If you’ve spent time on social media recently, you’ve likely encountered collagen supplements. These beneficial supplements support various concerns, from hair growth to skin elasticity, offering a path to healthier hair and overall vitality.
As we age, our body’s natural collagen production declines. This decline contributes to aging skin, weakening bones, and thinning hair over time. That’s why maintaining a collagen-supporting diet becomes essential. However, we can’t always ensure we’re getting adequate collagen through food alone, which is where collagen supplements prove invaluable. They ensure your body receives sufficient collagen to benefit your bones, skin, and hair.
Wondering if collagen can enhance your hair health? You want to maintain luscious, strong locks while avoiding brittle, thinning strands. So, how does collagen support hair growth? If that’s your question, you’ve come to the right place. Let’s explore how collagen can transform your hair health!
What is Collagen?
Collagen is a specialized protein responsible for binding connective tissues throughout our skin, hair, nails, ligaments, and muscles. Essentially, collagen helps maintain our youthful appearance and defends against aging effects – including age-related hair loss, though to a limited extent. This vital protein plays crucial roles in numerous bodily functions and support systems. In fact, it’s the body’s most abundant protein, comprising 30-40% of total protein content.
While our bodies naturally produce collagen, production gradually declines as we age – sometimes beginning as early as 25. To maintain optimal collagen levels, we must obtain it from external sources like foods and dietary supplements. These supplements can promote hair growth, strengthen hair follicle structure, and combat free radical damage.
Benefits of Collagen for Hair Growth
While collagen supplements offer numerous benefits, we’re focusing specifically on hair growth advantages. From strengthening hair follicles to supplying essential proteins and preventing premature thinning, these supplements can prove remarkably effective. Whether you choose collagen peptides, powder, or multi-collagen formulas, each type offers distinct advantages. Let’s examine three primary benefits of collagen for hair support.
1) Collagen Supplements Stimulate Natural Collagen Production
One remarkable aspect of collagen supplementation is that beyond providing direct collagen, it encourages your body’s natural collagen synthesis. This dual benefit means you’re receiving collagen from the supplement while simultaneously boosting your body’s own production capacity.
2) Collagen Moisturizes Hair
Collagen excels at hair moisturization due to its water-binding properties. Supplements containing hyaluronic acid further amplify these moisturizing effects.
Well-moisturized hair is fundamental to hair health, creating thicker, stronger, shinier strands. Conversely, dull hair becomes more susceptible to damage.
3) Collagen is a Great Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Compound
As a potent antioxidant, collagen shields your hair and entire body from aging by neutralizing free radicals, a primary aging catalyst. Additionally, its anti-inflammatory properties protect against chronic inflammation, which contributes to various health issues, including hair loss.
How Collagen Affects Hair Growth
Hair loss typically stems from insufficient nutrients and compounds like collagen. However, when nutrients become scarce, our bodies don’t prioritize hair health. This explains why hair loss affects virtually everyone to varying degrees. When the body detects nutrient deficiencies, it redirects available resources to vital organs like the brain and heart.
Therefore, preventing hair loss and addressing hair concerns requires adequate collagen intake to achieve optimal benefits. Once collagen levels (along with other essential vitamins and minerals) are sufficient, normal nutrient distribution resumes, allowing better hair care. This can promote hair growth since the body has enough nutrients like collagen to maintain healthy function.
As previously mentioned, collagen also moisturizes hair, which is crucial for maintaining strong, thick, shiny strands. By keeping hair healthy, hair loss becomes far less problematic.
Best Food Sources of Collagen
Some believe collagen is only available through dietary supplements, but that’s incorrect. While we’ll discuss supplements later, let’s explore how to obtain collagen through diet alone.
Here are the 4 best dietary collagen sources to consider adding to your meals.
Bone Broth
The optimal collagen source comes directly from cartilage! While eating cartilage isn’t appealing, you can access its benefits through bone broth. Bone broth is stock derived from pig, beef, chicken, or other animal bones. Not only is bone broth delicious, but it delivers substantial collagen content!
Numerous bone broth options make this an accessible dietary addition. Popular supplement industry choices include Organixx Organic Bone Broth Protein, Terra Origin, and Kettle & Fire Bone Broth.
Eggs
Excellent news for egg lovers! Eggs are collagen-rich, particularly the whites. For optimal benefits, consume both whites and yolk since the yolk enhances bioavailability, improving digestibility. Besides, whites taste much better with the yolk included.
Citrus
Unlike the previous sources, citrus contains no collagen. However, it provides vitamin C, essential for collagen production. Without adequate vitamin C, stimulating natural collagen synthesis becomes difficult or impossible.
Salmon
Like citrus, salmon provides minimal collagen (unlike citrus, it contains trace amounts). However, it supplies zinc and omega-3 fatty acids, both crucial for collagen production. These nutrients serve as building blocks supporting various functions, including keratin protein synthesis.
Best Collagen Supplements
Having covered excellent dietary collagen sources, let’s explore top-quality collagen supplements. Here are our 4 recommended supplements worth trying.
1) LiveWell
LiveWell Collagen Peptides ranks among today’s most popular collagen supplements, particularly for skin, hair, and nail rejuvenation. LiveWell’s formula focuses on replenishing these areas while providing anti-aging benefits essential for maintaining youthful appearance.
LiveWell Collagen Peptides offers up to 41 servings and supports ketogenic and Paleo diet requirements.
USE CODE “SHARE10” FOR 10% OFF LIVEWELL COLLAGEN2) Vitauthority
Vitauthority represents another leading collagen supplement brand. Vitauthority Multi Collagen Protein features a complete collagen profile – Types I, II, III, V, and X – plus hyaluronic acid and vitamin C. As mentioned, hyaluronic acid enhances moisturizing effects while vitamin C is essential for natural collagen production. Including vitamin C also amplifies the supplement’s antioxidant properties.
SAVE 20% ON A VITAUTHORITY BUNDLE3) Tone it Up
Tone It Up Marine Collagen is formulated to support skin health, replenish cartilage collagen, and promote fuller, stronger hair. Each serving contains 10g of collagen, providing adequate amounts to meet your body’s requirements.
Tone It Up Marine Collagen is gluten-free, sugar-free, non-GMO, and Kosher Certified.
GET THE BEST PRICE ON TONE IT UP MARINE COLLAGEN4) Great Lakes Gelatin
Finally, we have Great Lakes Gelatin Collagen Hydrolysate! This supplement’s standout feature is its single-ingredient formula – pure collagen. Great Lakes Gelatin delivers 12g of collagen hydrolysate, providing substantial supplementation.
Great Lakes Gelatin offers beauty benefits including skin support and nail and hair strengthening. It also provides health benefits like joint support and post-workout recovery enhancement.
SAVE 10% ON GREAT LAKES COLLAGEN5) Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides
As one of the market’s most recognized brands, Vital Proteins offers consumers diverse collagen peptide options. They feature various flavors, different formulations, and convenient on-the-go options.
For enhanced skin and hair health, Vital Proteins provides multiple products ranging from powders to capsules for exploration.
GET THE BEST PRICE ON VITAL PROTEINS COLLAGEN PEPTIDESConclusion: Collagen for Hair Growth
Incorporating collagen supplements into your routine can significantly support hair growth and follicle health while maintaining overall hair vitality. Beyond hair benefits, collagen also strengthens bones, enhances skin health, and fortifies nails. With collagen’s wide-ranging support for your body, it’s definitely worth trying!
