web for The Fountain Of Youth”.  But I kept getting links to these weird testosterone supplement sites. No bueno.

Maybe you’ve used collagen supplements in the past to improve the health of your hair, skin or nails. Collagen is commonly known as a major ingredient in a multitude of skin care products, but not many people know about the benefits of using collagen for joints.

Fun fact: aside from water, collagen is the most abundant substance in the human body and is an essential building block for skin, tendons, and bones.

Interesting right? That what I was thinking too! 💡 Ok, back to my search for the fountain of youth. Update: I didn’t find it. I was once told by a wise woman that ‘Father Time’ was undefeated—and I was starting to see why. But I kept reading to understand what was happening to me, and what I could do to reverse the curse!

In this blog we’ll cover everything you need to know about taking collagen for joints and pain relief.

Is Collagen Good For Joints?

Collagen levels decline naturally with age, starting in our 20s and 30s. Cells that produce collagen start to degrade and produce less. ☹️Since collagen provides structure to your skin and body, when levels decline, wrinkles form and joints become less limber. Exposure to the sun, smoking and drinking alcohol only accelerate the process.

But collagen supplementation is the easiest way to ensure you’re replenishing what you’ve lost. Today we’ll go over 5 undeniable reasons you’ll want to start using collagen for joint pain as well as strong hair, skin, and nails.

1. Your body isn’t producing collagen like it used to

As with everything in life, things change over time. As we discussed above, in your 30’s the optimal levels of collagen our bodies naturally produce begin to dissipate. Collagen fibers break down or no longer regenerate, and lead to the creeks and cracks you feel when you bend your knees or elbows.

Research (1) indicates that by the age of 40, the body’s ability to produce collagen decreases by 25%. By 60 it has decreased by over 50%. Ouch! 😖

In order to have the strength, energy, and flexibility you want without taking harmful painkillers every day you have to find a good collagen supplement, and I have just what you’re looking for—but we’ll get to that a little later.

2. Collagen is your body’s ‘glue’

Collagen is commonly referred to as the body’s glue. As I mentioned, it’s the most common protein in the entire human body. It’s referred to as the “glue” because it provides the body’s structure and form. It makes up the majority of protein in your joints, skin, teeth, bones and other organs that are vital to your overall health.

Collagen stimulates the production of cartilage, connective tissue, and bone. This helps you recover from workouts sooner, and alleviates some of the pain associated with aging joints.  

We used to consume natural foods (plants and animals), but our modern western diets, full of overly processed foods have increased major arthritic issues. In short, if you want your body to be closer to how it was when you were younger, you need to replace what you’ve lost.

3. Collagen helps you recover faster

I could hear the “Rocky” theme music playing in the background as I finished my last set of modified burpees. I did it, I was actually working out and it felt great!

But–um, the next morning… not so much.

High-intensity exercise actually places a lot of strain on your body, and can often lead to uncomfortable inflammation (it can feel like you’re actually dying 😣) But if you’re working hard to reach your fitness goals soreness is inevitable, right? “No pain, no gain” is the name of the game—wow that rhymed! Ok, but in all seriousness, what if you had a way to recover faster and avoid being so sore, so you could workout consistently—you’d reach your goals in no time! Well, taking collagen after your workout sesh can speed up the repair of your inflamed connective tissues (2), meaning you won’t feel quite as debilitatingly sore after you leave the gym.

Collagen supplements can help the body regenerate itself quicker by giving it the building blocks necessary for tissue repair, including, but not limited to, achieving tighter skin and better working joints. Collagen supplements are broken down in your body into amino acids and peptides when they are ingested. These products can help to maintain strong and flexible tendons‚ joints‚ muscles‚ and other connective tissues, as well as benefit the health of your skin, hair and nails!

4. Collagen helps you avoid injuries

Don’t know about you, but at my age, a simple ankle sprain could take me out for weeks. Somewhere in a parallel universe, 21-year-old me is laughing hysterically at 39-year-old me. And while I’m not sure I’d trade my experience, wisdom, and grown-up perspective to have a younger body, I desperately needed something that would even the playing field a little.  

Did you know that your connective tissues are made almost entirely of collagen? And by supplementing this stuff into your diet, you’ll help rebuild those ligaments at the same speed your muscles are growing.

On top of being great for recovery, you can take a collagen supplement to prevent soreness caused by building new muscle. And that can be the difference in you keeping a consistent workout schedule, or having to rest, taking yourself out of your routine.

5. Collagen restores nutrients depleted by strenuous exercise

Pushing through “the burn” at your Spin Class feels amazing, but woooh, that sh*t gets intense!

Going hard during your workouts has it’s obvious benefits, but it also stresses your body and depletes it of its natural collagen. So what can you do to give your body the nutrients loses during your workout?

You have to remember that collagen is protein, and proteins are the ideal food to eat after working out. They repair damage caused to muscle fibers through amino acids. These acids directly enter the muscles and begin to aid in rebuilding. Arginine, a component of collagen, is said to improve athletic performance and restore and maintain muscle mass.

The Best Collagen For Joints

Though it is possible to obtain extra collagen through diet (consuming animal products such as gelatinous meats, the cartilage on bones such as chicken drumsticks, and skin from poultry—eww), some may find it unappealing or difficult to eat enough to support their body’s requirements.

I’m definitely one of those people. ✋🏽

If you are anything like me it’s just easier and a lot less disgusting to just find a good collagen supplement to incorporate in your regimen. Treatment with these dietary supplements can help with damaged bones, cartilages, and joints because collagen is present in many connective tissues of the body. But if you don’t where to start, I’ve got you covered!

SkinnyFit Super Youth Multi-Collagen Peptides will help STOP AGING IN ITS TRACKS! It contains 5 types of collagen, from 3 sources, which offer an array of benefits, from supporting healthy hair, skin, and nails, to strengthening your joints and bones and promoting a healthy weight. All that without having to eat chicken cartilage and bone broth every day. 😁

It’s super (pun intended) easy to use! Simply add this odorless, virtually flavorless, easy-to-mix collagen powder to any food or drink to start looking and feeling years younger. I personally love putting it in my coffee or acai bowls!