DOES COLLAGEN IMPROVE INTESTINAL TRANSIT?

DOES COLLAGEN IMPROVE INTESTINAL TRANSIT?

Many people who have started taking collagen consistently report improved bowel function. Let's try to understand what this may be due to.

There are virtually no studies on the subject in the literature; the only one I found is tiny: it followed 16 women for 8 weeks. (1)

What was super interesting, however, was that 14 of them had problems with bloating and bowel regularity, and after 8 weeks of taking 20 grams per day of collagen, 93% of them had improved bowel frequency and decreased bloating! The 19% had even started to discharge once a day instead of once a week! Unfortunately, the sample is small, but the results are amazing!

Let's start right away with the objections: the study was funded by a company that produces collagen. I would like to understand one thing: why is it not okay for collagen companies to fund studies demonstrating the efficacy of collagen, while there is no problem when pharmaceutical companies fund studies demonstrating the efficacy of the drugs/vaccines they produce? It seems to me that double standards are being used.

Also because let's be realistic: who should fund scientific studies if not the companies that would benefit from their results? The problem is not who funds the studies, but the seriousness and honesty in conducting the studies.

Let me give you an example: raw data (raw data) on a great many studies on the efficacy of statins are not public, and although independent researchers have requested them, they have not been made available. (2, 3) If you have nothing to hide why are you keeping the data hidden? What makes the situation even sadder is some of these studies were also funded with public money.

Let's look at what might be the mechanisms of action of collagen on improving bowel function.

When someone makes a health claim, always ask yourself: what is the mechanism that makes it true? Doing so will easily expose many false myths.

RETAINS WATER

Because collagen is a hydrophilic molecule, it attracts water. By holding water in the intestines, collagen helps the movement of food through the gastrointestinal tract.

This characteristic of collagen also explains why some people taking collagen experience constipation: they do not drink enough. Taking more water solves the problem.

IMPROVES THE INTESTINAL BARRIER

Two in vitro studies simulating the human intestine with collagen supplementation found:

Reduction of permeable bowel syndrome (leaky gut) (5)
decrease in inflammation (5)
Increased production of short-chain fatty acids (6) including butyrate, which we know has anti-inflammatory capabilities.

In another experiment, human immune cells taken from patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) treated with collagen showed changes related to an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effect.

I am not a big fan of in vitro studies, as the reactions that occur in the human copre are interconnected and not isolated as they are in in vitro studies. However, there are logical mechanisms behind these results:

in the structure of the intestine there is also type III collagen (4), and so the intake of collagen provides amino acids that can also be used to synthesize new collagen that the intestinal wall can use to renew itself and heal any injuries.
Glutamine has a positive impact on the balance of intestinal flora, supports the integrity of the intestinal barrier, and modulates inflammation (7)
glycine is crucial for the synthesis of glutathione (8,9), which in turn is crucial for counteracting intestinal inflammation (10)

I think it now becomes clear what mechanisms underlie the benefits on the gut of collagen.

DIARREA

Some people taking collagen instead of experiencing intestinal benefits experience soft stools. How come?

There are a couple of explanations:

when proteins arrive in the stomach they cause the production of hydrochloric acid necessary for their digestion. For some people taking almost 20 grams of protein all at once in one meal is unusual, and therefore the amount of hydrochloric acid produced can cause diarrhea in some people
if a person has low stomach acidity, proteins are not digested properly and some fragments will arrive undigested in the colon where they can create diarrhea
there could be a problem at the level of gut bacteria, such as dysbiosis

Try decreasing the amount and gradually increasing it: If the problem persists, consult an expert.

OTHER BENEFITS OF COLLAGEN

The potential benefits observed in scientific studies associated with collagen intake include:

Skin: improves hydration and elasticity (11 - 16) but unfortunately does not eliminate wrinkles.
Joints: improves osteoarthritis (17-19), rheumatoid arthritis (20,21), knee pain (22)
Bones and muscles: increased bone density (23,24), improved bone metabolism (25), rehabilitation from tendon injuries (26), increased collagen synthesis (27)
Nails: more growth and less fragility (28)
Exercise: muscle pain reduction and improvement after exercise (29)

These are some of the reasons why I believe collagen is the true superfood and should be considered the fourth macronutrient, as it is by far the richest dietary source of glycine, which is found only in small amounts in most proteins. The foods highest in glycine, and therefore in collagen, include gelatin, tendons, animal skin, with pork skin being the richest, and collagen-rich cuts such as beef oxtail.

IMPORTANT
I want to emphasize that none of these benefits are certain. The only health claims that are proven and officially recognized are those published on the EFSA website.

DOWNLOAD THE PDF OF THIS ARTICLE

BIBLIOGRAPHY