Does collagen play a role in gut health?

The short answer, yes. Collagen plays a role in gut health.

As you age all body functions start to decrease or slow down. This includes digestion for some. The muscles of the digestive tract may become weaker. The production of key digestive enzymes may decrease, but also the lining of the gut may become more permeable (easier to attack or get through).

When your gut is unhealthy it can lead to various symptoms: mood disorders, decreased immunity, weight gain, just to name a few.

Here's why you should take collagen supplements to help heal your gut or increase its strength.

How does collagen help improve gut health?

Collagen has a rich amino acid profile, many of which have been studied to support gut health by reducing inflammation and healing the gut.

Collagen is high in Glutamine, which helps build connective tissues and heal the gut’s lining. This has been shown to be helpful in those with compromised intestinal permeability (leaky gut). Glutamine has been linked to improving the gut’s microbiota which helps to keep the digestive tract running smoothly and makes it stronger to avoid injury, wounds, or damage under stress.

Glycine and proline, also found in collagen, work to help seal and heal the gut lining whenever there is damage. This improves digestion. Arginine is another amino acid involved in wound healing in the gut.

Because collagen contains all these essential amino acids, a hydrolyzed collagen peptide supplement daily can help build a stronger and healthier digestive tract.

Is collagen more important than gelatin – or is it the same?

Gelatin is essentially the cooked version of collagen. They both provide the same amino acids and provide the same benefits.

However, collagen, like our Enhanced Collagen Original, is hydrolyzed (broken down into smaller peptides), whereas gelatin is not.

It's better to take collagen to ensure you are obtaining all benefits. Your body can skip the step of having to break it down, making collagen much easier to absorb. Collagen also easily dissolves in water and is a lot more convenient to use.

Should I take collagen powder or bone broth for gut health?

Either or both.

Collagen powder can help support gut health (described above due to its amino acid profile). With that being said, bone broth contains collagen and gelatin. So, you can heal your gut with Organika’s Bone Broth Powder as well.

The bonus of bone broth is that it contains additional essential minerals that also work to heal the gut’s intestinal lining and reduce inflammation. Bone broth is a highly beneficial source of nutrition.

Both collagen and bone broth are great options, so the choice really depends on your preference.

Organika does have an option to maximize this: Full Spectrum Collagen 1,2,3. This product combines chicken bone broth, bovine collagen, and marine collagen – making it a mix of all types of collagens.