My friend has been getting his collagen from Costco for several years. He gets most of his supplements from me but didn't know I carried collagen. He was looking to help maintain his joints and skin health.
He said he was wary of getting his supplements from big box stores because he is careful of who he supports with his dollar. I shared this diagram with him and he was shocked. Then he proceeded to thank me because he is very savvy about how the financial business world works.
So...here is the diagram that I sent to him. Credit is on the photo.
Not all of these companies have poor reputations, but some of them do. You may want to investigate them for yourselves. There are some on here that I think have maintained quality. I have stopped carrying many of the brands many years ago because of questionable practices of the companies that have bought out these businesses. We all know that reputation is very important and people come to expect a certain quality and safety with what they consume and put in their bodies.
A lot of these companies get acquired very quietly. It doesn't make the household news very often. More often than not, these holistic health brands that you come to love and enjoy are made and developed by individuals or small businesses that put a lot of care and quality into their formulations. There is usually a deeply inspirational story as to why they created it and hence why they were passionate about sharing it with the world. When brands are sold to big corporations, sometimes the love and quality for the products becomes more about the bottom dollar instead of maintaining the value of the product.
I know many of you care where you money goes and so do I. You dollar is essentially energy. We all want to support good people and good companies so they can continue to provide value. Not a lot is transparent in this world any more. If you are looking for the truth, you really have to dig and look for it. It shocks me every time I find out when one of the brands I love gets sold to a different corporation. This is a crucial time to reinvestigate and monitor your products. Are the products still good? Has the formulation changed? Are the ingredients still sourced the same way? How is their business run? Do they treat their employees well? Is this product still effective? Do you trust these companies?
This article is about collagen but the conversation I had with my friend helped him to become more informed of the nature of our world. This is not only limited to all our supplements but our food and other necessities of life as well. So I will pass this along to you as well.
So having said that, the collagen craze is real and it has efficacy. Collagen is needed for:
- Bone density (bone mass and quality)
- Improved skin elasticity, thickness and hydration
- Nail health
- Joint tissue health & function including cartilage, tendons and ligaments
- Muscle strength
- GI tract health
30% of the body's total protein is collagen. It is the primary structural component of connective tissue. The reason people find so much benefit with collagen is because our bodies need it. It helps people to look more youthful and to also feel better in their bodies. Who doesn't love that.
Collagen has been shown to increase dermal thickness which is important for those that want to reduce wrinkles in the skin, manage cellulite, heal skin ulcerations and overall nail health. There has been great support for using collagen for reducing inflammation that occurs with colitis.
I have found that everyone can use collagen and most people find they really like it. It has become a staple in their diet. Many people tell me that they enjoy it for the work out recovery aspect and they find their joints to be strong and flexible. Several people have told me that they love it and that it is an essential to keep their bones strong as they age.
You can get collagen from your diet. It is found mostly in bone broth, fish, tendons, organ meats and animal skins. Dietary collagen has a very similar amino acid composition to human collagen which makes these collagen peptides support your normal collagen turnover and renewal. If we are getting inadequate protein intake, supplementing comes in handy. It is usually found in a powder form so it can be easily mixed in with drinks, foods, shakes and other beverages.
In order for the body to make collagen, it is essential to add glycine and vitamin C. This combination is great for longevity and good health.
I'm a big of fan of collagen that comes from grass-fed cows as that is what cows are naturally meant to eat. Ensure that you have a good source from a good company that you trust.
So yes, the collagen craze is real and hopefully you find that it helps you too! Feel free to comment below on your experience with collagen.
See you in the next article!