5 Times EVERYONE Should Take Collagen Protein (better sleep, skin, and muscle)

Summary

This informative script discusses the multifaceted benefits of collagen protein for the body, emphasizing its role beyond connective tissue as essential 'scaffolding.' It outlines optimal times to consume collagen, such as pre-workout for enhanced synthesis, before bed to improve sleep quality due to its glycine content, and on an empty stomach to aid digestion and heal a 'leaky gut.' The script also highlights collagen's potential in supporting glucose modulation and muscle retention with age, recommending an increase in collagen intake as one ages to combat the natural decline, thereby maintaining skin elasticity, hair health, and muscle mass.

Takeaways

• 😀 Collagen serves as a vital 'scaffolding' within the body, supporting joints, connective tissue, hair, skin, and muscle bellies.
• 🏋️‍♂️ Taking collagen before a workout can increase collagen synthesis in the body, especially beneficial for ligaments and tendons.
• 📚 A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that consuming 15 grams of collagen an hour before a workout doubled collagen synthesis.
• 🌙 Collagen intake before bed can improve sleep quality due to its glycine content, which aids in vasodilation in specific brain regions.
• 🛌 A study in Sleep and Biological Rhythms demonstrated that 3 grams of glycine before bed significantly improved sleep.
• 🍽️ Collagen can be beneficial for gut health, potentially improving bloating and strengthening gut junctions, especially when taken on an empty stomach.
• 🔬 A study in JMIR found that supplementing with 20 grams of collagen for eight weeks reduced bloating in 90.33% of subjects.
• 🍲 Adding collagen to meals can support glucose modulation and improve glucose tolerance, as well as decrease oxidative stress.
• 👵 As we age, collagen intake should be progressively increased, with a recommendation to increase by about 2.5 grams every five years after the age of 35.
• 💊 The brand 'bubs' is highlighted for its high-quality, grass-fed collagen peptides that mix well and support a good cause through charity donations.
• 📈 Collagen intake can help with muscle retention, potentially due to the presence of glycine and arginine which may aid in creatine formation.

Q & A

What is collagen and why is it important for the body?

Collagen is a protein that acts as a scaffolding within the body, supporting joints, connective tissue, hair, skin, and muscle bellies. It's crucial as it provides structure and strength, but its production declines with age, leading to a loss of elasticity and strength in these tissues.

Why is taking collagen before a workout beneficial?

Consuming collagen about an hour before a workout can increase collagen synthesis in the body, as demonstrated by a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. This is particularly beneficial for ligaments, tendons, and connective tissues that act like sponges, absorbing more collagen during physical activity.

How does collagen intake before bed improve sleep?

Collagen contains glycine, which has been shown to improve sleep by enhancing vasodilation in specific brain regions, as per a study published in Sleep and Biological Rhythms. It can also help one feel more awake if they are sleep-deprived, by increasing certain neuropeptides and blood flow to the suprachiasmatic nucleus.

What is the recommended amount of collagen to take before a workout?

The study mentioned in the script suggests taking 15 grams of collagen an hour before a workout to achieve twice as much collagen synthesis.

Can collagen help with digestive issues like bloating?

Yes, collagen can help with digestive issues, particularly bloating. It contains amino acids like glutamine, glycine, and proline that are beneficial for gut health, helping to regulate gut junctions, increase the integrity of digestive tissues, and seal the gut lining.

When is the best time to take collagen for gut health?

The best time to take collagen for gut health is on an empty stomach, particularly at the end of a fast, when the gut lining is more receptive to absorbing collagen and repairing itself.

How can collagen help with glucose tolerance and oxidative stress?

A study in the Journal of Food Science and Technology found that adding collagen to meals can increase glucose tolerance and decrease oxidative stress, which is beneficial as we age and become more susceptible to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.

What is the recommended daily intake of collagen as we age?

After the age of 35, it is suggested to increase collagen intake by about 2.5 grams every five years. By the time one reaches their 60s, they might be taking 40-50 grams of collagen per day to counteract the natural decline in collagen production.

Can collagen help with muscle retention and function?

Yes, a study published in the British Journal of Nutrition found that aging individuals who consumed collagen retained more muscle, possibly due to the glycine and arginine in collagen helping to form creatine, which is essential for muscle function.

What is the significance of timing when taking collagen supplements?

The timing of collagen intake can enhance its benefits. For example, taking it before a workout can improve collagen synthesis, before bed can improve sleep, and at the end of a fast can aid gut health. Gradually increasing the dose as one ages can also help maintain collagen levels in the body.

What collagen supplement brand is mentioned in the script and what makes it unique?

The brand mentioned is Bub's. It is unique because it provides unflavored, unsweetened, grass-fed, grass-finished collagen peptides that mix well in cold water. Additionally, the brand donates 10% of all profits to charity in honor of Glenn Bub Doherty, a U.S. Special Forces member.

Outlines

00:00

💪 Maximizing Collagen Intake for Physical Benefits

This paragraph discusses the importance of collagen as a structural component within the body, likening it to scaffolding that supports various bodily functions. As we age, this 'scaffolding' becomes less stable, impacting areas such as joints, connective tissue, hair, skin, and muscles. The speaker emphasizes the value of collagen supplementation, particularly before workouts, to enhance collagen synthesis. A study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition is cited, which shows that consuming collagen an hour before a workout can double collagen synthesis. The recommended intake is 15-20 grams of unflavored collagen, which can be mixed with coffee or other beverages. The paragraph also suggests that the more plyometric the workout, the greater the benefit from collagen supplementation.

05:02

🌙 Enhancing Sleep and Digestion with Collagen

The second paragraph focuses on the benefits of collagen for sleep and digestion. Collagen intake before bed can significantly improve sleep quality due to its glycine content, as supported by a study mentioned from 'Sleep and Biological Rhythms'. Glycine aids vasodilation in specific brain regions, which is crucial for restful sleep. The paragraph also addresses the impact of aging on digestion, such as increased bloating and sensitivity to foods, which can be attributed to a weakened gut. Collagen's amino acids, including glutamine, glycine, and proline, are highlighted for their role in repairing and strengthening the gut lining. The optimal time to take collagen for gut health is suggested to be on an empty stomach, particularly at the end of a fasting period. A study from JMIR is referenced, indicating that collagen supplementation for eight weeks reduced bloating in over 90% of subjects.

10:03

🍽 Managing Glucose Tolerance and Aging with Collagen

This paragraph delves into collagen's role in managing glucose tolerance and the body's response to aging. As individuals age, they may experience a decline in their ability to process carbohydrates effectively, increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance. The speaker suggests that taking collagen with meals can support glucose modulation and improve glucose levels, as evidenced by a study in the Journal of Food Science and Technology. Collagen peptides are also posited to reduce oxidative stress associated with meals and potentially improve fatty acid oxidation in the liver, aiding in better sugar and carbohydrate processing. The paragraph concludes with advice to increase collagen intake progressively with age, recommending up to 40-50 grams per day for individuals in their 60s, to counteract the natural decline in collagen production and its effects on the skin, hair, and muscle mass.

Keywords

💡Collagen

Collagen is a type of protein that serves as a structural component in various connective tissues throughout the body, including skin, hair, nails, and bones. In the video, collagen is described as a 'scaffolding within your body' that supports joints, connective tissues, hair, skin, and even muscle bellies. The speaker emphasizes the importance of collagen as we age, as it can help maintain the strength and integrity of these tissues.

💡Collagen synthesis

Collagen synthesis refers to the process by which the body produces collagen. The video mentions a study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that shows consuming collagen before a workout can increase collagen synthesis in the body. This is significant because it suggests that timing the intake of collagen can enhance its benefits for ligaments, tendons, and other connective tissues.

💡Plyometric workout

Plyometric workouts are high-intensity exercises that involve rapid movements and muscle contractions, often used to increase strength and power. The script uses jump rope as an example of a plyometric exercise, which can be particularly beneficial when combined with collagen intake before the workout to enhance the absorption and synthesis of collagen in the body.

💡Glycine

Glycine is an amino acid and a significant component of collagen. The video explains that glycine can improve sleep quality when taken before bed, as it promotes vasodilation in specific brain regions. This is relevant to the video's theme as it highlights another benefit of collagen intake, beyond its structural role in the body.

💡Sleep deprivation

Sleep deprivation refers to a lack of sufficient sleep, which can have various negative effects on health and cognitive function. The script mentions a study that found taking glycine, a component of collagen, can help counteract the effects of sleep deprivation by increasing neuropeptides and vasodilation in the brain, thereby helping one feel more awake.

💡Leaky gut

Leaky gut, or increased intestinal permeability, is a condition where the lining of the small intestine becomes damaged, allowing toxins and undigested food particles to pass through the gut wall. The video explains that collagen can help strengthen the junctions within the gut, thereby potentially reducing symptoms of bloating and improving digestion.

💡Glucose tolerance

Glucose tolerance refers to the body's ability to regulate blood sugar levels after consuming carbohydrates. The script discusses a study that found adding collagen to meals can improve glucose tolerance and decrease oxidative stress, which is important as we age and become more susceptible to issues like type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance.

💡AMPK

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is an enzyme that plays a key role in cellular energy homeostasis. The video mentions a study suggesting that collagen peptides can increase AMPK levels in the liver, which may improve fatty acid oxidation and carbohydrate metabolism, thus supporting overall metabolic health.

💡Bubs

Bubs is a brand of collagen supplements mentioned in the video. The speaker recommends Bubs because it is unflavored, unsweetened, and contains pure grass-fed collagen peptides. The brand is also highlighted for its philanthropic efforts, donating a portion of profits to charity in honor of Glenn Bub Doherty, a U.S. Special Forces member.

💡Gluten-free

Although not explicitly mentioned in the transcript, the context of discussing collagen and its benefits for gut health implies that collagen supplements like Bubs could be suitable for those following a gluten-free diet. Gluten-free diets are often adopted by individuals with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity to avoid the protein gluten, which can cause damage to the small intestine.

💡Supplementation

Supplementation refers to the practice of taking dietary supplements to ensure adequate intake of certain nutrients that may not be sufficiently obtained through diet alone. In the video, the speaker discusses various times and reasons for taking collagen supplements, such as before workouts, before bed, and at the end of a fast, to maximize their benefits.

Highlights

Collagen is not just for connective tissue but acts as a body's scaffolding.

As we age, collagen scaffolding becomes less sturdy, affecting joints, hair, skin, and muscles.

Consuming collagen before a workout can increase collagen synthesis, as shown in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Taking 15-20 grams of collagen an hour before a workout can enhance ligament and tendon health.

Plyometric and impact workouts can benefit more from pre-workout collagen intake.

Intake of collagen before bed can improve sleep quality due to its glycine content.

A study found that 3 grams of glycine before bed significantly improved sleep.

Mixing collagen with yogurt before bed can aid sleep and support skin and joint health.

Collagen or glycine intake can help counteract the effects of sleep deprivation.

Bubs collagen peptide supplement is recommended for its purity and mixability.

Bubs supports charity in honor of Glenn Bub Doherty, a U.S. Special Forces member.

Collagen can help strengthen gut junctions and reduce bloating from a leaky gut.

Taking collagen on an empty stomach, especially at the end of a fast, can repair the gut lining.

A study showed 20 grams of collagen for eight weeks significantly reduced bloating.

Adding collagen to meals can improve glucose tolerance and decrease oxidative stress.

Collagen peptides may enhance fatty acid oxidation and improve sugar and carbohydrate processing.

As we age, collagen intake should be increased progressively to maintain skin elasticity, hair, and muscle mass.

A study in the British Journal of Nutrition suggests collagen helps retain muscle mass in aging individuals.

Increasing collagen intake with age can counteract the natural decline in collagen production.

Transcripts

there are five times that you can really

maximize the benefit of taking in

collagen now collagen protein is not

just about connective tissue it's about

everything okay I want you to think of

collagen as scaffolding within your body

okay and you've got this nice beautiful

scaffolding that is holding up so much

okay but as we get older the bolts on

the scaffolding start to get loose and

become a little bit more fragmented okay

so this scaffolding that was nice and

strong and sturdy has now become wobbly

okay and if we lose that scaffolding we

lose so much okay think about it we have

joints we have connective tissue we have

hair we have skin we have even some

scaffolding that literally supports

muscle bellies like our actual muscle so

it becomes very important okay let's

Jump Right In And as we go along we're

going to kind of increase in sort of

severity like the most important times

sort of increasing okay now the first

time that I would recommend is right

before your workout or about an hour

before for your workout now this sounds

kind of crazy because a lot of times I

talk about going into a workout on an

empty stomach but with collagen it's a

little bit of an exception to the rule

and if we look at a paper that was

published in the American journal of

clinical nutrition it demonstrated that

when you consume collagen prior to a

workout you actually increase the

collagen synthesis in the body what does

that mean well I want you to think of

like a ligament or a tendon or

connective tissue there's no real blood

supply there so it acts as somewhat of a

sponge so if you were to jump rope and

you were to bounce that Achilles tendon

the back of your you know back your heel

well that's going to act like a sponge

and it's actually going to soak up a

little bit more of the collagen and this

and this study that was published in

American General clinical nutrition

demonstrated this subjects that had 15

grams of collagen prior to a workout one

hour before a workout had two times as

much collagen synthesis they had more of

this Pro collagen peptide one so very

very cool stuff so what does this look

like for you well about an hour or

before your workout consider having 15

or 20 grams of unflavored basic collagen

with no extra sweeteners or anything

like that mix it with your coffee

something as simple as that so by sort

of priming the tissue with your workout

you can soak that collagen up now the

more plyometric a workout the more

benefit you're going to get from it so

this example with the study used jump

rope because that's a lot of plyometric

a lot of bouncing where those tendons

are like kind of squishing and then

relaxing right so with that you want to

look at things like maybe things where

you're going to be bouncing a little bit

running maybe some jumping things like

that that are good for your connective

tissue to begin with now let's move into

this next one which is definitely

important because if our sleep starts to

suffer

everything else sort of falls apart okay

taking in collagen before you go to bed

can massively improve your sleep and

it's because the primary constituent or

I shouldn't say the primary but a huge

constituent of collagen is something

called glycine now there's a study

published in sleep and biological

rhythms that found that just three grams

of glycine before bed improved sleep

quite significantly and it does so

because it improves vasodilation to

specific regions of the brain okay well

this is great what does that look like

for you a practical use for you would be

maybe two hours or so before bed have 10

to 20 grams of once again unflavored

collagen what I'll do is I'll mix it in

with some yogurt I like to get a little

bit of protein a couple hours before bed

because it stabilizes my glucose it

seems to help me sleep so if I take

collagen I can mix it in with yogurt it

makes it very easy I'm not adding any

carbs I'm just adding that collagen that

I need that might help me sleep and also

help restore my joints my hair and my

skin but cool thing is there was another

study that also found that taking in

collagen or glycine if you've been sleep

deprived can actually help you feel more

awake they found that it increases

specific neuropeptides and also

increases that vasodilation that

increase in blood flow to What's called

the suprachiasmatic nucleus that's a

portion of the brain that's very

important and becomes quite suppressed

in terms of activity when we're sleep

deprived so what does that look like

well if you didn't sleep well try adding

a little bit of extra collagen to your

meals so you get up in the morning you

have your breakfast maybe have five

grams of collagen see what happens it's

such an inexpensive supplement and such

an inexpensive protein to add in it

makes a big difference the one that I've

been using for about a year now is

called bubs I like it because it mixes

absolutely seamlessly but there's

nothing weird in it it's unflavored it's

unsweetened it's pure 20 grams of

grass-fed grass-finished collagen

peptides I've ever seen a collagen that

mixes in cold water so good and it's all

sourced from bovine out of Uruguay out

of Southern Brazil thousands of miles

away from the Amazon truly grass-fed and

grass finished so when you're looking at

a collagen you have to look at the

amount of actual collagen peptides

because you can find a collagen that's

out there on the market that's going to

have a minuscule amount of peptides even

though they're calling it x amount of

collagen protein there's a lot of kind

of tomfoolery going on with all of that

so you have to be careful but bubs is

awesome because it's near and dear to me

you know I do a lot of work with the

Department of Defense with the U.S

Special Forces and this particular brand

is circled around a guy named Glenn bub

Doherty now you may know the name if you

ever saw the movie 13 hours okay he

passed away in Libya during the whole

Benghazi thing well this entire brand

donates 10 of all the profits to charity

in his honor which is great because

Bub's entire ethos was about up doing

good and feeling great like feeling

alive feeling just awesome but doing

good things with your awesomeness okay

big part of the whole entire Bub's

mission is to die young as late as

possible if that makes sense feel good

feel youthful and be able to push that

youthfulness on as long as you can so I

put a link down below that'll save you

20 off you use that code thomas20 saves

you 20 off your entire purchase they

have little single serve packets that

are easy when you travel they have a bag

they have a tub they make it easy but

there's no fluff and that's what I love

about it so that link is down below in

the description this next one is very

very important because we're talking

about digestion

when we get older we start noticing that

certain foods bloat us more we start

noticing that we become more sensitive

to different foods and a lot of times we

find ourselves going down this narrow

path of kind of like narrowing what we

eat and although that makes a lot of

sense sometimes we have to reverse

engineer what's actually happening in

our body a little bit and as we get

older the Junctions within our gut

become weaker you've probably heard of

people talk about a leaky gut before

okay but this is a very important thing

because the bloating that occurs within

our gut can absolutely stem from a leaky

gut to begin with in fact they've found

that a lot of the cases of bloating are

a result of IBS which is a result of the

leaky gut okay so collagen has three

primary proteins in it they're very very

good for a leaky gut okay we have or

aminos I should say glutamine which is

actually going to help regulate the

Junctions of the gut to bring those kind

of like Junctions and seal our gut a

little bit better then we have glycine

which is very important for the

digestive tissues themselves to actually

increase the Integrity of them and then

we have Proline which is really like

this sealing and healing Amino that

comes in and sort of seals everything

okay think about it if you have these

Junctions in your gut that are broken

then they're going to become disrupted

so what is the answer the when do you

take collagen for maximum gut benefit

you want to take it on an empty stomach

and I recommend people take it at the

end of a fast because the end of a fast

your gut lining is already broken down a

little bit because that just happens

during a fast so you're at the optimal

time to soak up a little bit more of

that collagen and repair I also don't

want you going at the end of a fast and

just eating a bunch of food all

willy-nilly if you preface it with a

little bit of bone broth or a little bit

of collagen it's going to help kind of

heal the gut a little bit first before

that food comes in so it makes it very

seamless you don't even need to have a

lot at this point in time five 10 grams

of collagen peptides will do the trick

there's a cool study published in jmir

that took a look at people supplementing

20 grams of collagen for eight weeks

found that 90 33 percent of subjects saw

a massive Improvement in their bloating

when they added collagen and after eight

weeks so there's definitely something

going on there we have to think about

the inflammation that comes as a result

directly in the gut and outside of the

gut in this next one we're starting to

get increasingly more important okay

because as we age we start losing our

glucose tolerance a little bit meaning

we're unable to process carbohydrates as

well we're at higher risk of type 2

diabetes higher risk of insulin

resistance turns out that collagen with

a meal

okay it's so Universal a little bit of

collagen with a meal five grams with a

meal can actually support glucose

modulation okay there was an interesting

study published in journal and food

science and technology that found that

when subjects added collagen along with

their meals it increased their glucose

tolerance so it improved their glucose

levels overall but also decreased the

amount of oxidative stress that came

along with eating that meal every time

we eat we have a little bit of waste

this oxidative stress it's like exhaust

and as we get older we create more

exhaust and less ability to deal with

that exhaust so if we can increase the

expression of things that neutralize

that exhaust we're in a good spot turns

out that collagen peptides play a big

role with that now there's another study

that also showed that it can increase

something called ampk in the liver and

what this means is that it possibly is

improving fatty acid oxidation helping

us utilize fat and burn through that fat

and be able to process sugar and

carbohydrates better so this is like a

win-win especially as we get older when

you're young and you can get away with

eating more things but as you get older

you have to be paying closer attention

right now the most important one okay

the one that we really needed to save

for last isn't a specific time at all

it's about increasing the amount

progressively as we get older after the

age of 35 roughly every five years you

should probably increase the amount of

collagen peptides that you take in by

about two and a half grams or so okay so

by the time that you're in your 60s you

might be taking 40 grams 50 grams of

collagen in per day why is this so

important and again you don't have to

get it from a supplement form if you

want to be you know consuming bone

marrow if you want to be actually

consuming some of the visceral tissue of

meat that's a great way to get that

gelatin that collagen into don't get me

wrong I'm not just trying to push a

supplement I think it's very important

but as we get older collagen declines it

breaks down it loosens and what does

this look like it looks like saggy skin

it looks like wrinkles it looks like

hair falling out all these things we

recognize but also looks like muscle

mass we don't realize that that's

scaffolding supports our muscle too

there was a cool study published in

British Journal nutrition that found

that aging individuals when they

consumed collagen they had more muscle

they retained more muscle they also

speculated that it had to do with the

Glycine and the Arginine in collagen

helping to form creatine to allow the

muscles to be functioning better so it

started being suggested that as we get

north of 40 we might want to be looking

at like 40 grams of collagen per day

which seems like a lot but we have to

counteract the fact that we are starting

to decrease and break down our collagen

and we always think about protein we

think about muscle building but we don't

think about what is repairing our

connective tissue if our joints hurt

we're not going to get to the gym in the

first place so to kind of recap and

paint a big picture for you you don't

need to be taking this stuff at every

single one of these times but if you

know when to take it it's better than

just saying I'm going to get up in the

morning and take my collagen because

it's my ritual it is a timing system and

it makes a lot of sense so take it prior

to more workouts where you're going to

be bouncing a little bit take it before

bed or on nights that you're uh you know

really need to sleep well or if you

didn't sleep well take it then okay take

it at the end of a fast on an empty

stomach combine it with your meals and

slowly start increasing the dose as you

get older as always I'll see you

tomorrow and don't forget to check out

bubs Down Below in the description