Choose the right collagen for you

Even though collagen seems like a household name these days, many people are still unsure if they should take collagen, or what it can do for them. There are many questions you still have about collagen before it's time to pick up your first bottle, so we want to clear that up! To help you decide if collagen is for you, we’re answering the top 10 things you need to know about collagen: 1. What is collagen? Collagen is a protein, and is what makes up a lot of what is found in our hair, skin and nails. It is referred to as the “glue” that holds our body together. As we get older, however, we're unable to produce the necessary collagen to prevent the signs of aging. This is why many people will supplement with it. 2. Are there negative side effects of taking collagen? For most people, there are no side effects of taking collagen. Most people find that adding collagen to their routine has positive outcomes for their digestive health, hair, skin and nails. However, in rare instances, some people have noticed small breakouts, or light digestive distress when adding collagen to their diet. There has been no definitive correlation between collagen and these issues. 3. How long does it take to see results from taking collagen? There are a few factors that matter here: how long you take it, and what your lifestyle is already like. Generally it can take up to four months to truly see the benefits of collagen in your body. If you are eating a poor diet that lacks the nutrients your body needs to produce its own collagen, and start taking a maximum dose each day, then you may see the effects quite quickly. However if you eat quite healthy and add in about 1 serving per day (approximately 10g), it may take a few more weeks to see the extra glow. 4. Do I need to take collagen every day? It is suggested that you consume around 1 tbsp. of collagen everyday. If you are looking for more therapeutic benefits taking 2-3 tbsps. each day will provide more nourishing, and possibly faster acting effects. As our collagen production starts to reduce with age, taking it regularly will be beneficial for more long-term health effects. 5. Should I take collagen on an empty stomach? Our best suggestion to taking collagen: take it whenever, and however it works best for you! Many people will add it to their morning cup of coffee, while others like it in a pre-bed elixir to help promote a more restful sleep. While some people swear by taking it at a specific time each day, there is no evidence to show that timing matters. So take it whenever works for you! 6. Are there different types of collagen? Yes! You can learn more about the types of collagen here. But we’ll give you the Cole's Notes version now: There are many types of collagen in your body (articles cite anywhere from 15-27 different types of collagen). However, there are three types that are of most importance in our body: Type 1, Type 2, and Type 3. Pretty easy to remember, right? Type 1 collagen is what helps our hair, skin and nails, and can be found in Organika’s Enhanced Collagen, Marine Collagen and Salmon Collagen. Type 2 collagen is found in Organika’s Chicken Bone Broth and BioCell Collagen supplements, and supports joint health. People living with joint issues, like osteoarthritis may find relief from using supplements rich in Type 2 collagen. Type 3 collagen is usually found alongside Type 1 collagen in your body and is an important component of our bone marrow. This is available in Organika's Enhanced Collagen line.  7. Can I make collagen on my own? Your body naturally produces collagen using Vitamin C, and the amino acids, glycine, proline and lysine. This means that yes, if you are eating a primarily plant-based diet, you can still produce the collagen necessary to keep your skin glowing and your hair flowing. However, it is important to remember that our collagen production decreases as we age. That’s likely because our body can’t breakdown and absorb the proper nutrients to create it (like these amino acids and Vitamin C). So including a collagen supplement, or a plant-based booster is helpful! 8. Is collagen just a powder? Collagen can come in various forms, but you’ll usually see it in a powder or capsule form. For example, our Marine Collagen and Enhanced Collagen line are powders that can be added to smoothies, baking, or your morning coffee/tea. Our Plant-Based Collagen Booster is also a powder, however it’s best to use that in cold liquids to ensure you keep the integrity of the vitamins. On the other hand, you can also use Organika’s BioCell Collagen or Salmon Collagen, which both come in capsule form. 9. Can I take different types of collagen at the same time? You can! In fact, Organika even sells a product that includes all three types of collagen in one convenient powder called Full Spectrum Collagen. 10. Can I add hydrolyzed collagen to hot foods or liquids? The process of hydrolyzation means that the collagen has been broken down into a smaller molecule that is better absorbed by your body. Heating the collagen does not degrade the nutrient profile, as it is already broken down to its smallest molecule.

Do I need to take collagen? Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body. It’s made naturally in the body. It’s also the protein that gets produced less as we age.In fact by the time we reach the age of 25, the amount of collagen our body produces starts to decline. Yikes!As a result, many are turning to supplementation. Do you need it? What is it good for? What Is Collagen? Collagen is naturally found in the body and is a protein with many functions. It’s the main component in your connective tissues, muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints and skin.Collagen can be thought of as the “glue” that helps hold the body together. It's responsible for keeping your skin firm and elastic, your joints strong and stable, and your digestive system healthy and working.It’s a hard-working protein that your body has a limited supply of.If you are thinking about taking collagen as a supplement, there are several benefits. 6 benefits to taking collagen 1. Supports Healthy Gut You may have heard that a healthy gut is the key to overall health. It’s true. Building a stronger intestinal lining, preventing its breakdown or weakening, and protecting it from unwanted bacteria is the goal. When the digestive tract is weakened, it can lead to pain and discomfort but also “leaky gut.” Leaky gut (where bacteria flow into the bloodstream from the gut) can cause fatigue, allergies, poor immunity, and more.Collagen can help. Loaded with the amino acid glutamine, it's been proven to be effective in preventing leaky gut and the subsequent chronic inflammation that can wreak havoc on the body.[1] 2. Improves Skin Quality Since collagen is the structure that helps with skin elasticity, it makes sense that as the body loses it, skin quality goes down. However, diet can help influence skin health. Diets high in sugar and processed carbohydrates cause our bodies to produce advanced glycated end products (AGEs), which reduce the density of collagen fibrils, leading to wrinkles and aging skin quality. Chronic sun exposure also further damages collagen fibers.To counteract that, consuming collagen peptides may help. Supplemental collagen has been shown to reduce the harmful UV-B induced skin damage to support superior skin quality.[2] Taking collagen supplements orally has been shown to increase skin elasticity, hydration and density of the skin.[3][4] Collagen supplementation is generally safe with no reported adverse events. [3] 3. Fights Joint Pain The building blocks of healthy joints come from your diet. These include key amino acids like proline, lysine, and glutamine, which support the natural production of collagen in the body. Recent studies show improvement in pain and physical function after supplementation with hydrolyzed collagen peptides.[5] Consuming enough quality protein and digestible collagen can really support the joints long-term. Chronic pain and arthritis are two of the most common reasons for patient visits to the doctor. The solutions often prescribed from those visits are ointments and drugs that help ease the pain, but do not address the root of the problem. The building blocks of healthy joints come from your diet. These include key amino acids like proline, lysine, and glutamine, which support the natural production of collagen in the body. Recent studies show improvement in pain and physical function after supplementation with hydrolyzed collagen (see Figure 1.0)[3]. Ensuring you eat enough quality protein or easily digestible supplemental collagen is fundamental to healthy joints in the long run. 4. Supports Weight Loss Collagen supports weight loss in a unique way. It’s not thermogenic or stimulant, like most weight loss supplements, but rather it impacts your satiety levels by naturally inhibiting the main hormone in the gut that triggers hunger [6]. What that means is that consuming collagen peptides can keep you from craving mid-afternoon sugar-laden snacks and unnecessary snacking. Adding collagen to your mid-morning coffee or mid-afternoon tea can be a great strategy to curb cravings and make it through to your next meal. 5. Improves Athletic Recovery If you’re active, training intensely, or always on-the-go, then your joints are likely suffering from some wear and tear. You will want to do some form of muscle recovery after high performance. It’s been found that taking collagen 1-hour before exercise or rehab activity increases the uptake of collagen into your joints, which accelerates recovery. [7] Unlike muscles, which can soak up nutrients for hours after activity, your joints suck up the surrounding water and nutrients within the hour after exercise, making the timing of your collagen intake crucial for supporting joints. Tip: Add a little vitamin C from lemon juice or a fruit snack to further increase absorption. 6. Supports Deep Sleep It seems more than ever; people are craving a restful sleep. Interestingly, studies have shown how collagen can help support the deep sleep your body longs for. Collagen contains the amino acid glycine. Glycine helps your body decompress and unwind, and is needed for quality sleep. Quality sleep helps to keep energy levels up, give your body strength to fight off viruses and infections, and thrive in your daily life. [8] I need to take collagen, how do I add it to my diet? The easiest and simplest way to consume collagen is through supplementation. In fact, that’s how many of the studies on collagen were done. For digestibility, hydrolyzed collagen peptides are a great solution.A high-quality collagen supplement, such as Organika’s Enhanced Collagen is ideal. Voted Canada’s #1 collagen powder, it’s made with bovine collagen and is beneficial for bones, joints, gut, hair, skin and nails.Check out the full Enhanced Collagen line up! There are many variations of collagen supplements, however, depending on what you prefer or your lifestyle, one may work better than another. You can get collagen in powder, capsule, and liquid form.You may enjoy adding collagen in powder form to your beverages or smoothies. You can even mix it into your yogurt or add it to baked goods.Maybe you prefer taking your collagen in liquid form, easily adding it to water or juice.Want to try collagen but you're vegetarian? We have a Vegetarian Collagen in easy to take capsules. The options are endless and the benefits are so worth diving into! Incorporate more collagen into your diet and feel the difference for yourself. References 1. Rao, R. Samak, G. Role of Glutamine in Protection of Intestinal Epithelial Tight Junctions/ J Eptihel Biol Pharmacol. 2012 Jan: 5(Suppl 1-M7):47-54. 2. Tanaka, M et al. Effects of Collagen Peptide Ingestion on UV-B-Induced Skin Damage. Biosci. Biotechnol. Biochem, 73 (4), 930–932, 2009. 3. Choi FD, Sung CT, Juhasz ML, Mesinkovsk NA. Oral Collagen Supplementation: A Systematic Review of Dermatological Applications. J Drugs Dermatol. 2019 Jan 1;18(1):9-16. 4. de Miranda RB, Weimer P, Rossi RC. Effects of hydrolyzed collagen supplementation on skin aging: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Dermatol. 2021 Dec;60(12):1449-1461. 5. Bello A, Oesser S. Collagen hydrolysate for the treatment of osteoarthritis and other joint disorders: a review of the literature. CMRO. Vol 22, 2006 – Iss 11. 6. Halden G, et al. Evidence for a Role of the Gut Hormone PYY in the Regulation of Intestinal Fatty Acid-binding Protein Transcripts in Differentiated Subpopulations of Intestinal Epithelial Cell Hybrids. J Biol Chemistry. Vol. 272, 1997. No. 19, Issue of May 9, pp. 12591–12600. 7. Hagarty, P et al. The effect of growth factors on both collagen synthesis and tensile strength of engineered human ligaments. Biomaterials 2012. doi:10.1016/j.biomaterials.2012.05.045. 8. Yamadera, W et al. Glycine ingestion improves subjective sleep quality in human volunteers, correlating with polysomnographic changes. Sleep & Biological Rhythms. Vol 5, Iss 2, April 2007, pg 126–131. Check out Organika®'s collection of collagen products

It seems that everyone from celebrities, influencers, and your average Jenny-from-the-block has been taking you through their 12-step skincare regimen on Instagram. It was, and still is, very in vogue to care about your health and your glow. Organika is a pioneer in this field and has been coming out with on-trend products that are high quality and affordable for over 30 years. Two favourited and most relevant products in terms of skin care are Enhanced Collagen and Vitamin C products. Vitamin C and Collagen Benefits COLLAGEN’S ROLE IN SKIN CARE We’ve been hearing about collagen for the past couple of years now, and for good reason. Anyone in their mid-twenties will benefit from collagen. Why? Because collagen production starts to dwindle in our mid-to-late 20s, and we start losing 1% per year after that. By 40, the reduction accelerates dramatically. What does this mean? We begin seeing signs of aging such as wrinkles and dry skin. Additionally, our joints stiffen, we don’t have as much energy and take longer to recover from physical activity. Collagen is important not only for healthy skin, hair and nails, but also for reducing aches and pains in our muscles and joints and even gut health too. VITAMIN C’S ROLE IN SKIN CARE Most of us associate vitamin C with immunity, because this nutrient is a powerful antioxidant and boosts our immune systems. Ever since we discovered that scurvy was due to a deficiency in vitamin C, it’s been widely accepted that this vitamin supports the skin, and this knowledge is used as rationale for the addition of vitamin C to beauty products. Our skin, specifically our keratinocytes, contains high concentrations of vitamin C, which aid in collagen production, wound healing, minimizing scar formation and assisting in antioxidant protection against UV damage, all of which ameliorates signs of aging skin. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables is vital for maintaining healthy skin and collagen production, due to the vitamin C concentration. Vitamin C has such a wide range of appreciable benefits that supplementation should be part of everyone’s diet. The RDA for Vitamin C is no more than 2000 mg a day, with a minimum of 75 mg, though experts will argue this is too low to have any beneficial effects. Can I Use Collagen and Vitamin C Together? Yes! And you should! Collagen and vitamin C supplements work better together. Why? Because vitamin C is a nutrient that can help boost your body's natural production of collagen (aka a collagen builder). Taking collagen and vitamin C together will likely boost your skin health more than taking either on their own. Note: You don’t need to consume vitamin C at the same time you take your collagen supplement, they don't need to be taken together to get the full benefits of collagen. Vitamin C and Collagen Synthesis If you type in ‘Vitamin C and Collagen’ in PubMed and you’ll get over 1900 results.There has been ample research into the synergy of taking these two compounds together. In one study, it’s been shown that vitamin C increased collagen deposits, showing that it plays a critical role preventing the auto-inactivation of certain collagen enzymes that are key in producing collagen.¹ Another study has shown that vitamin C is important for wound healing because of its essential role in collagen synthesis, and that vitamin C enhanced the formation of collagenous proteins.² Other studies have linked vitamin C to collagen production, skin hydration, wound healing, wrinkle reduction, and improved inflammatory skin conditions.³ Note: Vitamin C is an amazing nutrient for aging gracefully. Even though you don’t have to take collagen and vitamin C together, it’s important to get enough of each. Intakes can increase with age. Choosing a Vitamin C product When buying any supplement, including collagen and vitamin C, you want to make sure that it is high quality. Check the ingredient list: your collagen should be a clean, single-ingredient formula, sourced from grass-fed pasture raised cattle, free from all hormones, antibiotics, GMOs and gluten. In terms of vitamin C, there are lots of options: Instant C – vitamin C in convenient tablets that flavour your water Instant C, D, Zinc Immunity Effervescent – combining additional immune support nutrients Liposomal Vitamin C – more potent and higher bioavailable vitamin C References: 1. Effect of vitamin C and its derivatives on collagen synthesis and cross-linking by normal human fibroblasts - PubMed (nih.gov) Boyera N, Galey I, Bernard BA. Effect of vitamin C and its derivatives on collagen synthesis and cross-linking by normal human fibroblasts. Int J Cosmet Sci. 1998 Jun;20(3):151-8. 2. Enhanced production of mineralized nodules and collagenous proteins in vitro by calcium ascorbate supplemented with vitamin C metabolites - PubMed (nih.gov) Rowe DJ, Ko S, Tom XM, Silverstein SJ, Richards DW. Enhanced production of mineralized nodules and collagenous proteins in vitro by calcium ascorbate supplemented with vitamin C metabolites. J Periodontol. 1999 Sep;70(9):992-9. 3. The Roles of Vitamin C in Skin Health - PMC (nih.gov) Pullar JM, Carr AC, Vissers MCM. The Roles of Vitamin C in Skin Health. Nutrients. 2017 Aug 12;9(8):866. This article has been fact-checked and reviewed by RHNs.