11 Surprising Collagen Benefits for Women
Many women know about collagen from beauty channels and magazines. After all, it’s touted as one heck of a wrinkle reducer. But did you know there are all SORTS of collagen benefits for women?
The right type of collagen supplement has the potential to improve women’s health far beyond appearance. Collagen benefits for women also tend to be more targeted than for men, because of how collagen interacts with hormones and bone health.
In this article, we will break down some of the surprising benefits of collagen for women – both inside and out. But before we get into our list of benefits, let’s make sure you understand what collagen is and why it’s so important for your body.
What is collagen protein, and why does it matter?
Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body. However, by age 25, your collagen production slows down drastically. That’s why your bones, joints, and skin all start to feel more “aged” starting in your mid-20s. (And it slowly goes downhill from there.)
Collagen can be thought of as the structural support of your body. It’s what helps your cartilage cushion your joints. And, it also supports strong bones and helps your skin and organs heal.
If you aren’t producing enough collagen, you could see why adding some to your diet could improve many aspects of your health. Luckily you can counteract a collagen deficiency with regular supplementation.
So let’s take a look at some of the amazing collagen benefits for women.
11 surprising collagen benefits for women
Here are 11 incredible collagen benefits for women that you may not have known about.
1. Collagen can support lean muscle growth
As you age, you may notice that you don’t build muscle as easily. You may even begin to lose muscle mass. Part of the reason could be because anywhere from 1-10% of your muscle mass is made up of collagen.
If you aren't producing enough collagen, your body prioritizes other, more essential body parts to support, like your vital organs.
Studies suggest that regular collagen protein could increase muscle proteins like creatine. Creatine gives your muscles the energy to move. The more you have of it, the more energy your muscles have to exercise or lift heavy things.
You may not be looking to “bulk up,” but having a lean, toned muscle composition can help regulate your body mass index much more easily. With a strong foundation of lean muscle, you are better able to maintain a healthy weight.
Having more muscle increases the calories you burn just doing daily activities - and even while resting.
2. Collagen can help with weight loss
That leads right into the next item on our list of collagen benefits for women: supporting weight loss.
Even if you are happy with your current weight, and aren’t seeking to shed any pounds, collagen can help you maintain the weight you’re at.
The main reason that collagen, or a high-protein diet in general, is effective for weight loss is that it helps you feel more full after eating. Studies of the correlation between collagen and weight loss have shown that there is a potential to increase the satiety hormone in your body after consuming collagen.
Satiety hormones produce that feeling of “fullness” or satisfaction after you eat. They essentially communicate to your brain that you aren’t hungry anymore. This makes it much easier to stick to a sustainable lifestyle and a healthy diet.
3. Collagen may counter low estrogen production
As a woman, your hormones shift and change with different life events like pregnancy, birth, and menopause. Estrogen is often the most widely discussed hormone when it comes to women’s health. That’s because estrogen helps you to manage anxiety, your moods, and your sleep cycle. It’s also your main reproductive hormone.
During all of the significant life events mentioned above, your estrogen levels change. As you age, estrogen production decreases, especially after menopause. These changes bring with them an array of day-to-day differences in your mood and overall health.
After menopause (which on average occurs at age 52), the decrease in estrogen can cause changes in skin and bone health, along with many other health issues.
Some studies suggest that the decrease in estrogen as women age is directly tied to the decrease in collagen production. That’s why collagen is considered one of the best natural hormone balance supplements.
If estrogen levels and collagen production are tied together, then women’s hormone health may require a little extra collagen supplementation as we age.
4. Collagen can provide postmenopausal bone support
After menopause, women are more likely to experience bone deterioration. Luckily, collagen supplements can specifically help to support your bones as you age.
Your bones are made up mostly of collagen so, as your estrogen and collagen production decrease with age, your bone mass deteriorates as well.
Bone deterioration is especially dangerous because it can lead to osteoporosis and even frequent bone fracturing. The use of collagen supplementation to support bone growth can be essential after menopause.
Weak bones are directly associated with a low blood mineral density in the bones themselves. Blood mineral density is the measurement of minerals, like calcium, in your bones.
Older women may be able to maintain or even improve their blood mineral bone density with the combined support of supplements like collagen and calcium.
5. Collagen may help your gut health
Another one of the great collagen benefits for women is that it can support your digestive system. In fact, there is some research suggesting that collagen could be especially helpful when dealing with disorders like leaky gut syndrome.
Leaky gut syndrome happens when the lining of your intestines can no longer retain their structure and start to break down. This can cause toxins and nutrients to actually “leak” out into your body instead of being absorbed or passed through.
Collagen helps build up the soft tissues that make up your intestinal wall and stomach to make your digestive tract work more smoothly.
6. Collagen may improve mental health
One of the most surprising benefits of collagen for women? It might just be one of the top supplements for mental health. While supplements are not a substitute for professional medical advice, collagen can complement existing treatments.
Recent studies suggest that collagen may protect against Alzheimer's disease, improve schizophrenia symptoms, balance hormones, and enhance sleep quality – all providing positive impacts on mental health.
7. Collagen can assist your anti-aging routine
Okay, so this is one of the collagen benefits for women that isn’t so surprising. Most women are aware by now that collagen is great for your skin. But do you know why?
Collagen is a vital protein in your skin. Regular supplementation can naturally improve skin hydration and elasticity and also reduce wrinkles.
Collagen even has antioxidant properties which can combat oxidative stress – a leading cause of premature aging.
8. Collagen can give you strong hair and nails
One of the great benefits of collagen for women is that it can improve your hair and nail health. If you want strong nails and beautiful, glossy hair, collagen might just be the supplement you’ve been looking for.
As a key component of hair and nails, collagen promotes strength, elasticity, and resilience. It encourages the production of keratin, a protein vital for hair and nail formation, which reduces brittleness and prevents breakage.
Additionally, collagen supports your hair follicles and nail beds, which helps to promote the growth and overall health of your hair and nails.
9. Collagen can ease menstrual cycles
That’s right! Collagen benefits for women can even extend to your period. If you’re thinking: “Can collagen really affect menstrual cycles?” The answer is “Yes!”
During menstruation, collagen's anti-inflammatory properties may alleviate cramps and discomfort. It can also reduce sluggishness and mood swings that some women experience on their period.
10. Collagen may make pregnancy easier
So you’ve already learned a lot of collagen benefits for women, but did you know about the benefits of collagen during pregnancy?
Collagen benefits for women during pregnancy include supporting skin elasticity to accommodate your changing body shape (helping to prevent stretch marks), promoting joint health as your body adjusts to the weight of your baby, and contributing to the development of your baby's connective tissues.
11. Collagen can speed wound healing
One of the best collagen benefits for women is its support of the wound healing process. Collagen wound healing properties are touted by doctors all around the world – because collagen protein is literally what your body uses to create new tissues after injury.
If you want to recover from surgery faster, or make sure your wound heals without infection or unsightly scarring, regular collagen supplementation may drastically improve your body’s natural healing process.
The best collagen supplements for women
So now that you understand all the great collagen benefits for women, it’s important to find the right type of collagen that actually allows you to receive those benefits.
There are many different types of collagen supplements, and knowing which one is best for your goals is important.
If you ingest collagen protein in its whole form, it is too big for your body to process easily. To ensure that the collagen you take is efficient and digestible, you should be looking for hydrolyzed or nano-hydrolyzed collagen.
When collagen goes through hydrolysis, the molecule size becomes small enough to fit through the pores of your stomach, making it easy to absorb and be utilized by your body.
Taking a regular hydrolyzed collagen protein supplement can help you make the most of all the collagen benefits for women in this article. Soon, everyone will be asking you for your secret!
FAQs about collagen supplements for women
Here are answers to some questions women commonly ask about collagen supplementation:
Is it good to take collagen every day?
It is perfectly safe to use collagen as a daily supplement. The recommended daily dose is 2.5 to 15 grams of collagen per day.
That being said, many supplements are not regulated by the FDA, so do your research and read the supplement label carefully to make sure the company hasn’t put in any harmful additives.
Is topical collagen as effective as an oral supplement?
No, topical collagen isn’t as effective as an oral collagen supplement. That’s because topical collagen can only penetrate the outer layer of your skin (if that) so you are missing out on all the other collagen benefits for women.
And rest assured, your body can use your oral collagen supplement to improve your skin health from the inside out!
What is the best age to start taking collagen?
Because your collagen production starts to decline in your mid-20s, the 20s are the ideal time to start taking collagen. But you can enjoy collagen benefits for women at any age!
Collagen can be particularly beneficial for women aged 50 and up who have lower natural collagen levels.
Is it safe to take collagen while pregnant or breastfeeding?
If you are wondering: “Can I take collagen while pregnant?" The answer is a resounding yes! As stated above, there are many benefits of collagen supplementation during pregnancy. And, because the human body naturally produces collagen, it is safe for your little one, too.
Just make sure to consult with your doctor first to ensure the supplement you are taking is a reputable one – as some supplements may contain additives that are not recommended while pregnant or breastfeeding.
