Reaching the age of 25 is the milestone point that your body starts to produce less collagen. This means that not only will the quality of your skin start to decline, but you may start to notice changes in your joints and the ability to recover from injuries.
Collagen is literally the glue that holds us together, making up a large part of our bones, tendons, ligaments, muscles and connective tissues. To put it into perspective, our bodies are made up of around 25 to 30 percent collagen, with 90% of it being found in our connective tissues.
How Collagen Helps Athletic Performance
Proteins in our body are broken down during exercise and we know we have to consume enough protein in the form of protein rich foods or supplements, to help our muscles grow and recover. Protein supplements like casein, whey, soy and hemp are the usual choices, but collagen is now gaining popularity due to its host of other benefits.
Collagen not only replaces proteins lost during exercise but it also;
Reduces joint pain
Lessens injury recovery time
Speeds recovery of muscles by promoting a healthy inflammation response
Eliminates common side effects like stomach ache and nausea
Due to its high level of amino acids, it improves sports performance during short bursts of muscle contraction
So not only does it support your joints and help them recovery more easily, a natural collagen supplement may allow you to push yourself more during intense physical exercise. A recent study at the AIS (Australian Institute of Sport), took
athletes who were unable to run due to achilles injuries and who hadn’t responded to any traditional therapies and gave them 5g of Tendoforte (a bioactive collagen peptide) for 3-6 months. They all responded well and returned to running faster than normal.
Where to Source Collagen
There are many natural ways to get more collagen in your life including; beef bone broth, sardines, dark green vegetables, gelatin, egg whites, citrus fruits and many more. Today you can also supplement with collagen peptides, gelatin powder and a range of collagen supplements in tablet form. Wherever you get your collagen supplementation from, it’s a good idea to start early on in life. Preventative measures are better than cures and keeping your collagen supplies boosted will have a host of benefits through your life not only keeping joints healthy and your skin plump, but allowing you to recover faster from those intense gym workouts.