Your body has been making collagen your whole life. Collagen is a protein and it’s actually the most plentiful protein in your body. It is in your bones, tendons, ligaments, organs, blood vessels, skin, and intestinal lining.
Aging and poor nutrition can cause your collagen levels to drop. While, you can’t technically measure your collagen levels there are some signs that your body may need help in the collagen department:
– Stiff tendons and ligaments
– Wrinkly skin
– Shrinking and weakening muscles
- – Joint pain
– GI issues such as thinning of the lining in the digestive tract
When your body makes collagen it combines amino acids from the foods you eat such as chicken, beef, fish, beans, eggs, and dairy products. Poor diet choices can cause collagen levels to drop. Those who follow a more plant based lifestyle might also experience a drop in collagen as well. As we age, our body also isn’t able to absorb or synthesize nutrients from food as well as it could when we are younger. (1)*
Here are a couple of ways to boost your body’s natural collagen production:
1. Adjust your diet. You may need to find foods that contain ingredients that help boost your body’s natural collagen production. For those who eat meat, organic bone broth is a great source of collagen. Organic is key to avoiding pesticides, antibiotics and other contaminants in your bone broth. For those who follow a vegan diet, black beans, kidney beans, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pistachio, cashew and peanuts are good sources to help boost your collagen levels.*
2. Use a quality aminos supplement such as our Vegan Aminos+ that contains the amino acids proline and glycine to boost the body’s natural collagen production. According to this article, “Biochemically, one-third of the collagen molecule is composed of glycine. The next largest amino acid component is formed by proline (PRO) and hydroxyproline, which together comprise approximately 23% of the collagen molecule.” (2)*
This article states, “Preliminary results are promising for the short and long-term use of oral collagen supplements for wound healing and skin aging. Oral collagen supplements also increase skin elasticity, hydration, and dermal collagen density.” (3)*
Nutrition plays a significant role in our body’s natural collagen production process. For those who follow a vegan diet, it can be even more challenging to ensure your body is getting the nutrients necessary for it to create collagen. This is where supplements can come in handy – when nutrition falls short, supplements such as our Vegan Aminos+ can step in and pick up the slack.*
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
