Joint health. It's just one of those things you take for granted. One day you're sliding and gliding around like a well-oiled machine. The next? You're the tin man from The Wizard of Oz.
Well, perhaps we're being a bit dramatic. But when it comes to ageing like a fine wine, joint health doesn't get much of a look in. However, at the first signs of pain and discomfort, it's all to easy to realise just how debilitating and irritating joint pain can be. It makes everyday tasks – movement practice, sitting for long periods of time, or busting out your grade 10 dance routine – less pleasurable and certainly more painful.
To avoid on-going joint discomfort, prevention is key. Who holds the key? Collagen.
While many of us look to collagen for its skin and cellular regeneration benefits, collagen is also responsible for supple joints. Collagen is the building blocks of the connective tissue and tendons within the body, making it a unique protein for supporting joints and cartilage.
#1 – Soothes joint inflammation and pain
As you age, you gradually lose cartilage cushioning. Think of cartilage as the rubber-like padding that protect the ends of your bones at the joints. With use, this padding decreases, leading to friction between the bones. Enter: inflammation, mobility issues and pain.
In a 2012 study, participants who took 2g of collagen daily for 70 days experienced a significant reduction in joint pain and were better able to engage in physical activity than those who did not. Collagen peptides help to lessen joint inflammation by lowering the production of of certain inflammatory markers.
#2 – Improves joint mobility
Having a healthy range of motion in your joints is crucial. You might not realise it at the time, but mobility allows you to crouch down to look under the bed, stretch your shoulders out, or twist and maneuverer into tight spaces. But – you guessed it – our mobility decreases as we age.
The good news? A 2014 study shows that a daily intake of collagen for elderly women with osteoarthritis improved joint pain by 32% and joint stiffness by 44%!
If you want to continue to move uninhibited and keep doing the things you love, collagen is essential for protecting joint mobility.
#3 – Shortens recovery time
Often the worst part about facing an activity-related injury isn't the pain of the injury, but rather the time your body requires to heal itself. If you love to move, these extended periods of time can feel like forever.
But it's not all doom and gloom. Research shows that supplementing with collagen peptides could help increase collagen synthesis in the connective tissues and regulate the inflammatory response to physical activity, which helps speed up the recovery process.
TLDR; collagen supplementation could help you get back to doing what you love quicker. Sign us up!