Amelia Grant

You probably know about the amazing benefits that collagen has on the skin. It turns out, collagen also looks promising for exercise. This protein provides the strength and structure of many connective tissues such as the bones, tendons, and ligaments. These body tissues help you move, squat, and stretch. 

So is taking collagen what your work out regimen needs? Let’s look at five reasons this protein may be helpful:

1. It maintains circulatory health

Yes, your blood vessels also need collagen. Collagen gives structure to your arteries, allowing blood to move from your heart to other body parts and tissues with ease. That’s why collagen is essential in promoting a healthy functioning heart. If your body gets enough collagen, your arteries are less likely to become weak. In terms of exercise, arteries provide your muscles with enough nutrients and oxygen throughout your work out. 

2. It may help you manage exercise-related pain

Exercise-related pain is quite common among active people which can seriously hinder your exercise goals. Actually, fitness progress is impossible without some discomfort, but it's still necessary to listen to your body and rest regularly.

According to one 2008 study, collagen supplements helped control exercise-related joint pain in a group of physically active participants. Also, recent studies found that collagen peptides are helpful for pain management as they improve muscle pain after jumping exercises, suggesting it might aid in overall athletic performance. Additionally, collagen peptides play a role in controlling activity-related knee pain in young athletes. 

3. It may promote post-exercise recovery

Exercise recovery is an important aspect of a successful workout routine. Recovery lets your tissues repair and grow. It also decreases the risk of an exercise-related injury. And collagen may help you boost your post-exercise recovery. Collagen has an anabolic effect on cartilage tissue which supports healthy muscle growth. 

4. It can support the healing process

Any injury or surgery can seriously limit your physical activity. And, of course, it may be frustrating to pause your routine, but don’t forget that you need to help your body heal. In most cases, the healing process requires lots of rest and a healthy diet. Adding vitamin-C-rich gelatin to your diet will support your tissue repair. And according to many specialists, foods or supplements containing collagen taken with collagen-boosting nutrients like vitamin C can be beneficial for those who are healing from a surgery or injury of the bone, skin, or ligament. 

When your body is healing, it’s in a high metabolic state and needs more protein. Therefore, it’s important to consume more collagen-containing foods as they will help you meet these protein needs.

5. It can keep your bones healthy 

People with an active lifestyle should also take care of their bones. Healthy bones allow you to move with ease.  To keep them strong, you still need collagen. According to a human study, collagen peptides helped control bone degradation and prevent it from progressing in postmenopausal women with age-related bone loss. 

It’s important to keep in mind that our bodies stop building bone as we age. This means that bone density naturally decreases over time. Aging changes in the bone increase the risk for osteoporosis, making you more likely to fractures and breaks. That’s why it’s essential to maintain bone health at any age, especially when you are physically active. 

Supporting bone health by getting essential nutrients such as collagen could also help your bones function properly during exercise. Collagen supplements will improve your connective tissues and bones, as well as hair and nails which is a great bonus for anyone.