Collagen, a naturally occurring protein in the body, has gained popularity as a nutritional supplement in recent years. While primarily known for its skin health benefits, some believe collagen supplements can aid in weight loss. This article explores the science behind this potential effect, along with safety precautions to consider.
What is Collagen?
Collagen is a major structural protein, constituting 25 to 30 percent of the proteins in your body. It provides structure to connective tissues such as skin, cartilage, tendons, ligaments, muscles, bone, and blood vessels.
Natural Collagen
Collagen is composed of amino acids, the building blocks of protein. Glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline make up 57 percent of the total amino acids in collagen. These amino acids are twisted together like a rope, making collagen extremely strong and stable. Fibroblasts, cells in the body, naturally produce collagen. Optimal collagen formation requires sufficient high-quality protein and vitamin C in your diet. Collagen can also be obtained directly through certain foods and supplements.
Collagen Supplements
Collagen supplements are derived from the bones and tissues of animals like cows, horses, pigs, or fish. They aim to help the body rebuild collagen. Types of collagen supplements include:
- Gelatin: Cooked collagen produced by heating collagen for an extended period, breaking it down into smaller proteins.
- Hydrolyzed collagen: Collagen that has been further broken down into amino acids, also known as hydrolyzed gelatin, collagen peptides, or collagen hydrolysate.
- Undenatured collagen: Intact collagen that has not been degraded.
Collagen supplements are available in various forms, including pills, gummies, powders, liquids, and packaged foods or drinks.
Read also: Does Collagen Help with Weight Loss?
The Link Between Collagen and Weight Loss
While minimal research directly links collagen supplements to weight loss, existing studies on the broader benefits of collagen suggest potential indirect effects.
Promoting Satiety
Collagen supplements may increase satiety, the feeling of fullness, which can aid weight loss and management by reducing hunger and calorie intake. This effect may be attributed to collagen's nature as a protein. High-protein diets have been shown to increase satiety hormones like glucagon-like peptide-1 and cholecystokinin while suppressing ghrelin, a hunger hormone.
A 2008 study indicated that increased protein intake can also increase thermogenesis, influencing satiety and energy expenditure. The study also noted that higher protein diets may stimulate muscle protein anabolism, "favoring the retention of lean muscle mass while improving metabolic profile." In a small 2009 study, gelatin reduced hunger 44 percent more than casein, the protein in milk.
While gelatin is an incomplete protein, lacking all the essential amino acids, supplements can increase overall protein intake, potentially improving satiety.
Increasing Muscle Mass
Building muscle is essential for weight loss, as muscle burns more calories at rest, increasing overall calorie expenditure. Collagen supplements may aid in this process, as collagen is the primary structural protein in muscles.
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A 2015 study involving older adults with sarcopenia (age-related muscle loss) found that participants who completed 12 weeks of weight training and took collagen peptide supplements experienced greater improvements in muscle mass and strength and lost more fat mass than those who took a placebo. These results suggest that collagen supplements can support body fat loss by enhancing the effects of weight training on muscle mass.
Reducing Fat Accumulation
Some evidence suggests that collagen may reduce the development and accumulation of adipocytes, or fat cells. A 2019 study found that collagen from skate, a type of fish, reduces body fat in humans, suggesting potential benefits for weight loss. Similarly, a 2018 animal study found that collagen peptides from skate had an anti-obesity effect in mice, linked to improved fat metabolism and reduced fat accumulation. A 2016 animal study also found that collagen hydrolysate reduced fat cell size and weight gain in rats.
Relieving Joint Pain
Collagen supplements may indirectly aid weight loss by reducing joint pain, which is essential for comfortable movement during exercise and daily activities. Increased physical activity can then support weight management. A 2015 study found that collagen peptides can manage osteoarthritis, a condition where joint cartilage wears down, causing joint pain and stiffness. A 2017 study involving athletes found that collagen peptides decreased knee joint pain related to physical activity. If joint pain prevents you from working out, these benefits of collagen may help.
Additional Health Benefits of Collagen
Collagen supplements offer other potential health benefits, including:
- Improved skin elasticity
- Reduced appearance of skin wrinkles
- Increased skin hydration
- Reduced bone loss
- Improved brittle nails
- Boosted hair health
- Supported heart health
Potential Side Effects and Precautions
Research on the negative side effects of collagen supplements is limited, but anecdotal reports suggest potential side effects like a feeling of fullness, heartburn, and a bad taste in the mouth. As collagen supplements are not regulated by the FDA, their safety and effectiveness cannot be guaranteed. It is difficult to know if a collagen supplement contains the ingredients it claims to have and may contain heavy metals, allergens, or microbial contaminants.
Read also: Weight Loss with Collagen Smoothies
When purchasing supplements, look for products that contain a USP Verified Mark on the label, indicating that the product contains the listed ingredients, does not contain harmful contaminants, will break down and be absorbed by the body within a specified time, and has been made according to the FDA’s Current Good Manufacturing Practices (CGMPs).
Collagen Peptides Supplementation and Body Fat Control
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted to confirm whether collagen peptide supplementation for 12 weeks has a beneficial effect on body fat control in older adults at a daily physical activity level. The collagen group showed a significant reduction in total body fat mass compared with the placebo group, as evidenced by both BIA and DEXA measurements.
Body fat mass and percent body fat of the whole body and trunk reduced at 12 weeks compared with baseline only in the collagen group. The results confirmed that collagen peptide supplementation had a beneficial effect on body fat reduction in older adults aged ≥ 50 years with daily physical activity level.
Collagen and Sarcopenia
In randomized controlled trials, Zdzieblik et al. announced that 15 g of collagen peptide supplementation reduced the body weight and body fat mass in older sarcopenic men. Then, they reported that the intake of specific bioactive collagen peptides (15 g/day) significantly decreased the body fat mass, body weight, and waist circumference following resistance training in middle-aged, untrained men.
The Importance of a Holistic Approach
Collagen supplements might indirectly promote weight loss by increasing satiety, regulating fat metabolism, and increasing the effect of resistance training on muscle mass. They could also relieve joint pain, making it more comfortable to exercise. However, collagen supplements are not a magic bullet or a substitute for healthy habits. For sustainable weight loss, it’s still important to eat well, exercise regularly, and get enough sleep.
If you want to try taking collagen supplements for weight loss, use them as part of a holistic regimen, rather than as a replacement for healthy habits.
Collagen and Skin Health
Collagen is a protein the body produces naturally. It makes up about one-third of the body's total protein and is essential for healthy joints. It also keeps skin elastic to reduce wrinkles. For this reason, collagen supplements are popular.
Collagen helps smooth the skin from the inside out and can reduce the appearance of cellulite. It can also potentially help tighten loose skin left behind after weight loss. This is because collagen contributes to thickening and regenerating the skin, so it works to reduce cellulite in a similar way to how it works to reduce wrinkles.