If there is one dietary supplement ladies should invest in, it’s collagen.
Collagen is the ultimate multitasker in the world of wellness. Whether it’s targeting beauty concerns like skin complexion and hair health or optimizing physiological functions like sleep and digestion, collagen does it all for you.
But what are the best collagen supplements for women, and where can you get them? We don’t mean to toot our own horn, but we have to say that Zen Principle’s collagen has some of the top choices in the market. Here are five reasons why you should give it a try.
The Benefits of Collagen for Women
1. Enhance Skin Complexion
Wrinkles, fine lines, and crow’s feet are common skincare concerns for women at any age. One of the primary factors for an aging complexion is the drop in your skin’s ability to produce collagen. Past the age of 20, your skin synthesizes 1% less collagen every year. Given how collagen is responsible for keeping your skin firm, elastic, and smooth, it’s imperative to replenish your skin’s collagen levels if you want to maintain a youthful appearance for as long as possible.
That’s where the best collagen supplements for women can help. Unlike topical collagen skincare products that are limited in efficacy, oral collagen supplementation has been proven to enhance skin complexion.
A 2019 systematic review of 11 studies involving 805 participants showcased the effectiveness of adding collagen supplementation to your skincare routine. The findings emphasized that collagen peptides helped to:
- Reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles,
- Increase the skin’s hydration levels,
- Improve skin elasticity,
- Speed up wound healing and,
- Lower skin inflammation
On top of that, scientific evidence heralds collagen supplementation for reduced stretch marks and sagging skin during pregnancy.
For middle-aged women who are more susceptible to signs of skin aging, a small-scale study advocated for the use of collagen supplementation.
Sixty women aged 40-60 years old applied either a product containing collagen peptides, vitamins A, C, and E, and zinc, or a placebo (maltodextrin) for 90 days. Compared to the placebo group, the study found that the collagen group experienced reduced wrinkles and pores and improved skin elasticity.
So, what’s the reason for these favorable changes? The researchers explained that the collagen-based product:
- Increased fibroblast density within the skin,
- Promoted collagen fibril formation and,
- Repaired existing skin damage
All in all, collagen supplementation helped slow down the skin-aging process while enhancing its density.
2. Boost Hair Health
Most women are familiar with thinning hair and hair loss, particularly during hormonal changes like menopause and pregnancy. Other lifestyle factors such as stress, nutritional deficiencies, and abnormal menstruation are common culprits, too.
A small-scale study of women with thinning hair showed that collagen supplementation may not only resolve hair loss but also promote hair growth. Participants that took a nutraceutical supplement containing hydrolyzed marine collagen and other ingredients experienced significant hair growth after 3-6 months. They also noted enhanced hair volume, thickness, and quality, with the added bonus of reduced anxiety.
3. Improve Bone Mineral Density
According to Mayo Clinic, low bone mineral density (BMD) predisposes you to osteoporosis and osteopenia, increasing your risk of bone fractures. Unfortunately, the fairer sex is more vulnerable to decreased BMD when bone loss speeds up during menopause, coupled with our smaller skeletal frame.
Thankfully, one collagen benefit for women lies in strengthening BMD. A 2018 study in the Journal of Nutrients revealed that oral consumption of collagen peptides “increased BMD in postmenopausal women with primary, age-related reduction of BMD.” They also discovered other positive changes such as “increased bone formation and reduced bone degradation.”
4. Promote Better Sleep
If you’ve ever felt like the fairer sex has a tougher time sleeping, you aren’t imagining things.
Per the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, a 2017 study featured in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine discovered that women are more susceptible to:
- Difficulty sleeping at night
- Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS)
- Sleep disorders associated with EDS
- Severe depression
- Poor concentration and memory problems due to sleepiness
But there’s hope that collagen benefits for women may extend to slumber. It’s all thanks to a sleep-promoting amino acid called glycine, which incidentally, is present in collagen.
Multiple studies have shown the effectiveness of pre-bedtime glycine consumption for better sleep quality. Research data published in the Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology explained glycine’s mechanism of action concerning sleep. It turns out that the amino acid aids the natural drop in core body temperature closer to bedtime by widening blood vessels in the extremities like the arms and legs.
So, how much glycine should you take to reap its sleep-promoting benefit? Research recommends three grams just before bedtime. (P.S. Each serving of Zen Principle’s Beef Collagen Peptides Powder provides you with 3.51 grams of glycine.)
5. Aid With Digestion
Ladies may not want to hear this, but it’s a fact that gastrointestinal problems, like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), are more prevalent among women than men. One possible culprit is that the fairer sex has a more “sluggish” digestive system. Other potential causes include gut inflammation and a leaky gut.
So, how do the best collagen supplements for women come into play? New research published in the European Journal of Nutrition found that marine collagen (like Zen Principle’s Marine Collagen Peptides Powder) alleviated gut inflammation associated with colitis (a type of inflammatory bowel disease). Other research evidence also points to marine collagen peptides mitigating and even reversing intestinal mucosa dysfunction characteristic of leaky gut syndrome.
If you'd like to learn more, check out our post on how collagen supplementation optimizes your gut health.
Zen Principle: Some of the Best Collagen Supplements for Women
Those interested in the best collagen supplements for women may want to check out Zen Principle’s collagen collection. We provide three collagen supplements to cater to everyone’s needs:
At this point, you may wonder which collagen supplement you should go for. Well, it depends on the health benefits you’re looking for. To illustrate, marine collagen is rich in Type I collagen, which can benefit your skin. Meanwhile, beef collagen is a potent source of Types I and III collagen that can help with bone health.
Other factors include your budget (marine collagen tends to be pricier than beef collagen) and your dietary preferences. For a more in-depth comparison, read our guide on “Marine Collagen vs. Beef Collagen.”
Also, what’s the difference between hydrolyzed collagen peptides and gelatin? While both forms of collagen are easy to digest, the human body finds it easier to break down hydrolyzed collagen and absorb it.
That’s not to say you should steer clear of gelatin entirely. Due to its consistency, gelatin is often used as a thickening agent in foods to play up their texture. Our comparison guide on “Collagen or Gelatin Powder” can help you decide which one to get.
No matter which Zen Principle collagen supplement(s) you pick, rest assured that they tick all of the above collagen benefits for women. What’s more, each supplement boasts a clean ingredient list free of:
- Fillers,
- Additives,
- Artificial sweeteners,
- Hormones,
- Genetically modified organisms (GMOs),
- Pesticides, and,
- Antibiotics
Our collagen supplements are also packaged in a factory compliant with the FDA’s Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) to ensure consistent quality, freshness, and safety.
So, what are you waiting for? Head over to our Collagen collection today!
