Regardless of why you are taking collagen, the questions are pretty much the same: “Does collagen really work?” “Is collagen just for wrinkles?” “Do collagen supplements help with weight loss?” “What are the health benefits of taking collagen?” “Are there any known side effects when taking collagen supplements?” The question that this article will focus on is: “Does collagen cause bloating and weight gain?”

Find out what the experts have to say about collagen and whether or not it causes bloating and weight gain while learning some other things about collagen and why you might want to consider collagen supplementation.

What Does Collagen Do For the Human Body?

Collagen is a natural and essential protein that is found throughout the body, including in the bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, skin, and our bloodstream. It’s responsible for providing structure and support to these connective tissues.

Not only does collagen improve our skin health and appearance, it has many more benefits! Collagen is needed to strengthen joints and bones, improve gut health, and support natural detoxification. 

As we age, our natural collagen production begins to slow down, which can lead to joint pain, muscle stiffness, bone loss, and other age-related health concerns. 

Does Collagen Cause Bloating or Weight Gain?

While it’s true that collagen as a protein can contribute to calorie intake, it’s also an important part of many bodily functions including weight regulation. So, collagen could help with weight loss.

If you’re taking collagen supplements to assist with weight loss, you’re probably trying to eat healthier which should mean weight loss not weight gain. However, if you’re taking collagen supplements for skin or joint health you may not be paying attention to your daily calorie intake and could quite possibly gain weight due to more calories being consumed and not being burned off.

As for the bloating, taking too large of a dose at the onset of your collagen supplementation routine, may cause some bloating as your body adjusts to breaking down and absorbing the collagen peptides or collagen powder of the supplement being added to your daily diet. This is easy to avoid by beginning with a lower dosage and gradually increasing your daily amount.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the many health benefits of taking collagen.

Promotes Lean Muscle Growth

Collagen helps to build and repair tissues in the body and it’s found in abundance in muscles. By taking collagen, you can help to ensure that your muscles are getting the nutrients they need to grow and stay healthy.

When you take in more calories than you burn, your body stores the excess as fat. Collagen can help to increase your metabolism and make it easier for your body to burn fat.

Did you know that lean muscle mass burns more calories than fat even when your body is in a state of rest? 

Metabolism Support

When it comes to weight loss, we often focus on what we eat and how much we exercise. But did you know that your metabolism also plays a key role? Metabolism is the process by which your body breaks down food and converts it into energy.

A slow metabolism can lead to weight gain, as your body will store more of the calories you consume as fat. On the other hand, a fast metabolism can help you lose weight, as your body will burn off those calories more quickly. By taking collagen, you can help to improve your metabolism and reach your weight loss goals.

Restores Bone Density

As we grow older, our bodies produce less and less collagen, resulting in a loss of bone density. This can lead to a host of problems, including osteoporosis and an increased risk of fractures. 

Collagen is made up of amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein. When we take collagen supplements, our bodies are able to use these amino acids to create new collagen. Collagen peptides help to rebuild and repair bones, increasing bone density and strength.

Collagen peptides or collagen powder found in collagen supplements, along with the natural collagen our bodies produce, help to reduce inflammation throughout the body, which can further protect against bone loss.

Improved Joint Mobility

Taking collagen supplements can help to increase the body’s production of this vital protein, resulting in improved joint mobility. The amino acids in collagen help to build up connective tissues, lubricate the joints, giving you more flexibility and range of motion while reducing pain and stiffness. This makes it easier to move and prevents further damage.

Youthful Skin

For many people, the first sign of decline in natural collagen production is skin aging. Collagen keeps skin looking plump and smooth.

When our bodies produce less collagen we begin to see fine lines, wrinkles, and even sagging skin. While there’s no way to completely stop the aging process, taking collagen can help to slow down the effects of aging and improve the appearance of your skin.

Collagen is regenerative and not only promotes healing, which can even help to reduce the appearance of scars, but it also stimulates new cell growth which is beneficial when trying to combat skin aging and overall skin health.

Better Heart Health

Did you know that taking collagen can actually help promote better heart health? Collagen is found in the lining of our blood vessels.

When we take collagen, it helps to support the structure of our vessels, keeping them strong and elastic. This, in turn, helps to keep our blood pressure in check and reduces our risk for heart disease. Collagen has shown to improve cholesterol levels as well.

Weight Gain: How Does it Happen?

When people think about weight gain, they often focus on the amount of food that they are eating. While diet is certainly a key factor, it is not the only thing that affects weight. Weight gain is a complex process that is affected by many different factors, including lifestyle choices, hormone levels, and metabolism.

Excess Calories

Most people know that weight gain happens when you consume more calories than you burn. But how exactly does this happen? When you eat or drink, your body breaks down the food into molecules of glucose and other nutrients. These molecules then enter your bloodstream, where they are used by your cells for energy.

Any excess glucose is stored in your liver and muscles in the form of glycogen. When your glycogen stores are full, any extra glucose is converted to fat and stored in adipose tissue.

Over time, these fat cells can become large and cause weight gain. 

Sedentary Lifestyle

A sedentary lifestyle can have a number of negative effects on your health, including weight gain. When you don’t move your body, you burn fewer calories. Over time, this can lead to an increase in body fat.

A sedentary lifestyle can lead to a decrease in muscle mass. Muscle tissue is more metabolically active than fat tissue, so when you lose muscle mass, you further decrease the number of calories your body burns. This can make it even harder to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight.

It’s worth noting that a sedentary lifestyle can also lead to increased insulin sensitivity. Insulin is a hormone that helps to regulate blood sugar levels. When insulin sensitivity is impaired, it can lead to spikes in blood sugar levels after eating, which can promote weight gain.

Underlying Conditions

There are many underlying conditions that can lead to weight gain:

• Some medical conditions can cause weight gain, such as Cushing’s disease or hypothyroidism
• Certain medications can also cause weight gain, such as steroids or some antidepressants
• Emotional factors can also play a role in weight gain, such as stress or boredom

All of the above factors can lead to weight gain, so it’s important to be aware of them. If you think you might be at risk for any of these conditions, please speak to your doctor.

Healthy Foods to Boost Your Natural Collagen Production

Eating healthy certainly affects our overall health. Many people think that we are talking about fruits and vegetables when they hear the words “eating healthy” but that’s only a part of a healthy diet. Eating healthy is about a well balanced diet that also includes protein.

Collagen is a protein. Eating protein can in fact boost one’s natural collagen production as it provides the body with necessary amino acids and other nutrients and vitamins that are needed in the formation of collagen.

Here are some healthy, collagen-rich foods that will boost your natural collagen production.

Chicken

• good source of protein
• contains several amino acids known to promote natural collagen production
• relatively low in fat and calories

Bone Broth

• high levels of collagen gelatin (joint health and reducing inflammation)
• contains calcium, phosphorus and other minerals vital for bone health
• high in amino acids
• very low fat and calories
• great source of protein

Eggs

• “nature’s multivitamin” (contain a wide range of nutrients)
• excellent source of collagen protein (approx. 6 grams/egg)
• good source of vitamin C (needed to produce collagen)
• high level of protein
• highly bioavailable

Vitamin C

• necessary for collagen production
• protects collagen from damage (powerful antioxidant)
• stimulates collagen synthesis of new collagen fibers
• readily available – found in many fruits and vegetables

The Bottom Line

So, in answer to the question: “Does collagen cause bloating and weight gain?”, the answer is no. With the many health benefits of taking collagen supplements whether it’s a collagen powder, liquid, or capsule, there is enough evidence for the experts to say that taking collagen supplements may in fact result in the opposite. Taking collagen can help with weight loss as collagen peptides help the body to function properly, improving overall health. 

Looking for more information or health tips? Check out our Health BLOG. Looking for top quality products? You will find the best supplement for your specific goals on our collagen product page. Here’s to your health! 

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