Did you know that collagen is the most abundant protein in your body? It’s true. It is used in our hair, nails, skin, connective tissue, muscles, eyes and joints. Yes, of course, I want to have a good digestive tract and I want to have properly functioning joints. But I think most people look to collagen for the skin, nails and hair health. Me included. I want to look as healthy on the outside as I feel on the inside.
Before we dive into ways we can boost up collagen, let’s go over the main five types.
- Type 1 is what is what we are mostly made from. Think skin, bones, ligaments and tendons. (Muscles are type 3)
- Type 2 is the collagen what our cartilage is made from.
- Type 3 is muscle, organs and arteries
- Type 4 is our skin
- Type 5 is eyes, skin hair and placenta
Glycine, Proline and Hydroxyproline are the 3 amino acids that make up collagen.
- Beef is mainly type 1 and type 3 collagen but it also has type 4.
- Chicken is mainly type 2.
- Fish is type 1.
- Eggs membranes are type 5.
Topical Collagen
Before we dive into some collagen hacks, let’s top about topical collagen. I hadn’t had much luck with topical collagen and I’ve heard others say the same even though there are studies showing it does work to reduce signs of aging like crow’s feet and wrinkles. Here is a study that shows excellent response in 40 women who used a hydrolyzed collagen two times a day for 4 weeks. I have tried a new collagen rich skincare line that blends collagen and hyaluronic acid and delivers it with a nano-liposomal technology that drives it deep into skin. I’ve been using it for 3 months now and plan to continue. The way it has worked on crepey skin and damaged skin has been remarkable. It is called Suamel Body Cream. At the time of this writing, it is $26 for a nice sized tube. You can get it here and, trust me, you will want this on autoship. For $26 dollars a month to have this kind of power in a body cream, yeah, it is worth it.
Now I’m blending topical collagen on my skin and eating collagen and collagen rich foods to support my body from the inside out and the outside in.
Here are my top 5 collagen boosting biohacks.
1. Bone Broth
Bone Broth is rich in collagen. That gelled stuff that happens in bone broth is collagen. I think bone broth is healing. I use it when I’m not feeling well. I swear the collagen and the gelatin in bone broth are like a tonic for my entire digestive tract. It really is soothing. I will add some spice, or butter and blend it in. Just depends on my mood. ou can jazz it up, or keep it plain. I do like it warm, though.
I’m not fond of making bone broth so I use Epic, Kettle Fire or Bonafide Provisions brands. Epic comes in a glass jar and I prefer that. It is a few dollars more for the same amount of bone broth, and it tastes fantastic. Kettle Fire is more reasonably priced so it is the one I use the most and it comes in a box. It tastes good, too. I really like Bonafide especially their Frontier blend but it only comes in the frozen packaging in my area so I have to plan ahead. Bonafide does have a shelf stable pack, too, and I can order it online. That convenience factor plays into my using this brand, though, so I do end up using Epic most often. All of these bone broths work well for me. You can order Epic bone broth here.
2. Collagen Rich Foods
Another way to get dietary collagen is to eat connective tissue. Some good sources of dietary collagen are salmon skin, chuck roast, chicken, oxtail, eggs, brisket and sardines. I prefer beef over chicken.
A cut like chuck roast is quite versatile. Sometimes I grind it up, or cut it into steaks, or cubes. It cooks up beautifully and eating the collagen mixed in with the muscle meat is easy as it breaks down as you slow roast it. I love creating meals around a collagen rich chuck roast. I use it for soups and stews. I will use leftovers cut into strips in a stir fry or fajita. It is a great cut to use for jerky.
And then there is brisket. Oh my YUM! I love brisket. Roasted slowly for hours helps break down that connective tissues and it comes out so tender. I l like to roast up a couple at a time, then freeze some of it for a quick meal later on. Creating meals around brisket is always a treat. I like to pair it with a sweet potato salad, or a cold relish tray of fresh vegetables deviled eggs, but don’t usually mix it into a dish like a soup or stew. I like it so want to enjoy its flavor and goodness as it is.
Tougher cuts of meat like oxtail and shank have good amounts of collagen, too. I do love both of those cuts, and when cooked properly they will fall apart. Delicious. Oxtail especially is not only a good source of collagen but bone marrow, too. I wish I could get oxtail more often. Cooked properly, it is a decadent cut.
Chicken with the skin on is rich in collagen. Interestingly, many collagen supplements are made from chicken cartilage. It works well. There is a study that shows improvements in fine line and wrinkles in women using a collagen supplement made from chicken cartilage, so it stands to reason that eating chicken would give us same or similar benefits. Adding in chicken into the weekly menu can be a delicious way to get in some good collagen. I like to use my air fryer for chicken. I sprinkle the skin with paprika and Redmond’s seasoned salt and then cook it till the skin is crispy.
3. Supplements
To make sure I’m getting an adequate amount, I opt for a collagen supplement. I like to use ones that are a mixture of egg, chicken, fish and beef as much as possible. The gelatin I use is beef based, but my collagen powder currently is from Ancient Nutrition and it is a mixture of collagen types. But my hands down favorite is this Beauty Collagen EX Ampoules from Lifening. I have this on autoship so I get a box of the ampoules every month. What I love about these is the way they blended molecular weight collagen peptides with hyaluronic acid, selenium, glutathione, biotin and BYoungPool extract so it is boosted with anti-inflammatory and healing ingredients. You can set up an account to order it here.
Tips for using powdered collagen: Don’t over blend it. Collagen can be broken down if over blended. I don’t know how much blending is too much. So what I do is make whatever I am making, then add in the collagen and only mix it in. I treat it like it is fragile. And this is another reason why I like the ampoules from Lifening. I know that everything is perfectly structured and mixed so my body is getting it all.
Another tip is to sprinkle my collagen peptides on top of my meat dish at dinner. It adds in the extra amino acids from the connective tissues to balance out the amino acid profile in the muscle meat. At first it feels/looks weird to do that, but the collagen just soaks into the juicy meat. It sometimes leaves a bit of a gel on top, but not really a gel. I’m not sure how to describe it but it is good. You’ll have to try it. I will also have a cup of bone broth with dinner on occasion which is a fantastic way to add the healing bone broth to your diet.
Lastly, remember the 3 amino acids in collagen? One is glycine. It is an inhibitory neurotransmitter. Glycine can be helpful in getting a better night’s sleep, so I take my largest dose of collagen with my dinner. I do use it other times of the day at times and that’s okay, but I like loading it up at dinner so that my body can use it to aid in better sleep.
4. Complementary Foods
It isn’t enough to eat collagen. We need to be eating foods that help prevent the breakdown of collagen. Dark green leafy veggies seem to always make the list of healthy add ins, don’t they? It is because of the antioxidants. Dark green leafy veggies and berries are loaded with antioxidants known to protect against cellular breakdown of collagen. The Lifening Collagen Ampoules antioxidants that work synergistically to reduce oxidative species in the body so you are getting that with that supplement. Besides the leafy greens and berries, other foods rich in antioxidants are pomegranates, broccoli, carrots, artichokes, asparagus, beet, radish, sweet potatoes and pumpkins. This is the time where you think RAINBOW.
Spices are other good sources of antioxidants. There are not a lot of studies showing how spices enhance collagen production, but even in small amounts, they can be powerful as some are also anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and anti-cancer properties. Think basil, cinnamon, oregano, paprika, cumin, parsley, ginger, chili, thyme, sage, and dill, all good additions to a healthy diet.
Your body won’t make collagen without vitamin C as it is essential to the production of collagen. Vitamin C is in many fruits and vegetables. Think about the red bell pepper. It is rich in vitamin C, so I like to add them into meals. Other than red peppers, foods rich in vitamin C are oranges, kiwi, berries, tomatoes, plums, Brussels sprouts, cauliflowers, and acerola cherry.
5. Red Light Therapy
I cannot say enough good things about red light therapy. I used red light therapy while I was getting well as it helped quell inflammation and I generally felt better after a treatment. I’d use it on my abdomen, lower back, back of my head and on top of my head. I’d use it to help reduce anxiety, too. It helps with sleep if i hold it on my chest. Red light does a lot of things depending on the wave lengths you are using.
Here is what I do:
I use a full spectrum red light in my sauna. It is how the sauna was built so not something I added. I use the Therasage brand. It is a portable tent type sauna. It isn’t glamourous like those walk in cedar saunas you see in a spa but it is extremely effective. I had one of those nice cedar walk in ones at my last house. This is better.
For panels, I like the Gembared Rex. The light waves that I found work best for me are in the 600-700 wave length range. This light has that as well as wave lengths in the deep penetrating ranges in the 800s. Since I got into red light therapy to help with migraines, I wasn’t concerned about skin health. The fact that my eye health, skin and hair got healthier was a side benefit, and a nice one at that.
Wrapping up
It isn’t hard to increase collagen in your diet, and adding in a supplement is always a choices, too.
Here’s what I do:
- I cook from scratch so not dealing with inflammatory oils or unknown ingredients,
- I use spices a lot and sometimes just swallow a pinch of rosemary or saffron with a swig of water.
- I use vitamin C in my supplements and a collagen supplementation in a few different forms.
- I add collagen powder to many of my meals by just sprinkling some on top or mixing it in.
Also, I am an affiliate for the Amazon links, the Lifening link and the Suamel Body Cream. I’m sharing what works for me and things I’ve learned along the way. I make no medical claims.
