Category Archives: Nutrition

Collagen, Nutrition

What are Collagen Peptides?

Posted on by Köll Marine Collagen
what are collagen peptides

Collagen is a buzz word that you’ve likely heard around the nutrition isle at the grocery store and among health-conscious friends. But just what are collagen peptides and why are they significant? What are their benefits? And, what are the best collagen peptides to supplement with? In this article, we’ll dive into all of these questions and help you navigate the world of collagen in general.

What is Collagen and What are Collagen Peptides?

To grasp what collagen peptides are, it’s important to have a firm understanding of collagen first. Collagen is protein that comes from animals. It is in fact found in fish, mammals and humans. Collagen is a building block of connective tissue, cartilage, skin and bone. Collagen supplements tend to come from cows (bovine) or fish (marine). Collagen peptides are simply extremely small pieces of collagen. It’s as easy as that!

Essentially, collagen proteins are broken down, usually through a process called hydrolysis, into even smaller pieces that can be more easily digested and absorbed by our bodies—thus making it a more effective method than whole collagen for supplementation.
That’s it! Collagen peptides are simply a very absorbable supplemental form of collagen. But let’s dig a bit deeper into why you’d want to take these supplements to begin with.

What Are the Benefits of Collagen Peptides?

Because collagen plays SUCH an important role in our bodies—and our bodies naturally begin to produce less collagen as we age—collagen peptides can help replace this collagen loss. Essentially, collagen peptide supplements support our body’s ability to make collagen so we can stay looking young and healthy.
Specifically, since collagen peptides have been broken down into tiny pieces, they’re easier to absorb into the digestive tract. Once absorbed, the body can put them to good use!
Incidentally, it’s also thanks to the fact that collagen peptides are so small (with a very low molecular weight), that they can dissolve in hot or cold water—making them incredibly easy to supplement with!

What Are Collagen Peptides Good For?

Ok, so now we know what collagen peptides technically are and we know some of the benefits—but what are collagen peptides good for? Why would you care to supplement with these little amino acids?

Well, for one thing, collagen peptides are a fantastic source of protein. If you need a good protein supplement, collagen is easy to add to any drink—be it a smoothie, coffee or even ice water—thanks to it’s high absorbability. You can even add it to soups or broths. It doesn’t add any weird texture or flavor, so it’s incredibly versatile. But collagen peptides are also good for so much more.

Collagen peptides help to hydrate and decrease signs of aging in the skin. They can support healthy hair and nails. They can ease joint pain and support healthy connective tissue. Collagen peptides even help with gut health, helping to heal leaky gut syndrome and supporting the integrity of the digestive tract. And, there’s more.

Collagen peptides may also help with heart health by strengthening blood vessel walls. It can increase bone mineral density, especially important for those at risk of osteoporosis. Essentially, collagen can keep us youthful, flexible and healthy. Pretty impressive.

What Are the Best Collagen Peptides?

When it comes to supplementing, there are a few things to consider in order to find the best collagen peptides for you. Collagen supplements typically come from one of two sources: bovine and marine.

Bovine: Bovine collagen is made from the skin and bones of cows. Bovine collagen is high in collagen Type 1 and Type 3, which have different uses for the human body.

Marine: Marine collagen (also known as fish collagen) supplements are typically made from fish scales, which are tremendously high in Type 1 collagen, which is the most abundant form of collagen in the human body. Fish collagen is usually more environmentally friendly because scales can be sourced from fish that will go to the food market—thus there’s no need to catch more fish to produce the collagen. Fish collagen is also smaller and more digestible than bovine collagen, implying it will be more effective.

Collagen can of course be sourced from other animals as well, such as chicken or pig, but you won’t see these on the market so often. Another important factor to notice when choosing a collagen supplement is whether it’s hydrolyzed or not. Hydrolyzed means the collagen has undergone the process discussed earlier in this article that breaks the peptides into ever smaller peptides—making it more bio-available (easily absorbed) to your body.

How to Increase Your Collagen Levels

Obviously, supplementation with collagen peptides is a great place to start.
Also remember that there are lots of natural ways to get more collagen into your diet. For example, you can eat lots of bone broth, organ meat, eggs and fish with the skin still on. Consuming foods with high levels of proline and glycine is also important, as these nutrients are necessary for your body to make collagen and thus support collagen in your body. Vitamin C is also critical to collagen production, so be sure to get this important vitamin into your diet daily!

Nutrition

The Dangers of Gluten: Why You Should Avoid It

Posted on by Köll Marine Collagen
The-Dangers-of-Gluten-Why-You-Should-Avoid-It

Gluten is a protein that is found in wheat, barley, and rye.

For some people, gluten can be extremely harmful and cause health problems like Celiac disease. Others may not have any health issues with gluten, but still choose to avoid it because they feel better when they do. If you are thinking about cutting gluten out of your diet, here are some reasons why you should consider it too.

Gluten and digestive problems

If you have Celiac disease, gluten will damage the lining of your small intestine and prevent it from absorbing nutrients properly. This can lead to a host of other health problems, including malnutrition, anemia, osteoporosis, and even cancer.

Have you ever noticed that you feel tired and bloated after eating a lot of bread or pasta? That’s because gluten is actually causing inflammation in your body

Although serious, Celiac disease is relatively rare, however even if you don’t have Celiac disease, gluten can still cause digestive problems like bloating, gas, inflammation, and diarrhea, and make conditions such as leaky gut even worse. Have you ever noticed that you feel tired and bloated after eating a lot of bread or pasta? That’s because gluten is actually causing inflammation in your body. This can lead to fatigue and brain fog.

Gluten and disease

Autoimmune diseases are conditions where your immune system attacks healthy cells in your body by mistake. Some research suggests that gluten may play a role in triggering or worsening autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, and lupus. If you have an autoimmune disease, cutting out gluten should be high on your list to help manage these conditions.

There is a growing body of evidence that suggests there is a link between gluten and mental health problems like anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia. This may be due to the fact that gluten can cause inflammation in the brain which could make symptoms worse. Mental health problems are complex by nature, however improving overall nutrition and reducing gluten can be an important part of recovery.

Even though gluten is hard to avoid, fortunately there are so many gluten free food options now, that cutting out gluten is easier than ever. And, with all of the health benefits, it’s definitely worth it!

Nutrition

The Truth about Vitamin B12: What It Is, and How to Get Enough

Posted on by Köll Marine Collagen
The-Truth-about-B12-What-it-is-and-how-to-get-enough

You’ve probably heard that Vitamin B12 is important for our health, but do you know why?

This essential nutrient is responsible for a wide range of functions in the body, from keeping our energy levels up to maintaining healthy DNA. A deficiency in Vitamin B12 can lead to some very severe health problems, so it’s important to make sure you’re getting enough. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at what Vitamin B12 does, how common deficiencies are, and ways to get more of this vital nutrient into your diet.

Deficiencies in B12 can lead to fatigue, brain fog, hormone imbalance, depression, physical disability and even death!

Vitamin B12 is essential for the proper function of our nervous system. It helps to keep our energy levels up and aids in the production of red blood cells. B12 is also involved in the synthesis of DNA, which makes it critically important for cell growth and development. Deficiencies in B12 can lead to fatigue, brain fog, hormone imbalance, anemia, depression, physical disability and even death!

Vitamin B12 deficiencies are becoming more prevalent, and they are also much more common in certain groups of people such as vegans and vegetarians. The reason they are at a higher risk for B12 deficiency is because this vital nutrient is found only in animal products. Elderly people are also at an increased risk, as our bodies absorb less B12 as we age.

How do we know if we are B12 deficient?

Due to the vast array of symptoms that B12 deficiency can exhibit, making the connection can be difficult at first. Some people will have unexplained fatigue and weakness, or they may start to experience mental health issues that they never have previously. Sometimes it will represent as anemia, where the red blood cell count becomes very low which prevents enough oxygen form reaching the organs and other parts of the body. It’s important to take symptoms seriously and check if there is a B12 deficiency.

How can we test for B12 deficiency?

The most common test for B12 is the Serum B12 test which will essentially tell you how much B12 is within your blood stream. However, this test alone is not enough to establish or rule out a deficiency if symptoms are present. The serum B12 test only tells you how much B12 is in your serum, not if the B12 is being absorbed and utilized by the body, which is far more important.

The best way to know for sure if you have a B12 deficiency is to ask your doctor to test for both Methylmalonic Acid (MMA) and  Homocysteine. If either one or both of these tests are high, this is a strong indication of a functional deficiency in B12 and you may have pernicious anemia. Pernicious anemia is the autoimmune form of B12 deficiency and means the person is not effectively absorbing B12.

Intrinsic Factor

This is generally due to a lack of Intrinsic Factor which is a protein in the stomach that makes it possible to absorb B12 effectively. In these cases, a person will require B12 injections as their body does not have enough Intrinsic Factor to sufficiently absorb and utilize the B12 that they are consuming through their diet or supplements.

So now that we know a little more about what B12 is and why it’s so important, let’s talk about how to get enough of this vital nutrient. The best way to get Vitamin B12 is through animal products such as meat, fish, poultry, eggs and dairy. If you are vegan or vegetarian, you can still get B12 through injections or supplementation, but if you have any of the symptoms of B12 deficiency, it is best to consult with a doctor or holistic medical professional who can properly test for this.

B12 is critical to our overall health and deficiencies can lead to severe disease if left untreated. The good news is that B12 is usually easy to get through diet or supplementation, so help spread the word!

Nutrition

Leaky Gut Syndrome: What Is It and How Can You Treat It?

Posted on by Köll Marine Collagen
Leaky-Gut-Syndrome-What-Is-It-and-How-Can-You-Treat-It

Leaky gut syndrome is a condition that affects many people, but what is it, and how can it be treated?

In this article post, we will discuss what leaky gut syndrome is, the symptoms of leaky gut, and how to treat it.

What is Leaky Gut?

Leaky gut syndrome, also known as intestinal permeability, is a condition in which the intestinal barrier becomes damaged, leading to the leakage of toxins and bacteria into the bloodstream. This can cause a variety of symptoms, including bloating, gas, diarrhea, constipation, joint pain, and skin problems. Fortunately, there are several ways to treat leaky gut syndrome. These include dietary changes, probiotics, and supplements.

Leaky gut syndrome occurs when the barrier between the intestines and the bloodstream becomes damaged.

Leaky gut syndrome occurs when the barrier between the intestines and the bloodstream becomes damaged. This can allow toxins and bacteria to leak into the bloodstream, causing an allergic response which leads to a variety of unpleasant symptoms.

The most common symptoms of leaky gut include bloating, gas, diarrhea, constipation, joint pain, fatigue, weight gain, and skin problems. In addition, leaky gut can also limit the absorption of vital nutrients from your diet, and can lead lead to deficiencies and the health issues associated with these.

How do you treat Leaky Gut?

One of the best ways to treat leaky gut is through changing your diet. Dietary changes involve avoiding foods that trigger inflammation, such as heavily processed foods, sugar, dairy, gluten, and alcohol. In addition, it is important to eat plenty of gut-healing foods, such as bone broth, fermented foods, and probiotic-rich foods.

Supplements can also be helpful in treating leaky gut syndrome. These supplements include probiotics, glutamine, zinc, and collagen. Probiotics are live bacteria that help to restore the gut flora and support a healthy digestive system. Glutamine is an amino acid that helps to repair the intestinal barrier. Zinc is an essential mineral that supports a healthy immune system and helps to heal the gut. Collagen is a protein that supports gut health and healing and can be either beef or marine collagen.

If you think you may have leaky gut syndrome, it is important to discuss this with your doctor, or a natural health professional as they can help to diagnose the condition and recommend the best course of treatment for you. With the right treatment, leaky gut syndrome can be managed and healed.

Nutrition

The Ketogenic Diet: Health or Hype?

Posted on by Köll Marine Collagen
The-Ketogenic-Diet-Health-or-Hype

The ketogenic diet is all the rage right now. But does it really work? And is marine collagen compatible with the diet?

There are a few things to consider before starting any diet, and the ketogenic diet is no different. The first thing you need to think about is your goals. What are you hoping to achieve by following this diet? Do you want to lose weight? Are you looking to improve your overall health? Or are you hoping to manage a specific health condition? Once you know your goals, you can start to research whether or not the ketogenic diet is right for you.

What is the Ketogenic Diet?

The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, moderate protein, low-carbohydrate diet. This means that you will be eating mostly fat and very few carbs.

When you eat far fewer carbs, your body begins to burn fat for fuel. This can put your body into a metabolic state called ketosis. In this state, your liver turns fat into small energy molecules called ketones, which your brain and other organs can use for energy. This can be a difficult adjustment for some people, but it is important to remember that your body will adjust over time.

Switching from Carbs to Fat

One of the most difficult aspects of this diet happens in the first few weeks, as our body switches from getting energy from carbs (sugar) to fat, and this will often be experienced as excessive tiredness and brain fog. This feeling does pass though, and many people come out the other side feeling better, with increased energy.

The ketogenic diet has also been shown to be effective for weight loss in numerous studies, and has been shown to improve metabolism, and insulin response which can make it an effective option for those suffering from type 2 diabetes, or people who are pre-diabetic.

Studies have now shown that the diet can have benefits including a lowering over overall cholesterol, improvement in heart disease risk factors, and can even be effective for people suffering from cancer and Parkinson’s disease.

But is the ketogenic diet compatible with marine collagen? Absolutely! Marine collagen is high in protein, and has zero carbs so fits perfectly within the perimeters of the ketogenic diet.

So, should you try the ketogenic diet? Ultimately, the decision is up to you. But by doing your research, you can make an informed decision about whether or not this diet is right for you.