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Growing demand for collagen in dietary supplements
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Friday, 26 August, 2022, 15 : 00 PM [IST]
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Dr Rashmi P & Vishak Harish
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Collagen is the most abundant protein that makes up the structure of the cells and tissues of living organisms. Collagen is the principal protein of the tendons, ligaments, cartilage and bones. Depending upon the mineralisation of the collagen it may be rigid i.e., bones or soft i.e., tendons or may have a gradient from soft to rigid.
It is mainly composed of amino acids like glycine, proline and hydroxyproline. Collagen is usually a triple-helix structure /of polypeptides held by hydrogen bonding. It provides structural support to the tissues and protects the softer tissues in the body and connects them to the skeletal structure of the body.
It also plays a vital role in tissue repair, the immune response of the body, cellular communication and cellular migration. It is produced in the cells of fibroblasts which are present in the connective tissues. The human body is completely able to produce and maintain a healthy amount of collagen in the body just by including a good amount of protein, vitamins C and D and minerals like calcium and zinc in our daily diet.
Nowadays many people are opting for supplements as their main source of collagen intake as it is much easier and simple to intake rather than food. Most collagen supplements go through the process of hydrolysation which means it is broken down into peptides to facilitate their easy absorption by the body.
Usually, the digestive enzymes break down the collagen in our diet into smaller peptides for absorption. So, the supplements are broken down initially to facilitate easier and faster absorption by the body. The supplements are available in tablets, powders and capsules for the consumers. Collagen has many potential health benefits. However, they have not yet been conclusively proved by the researchers.
A few reasons for collagen consumption are that people are suffering from various age-related ailments. As people age, their skin begins to sag and wrinkles appear due to the decreased production of collagen in their bodies. And their bone density also decreases because of the reduced amount of collagen.
Sometimes women also go bald and some studies have shown an increase in hair quality, thickness and scalp coverage after taking the supplements. Collagen supplements are also used for osteoarthritis as they act as mild pain relievers, but it usually takes 6 to 8 months for significant results to show.
Collagen is being used by many bodybuilders while they are undergoing weight training as it has shown to increase muscle mass and strength. But one main drawback is that these supplements sometimes do not contain one or two of the essential amino acids which is a little harmful to the body. So the supplements should always be taken with a proper diet to overcome their shortcomings of the supplements. The word supplements itself suggests that they are meant to be taken with a proper diet.
The use of collagen supplements has many pros and cons, some of which are discussed below.The major problem with the use of collagen supplements is that most of the time these supplements lack the essential nine amino acids in them. So, when these supplements are taken excessively many health problems may arise due to the lack of essential amino acids.
People have started to use these supplements excessively because of the anecdotal evidence of these supplements improving overall health like skin quality and hydration, bone density and muscle mass. Various people working in different walks of life for whom the above-mentioned factors play a major role started to use supplements. Others seeing these people also started to use these for the same reasons. But by overlooking the fact that their body requirements might be different some ended up causing harm to themselves.
We know that these supplement manufacturers extract collagen from animals like pigs, cows and fish. At times the manufacturer uses genetically modified animals to increase their collagen yield. Due to this some of the peptides present in the supplements may not be beneficial to humans.
Other than this, these supplements have also shown to cause bloating and heartburn as the stomach can take much longer to digest these. And if it is taken in large amounts, it may cause constipation in some people or it may end up causing diarrhoea which may last for months. Others may face allergic issues as they might be sensitive to these supplements as they are mainly sourced from animals.
The allergic reactions may be irritation, swelling in the parts of the face, wheezing, abdominal pains, nausea or vomiting. The risk of formation of kidney stones is also higher as these supplements have hydroxyproline amino acid in them. This amino acid has been shown to cause kidney stones. So, people using the supplements must be cautious of this. And these supplements are not vegan. People with a vegan diet may not be comfortable using these.
Other ingredients used in the making of supplements like gums, fillers preservatives, dyes to give the colour or any other such ingredient may have their side effects which are usually overlooked by the consumers.
The increasing focus on a healthy lifestyle and the increasing number of buyers each year is boosting the market growth. In 2021, the collagen supplement market size was valued at $9 billion globally and it is expected to only grow from this point. It is expected to reach $17 billion by the end of 2028.
(Dr Rashmi is professor and head, Department
of Pharmaceutical Chemistry. Mallige College of Pharmacy;
Harish is II year BSc student at Nrupathunaga University, Bengaluru.
They can be reached at blazeeryder@gmail.com)
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