1. What is collagen?
2. Types of collagen
3. What does collagen do?
4. Food sources of collagen 
5. Benefits of collagen for your joints and bone health 

What is collagen?

Collagen is a protein that gives structure, support and strength to the bones, joints, and skin. It accounts for 30% of the protein present in our body. It is present in our skin, muscles, bones, tendons, ligaments, and blood vessels. 

Types of collagen

28 types of collagen are identified. Some of the most used collagen are: 

1. Type 1: Type 1 collagen is the most common one and makes up 90% of the human body. It is mostly found in skin, bones, tendons, fascia, cornea, hair, nails, etc. 
2. Type 2: Type 2 collagen is found in cartilage, joints, and intervertebral disc. 
3. Type 3: Type 3 collagen is found in arteries, muscles, and organs.
4. Type 4: Type 4 collagen is found in the layers of the skin more within the basement zone
5. Type 5 and 10: They are lesser seen and less common in supplements. Collagen Type 5 helps form cell membranes and placenta tissue while Type 10 collagen helps forms bones.  

It is very difficult to find health supplements containing collagen 5 and 10 simultaneously but BodyFirst Advance Collagen contains hydrolyzed collagen peptides (Type 1, 2, 5 & 10), Chondroitin sulfate , Hyaluronic acid, Mucopolysaccharides, Vitamin C. It helps to maintain the hyaline cartilage's structural integrity and strengthens the joints. 

What does collagen do?

Collagen is a protein which is useful to maintain the structure and function of several tissues in the body including skin, bones, tendons, joints, and cartilage. It is responsible to provide strength and elasticity to the tissues.  

Collagen maintains the good health of your bones, and joints which helps you in painlesss movement. 

Your body can naturally produce collagen until the age of 20. After that, as you age, the level of collagen production decreases as years pass. As a result you suffer from joint pain, wrinkles on the skin, weakness of bone, and so on. 

If you start consuming diet or nutraceuticals rich in collagen, calcium, and magnesium it will provide complete support to your joints and bone health.  

As Collagen provides: 

1. Structure to the skin
2. Provides a protective covering for organs
3. Reduces inflammation
4. Provides strength and elasticity

Foods rich sources in collagen 

Foods rich in collagen are chicken bone broth, beef broth as it contains collagen from animal sources. Include more foods rich in vitamin C like amla, guava, lemon, and citrus fruits which promote collagen formation. 

Benefits of Collagen To Joints and Bones

1. Improves Bone density: Bone mineral density (BMD) is a test to measure the amount of calcium and other minerals present in the area of bone. It is seen in elder individuals, that calcium levels decrease as a result bone density decreases. 

Collagen along with calcium can help you increase bone density as collagen is required to hold up the calcium levels. Your bone matrix is made up of collagen. Thankfully, BodyFirst Advance Calcium along with Advance Collagen will help you in improving your bone density. 

2. Reduces inflammation: Collagen contains glycine and glutamine which are proven to reduce inflammation.

3. Reduces joint pain: Collagen is also present in the cartilage of your joints. Taking collagen supplements will increase the amount of collagen in the body, releasing stiffness of your joints.  

4. Promotes bone healing: Studies show that collagen supplements can stimulate calcium forming cells (osteoblast) while inhibiting cells that breakdown bone (osteoclast). Along with collagen, if you consume health supplement of magnesium it will reduce stiffness, increase osteoclast and decrease osteoblast, oxidative stress and bone loss. You can check out BodyFirst Magnesium as it is derived from natural marine aquamin and has higher bioavailability than other magnesium supplements in the market. 

5. May prevent osteoporsis: Osteoporosis is a condition in which bones become weak and brittle. This is due to less intake of calcium or absorption of it. Collagen will stimulate calcium forming cells and deteriorate breakdown of bone cells which can prevents osteoporosis. 

Bone health is not only about maintaining calcium levels but also to balance the minerals like Vitamin D which promotes strength of the bone, magnesium whose function is to decrease oxidative stress and promotes bone forming cells, and collagen, a protein to connect your joints.  

Don’t be stressed if you are thinking to take this many supplements just for bone health. BodyFirst Advance Calcium contains calcium, magnesium, vitamin D and Vitamin K to provide overall minerals to your bone.