It soothes, repairs and strengthens the gut lining Collagen plays an integral role in rebuilding and strengthening the lining of our digestive tract as it contains the amino acids—particularly glycine and glutamine—that are essential for its repair.
Collagen is good for gut health. There are a few major benefits of collagen when it comes to your gut: it aids in digestion, helps repair the gut lining, and helps heal leaky gut and IBS. There are foods that already contain collagen or help strengthen the gut, which we discuss later.
Marine collagen is a great way to improve gut health due to its anti-inflammatory properties and ability to heal the gut lining. The time it takes for you to feel the benefit of marine collagen in your gut can vary, depending on your current gut health. Collagen should help to heal your gut in 12 weeks.
Type I collagen makes up 90% of our hair, skin, nails, organs, bones, ligaments and is most notable for anti-aging properties. Type II collagen helps build cartilage, joint health, maintain our gut lining therefore supporting digestive health and support immune function.
At a minimum, to help repair a leaky gut, take 1-2 rounded tablespoons per day. The many benefits of drinking collagen go far beyond “skin-deep”!
A healthy gut has a protective lining made up of protein cells which is mostly impermeable, or sealed. The amino acids found in collagen help to rebuild this lining.
One of the top products for helping to heal a leaky gut is collagen, a key benefit in bone broth and also available in a powder for blending into drinks. (3) It helps to replenish the integrity of your intestines and contains proline and glycine, two amino acids that are exceptionally beneficial in healing a leaky gut.
Types 1 and 3 are best for healing the gut lining, and type 1 collagen from marine sources is especially good for healing the tight junctions of your intestinal tract. The best sources for types 1 collagen: Marine Collagen (for high concentrations of type 1 collagen)
Try supplementing with collagen peptides! Science has identified collagen synthesis as an important component in the process of repairing and healing the intestinal lining. When there is damage or inflammation to the intestinal lining, new smooth muscle cells are made to heal the stomach lining and the intestinal wall.
The Verdict? If you're looking to seal up the gut lining and reduce inflammation the cheapest way possible, opt for collagen. You can take it on the go and it'll dissolve easily. But, if you want all the nutrients provided by high quality protein, then bone broth is the way to go.
Collagen and Gut Health
These amino acids help rebuild tissue that lines the digestive tract, keeping the food we eat and bacteria inside the gut where it belongs instead of allowing these particles to leak and cause inflammation in our bodies (commonly referred to as "leaky gut").
Marine collagen comes from type 1 collagen, which makes up over 90% of the collagen in the human body. It's also the most important collagen for healing, making it particularly beneficial in digestive issues like leaky gut.
Most people with IBS struggle with digesting at least some foods, and collagen can really help with this. If your stomach or intestine lining is damaged, collagen can help it to repair and heal.
Collagen supplementation may be effective for improving skin elasticity and hydration in older people, Improving symptoms of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, reduced joint pain in athletes, and relieving irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Research shows that taking 2.5 to 15 grams daily of hydrolyzed collagen is safe. A smaller dose benefits your joints and skin, while a larger amount may help with body composition and muscle mass.
It helps you detox.
Taking collagen can help because it is rich in glycine, an amino acid that has enormous healing and detoxification capabilities for the body. Glycine helps reduce damage as your liver processes toxins.
Collagen, particularly when sourced from bone broth, can offer significant support in helping you soothe your bloating by nourishing your gut lining and calming your stomach.
Strengthened gut lining: Collagen supports a healthier gut lining while probiotics help to maintain a more balanced gut microbiome. The amino acids in collagen can rebuild and strengthen your digestive tract lining as well, and a healthier gut makes it easier to absorb nutrients and probiotics.
It can take anywhere from 4 weeks to 6 months to fully heal the gut. After all, since Leaky Gut Syndrome does not develop overnight, curing this condition will take some time.
Supplements like probiotics, collagen, omega-3 fatty acids, and l-glutamine can all help you heal and seal your gut (but you may not need them all at once). Getting enough sleep and reducing stress can improve your gut health.
If you don't have enough collagen in your gut, you'll start to have digestion issues and not absorb all the nutrients from your food. The collagen in your gut doesn't just decrease as you age. There are other reasons that you can develop a leaky gut—even at a young age.