Collagen - Health
Arthritis is a general term for describing inflammation in joints. There are many types of arthritis, but the most common is osteoarthritis which affects the joints and is characterized by cartilage loss. A high amount of people over the age of 60 years will have some radiological evidence of it, even if they don’t experience any symptoms. Osteoarthritis affects more women than men over the age of 55 years. Commonly known as the ‘wear and tear’ disease of joints, as it is often the result of damage caused by repetitive injury due to sports, work or where biomechanical injury has occurred. The cartilage which is usually smooth and lubricated, tends to rupture and become thin, causing bone to grate on bone.
Osteoarthritis is the result of the collagen matrix breaking down, the body tries to repair itself but often becomes ulcerated from stress, osteophytes then grow over the joints causing extreme pain on movement.
To combat the pain people often use anti-inflammatory tablets and creams such as ibuprofen. These can have side-effects or just don’t control the level of pain well enough which leads to many people having surgery replacements, particularly of the knee and hip.
Whilst asleep our body creates collagen to be used in the repair process, but as we grow older the body loses its ability to create collagen effectively and as a result the repair and rejuvenation process slows down. To aid recovery, it would therefore be beneficial to your body to intake collagen supplements; this could be orally – in our marshmallows!
Collagen may also be an anti-coagulant, preventing blood clotting and assisting in the maintenance of a healthier heart.
Orally ingested Collagen encourages the rapid absorption of essential amino-acids that can help preserve and replenish lean muscle mass and improve the management of the body’s fat. It therefore can play a positive role in weight management and body building.
Collagen can also help in maintaining healthier sleep patterns. Initially, in the first 90 minutes of sleep the body naturally creates its own collagen. This collagen is used in the repair process of the body during sleep. Orally taking collagen before going to sleep can help, by boosting the level of collagen in the body’s system. This results in the body not working so much, thereby enabling it to rest.