We've been asked many questions about supplements, and we have shared about protein powders before, but have not dove into the world of collagen. Our friends from I AM Supplement recently shared this blog with us, so we wanted to take the knowledge straight from the horse's mouth. Keep on reading to learn more about collagen peptides. We'll soon be offering both I AM Supplement protein powder and collagen peptides through the gym, so get your knowledge on, then let us know if you want to pick up some collagen or protein (or both)!Read the original blog here or continue reading below!----Collagen is widely known for its influence on beauty and contribution to skin and hair health. Yet, it turns out collagen has other uses for health and athletic performance, too.I recently sat down with I AM SUPPLEMENT CEO, Brandon Mancine, to learn more about his story and why he believes in collagen peptides. When asked "Why Collagen?" he responded:"In 2017, I was struck by an intoxicated driver and left with severe bone bruising, a tear to my superficial MCL, and crushed muscles in my right leg. With expert opinions that I would never lift again, I needed to find a way to heal and get back under the bar. So, I started digging and found that many professional recommendations around nutrition and supplements had one thing in common... Collagen Peptides. With claims of collagen fast-tracking recovery and reducing pain, the decision to try it was easy. The rest is history, as they say. Combined with smart training and nutrition practices, collagen peptides helped me re-build my body and strength faster than I ever expected.”Despite the odds, Brandon returned to lifting faster than even his doctors imagined, which he believes was partially due to the unique effects of collagen. Fortunately, he's not alone.Research suggests that collagen provides unique benefits such as reducing joint pain and maintaining bone health. Together with collagen's anti-aging effects, these benefits can help you, as an athlete, move optimally and perform at your best (2-4).WHAT TO EXPECT FROM I AM SUPPLEMENT'S COLLAGEN PEPTIDESCollagen is plentiful in the body, helping to maintain the health of skin, hair, bones, and joints. Unfortunately, natural collagen production declines with age, so we created a simple solution through I AM Collagen Peptides (1).Here are a few other reasons why collagen has a place in our lineup:Reduced Joint PainEvery athlete knows that joint pain can make performing at your best challenging. Fortunately, research suggests that using collagen can reduce this pain.A study published in the Current Medical Research and Opinion highlights the potential power of collagen. Researchers gave college-aged athletes with joint pain hydrolyzed collagen or a placebo for 24 weeks. Compared to placebo, athletes using collagen reported less joint pain, both at rest and while moving under load (2).Impressively, a study found in Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism tested collagen in athletes and came to the same conclusion. After 12 weeks of using collagen, their joint pain during activity declined significantly compared to athletes taking a placebo (4).If sore and painful joints are preventing you from performing your best, I AM Collagen Peptides is a smart step to take.Key Point: research shows that collagen is effective at reducing joint pain, which is helpful for anyone looking to move pain-free.Improved Bone HealthCollagen production declines as we age, and with it brings decreased bone density and strength. This effect increases your risk of injury and can reduce the quality of your life. But collagen might help enhance your bone health (5, 6).For example, one study released in the Journal of Medicinal Food tested a supplement containing hydrolyzed collagen versus placebo. Their intent: to see if collagen helps maintain bone density.After 12 months, those using collagen showed almost no change in bone density, while the placebo group showed declining bone density – revealing the protective power of collagen (3).Amazingly, collagen appears to improve bone density, too. Just look at the results of a study published in the journal Nutrients. When women with reduced bone density took collagen daily for 12 months, their bone density increased significantly compared to women receiving placebo (7).Maintaining bone health is essential for health, performance, and long-term independence. Using collagen might, therefore, be a smart move to maximize your bone health.Key Point: collagen might help maintain and increase bone density and strength as you age, potentially limiting your risk of injury.Anti-Aging & LongevityWith age comes lasting changes to our skin, bones, connective tissues, and joints, and this is, in part, due to collagen changes. As we age, natural collagen production declines while metabolism increases, creating a cycle that doesn't grant any favors (1, 8).Fortunately, using collagen can help reduce the impact of these changes. Studies testing collagen show that reduced joint pain, maintenance of bone health, and skin improvements are par for the course (2-4, 9).Quite frankly, if you're looking for a natural way to combat some of the effects of aging, collagen is a smart choice.Key Point: collagen provides benefits like improving skin and hair health, maintaining bone health, and reducing joint pain, which often become issues with increasing age.
