5 Ways Collagen Can help You Stay Healthy in a Pandemic
Immunity is important. Now more than ever, thanks to COVID-19. A strong immune system is one of the biggest defences you have against the virus. The building blocks of your immune system are antibodies. They keep away viruses and bacteria, and by doing that, they help you stay healthy. You need to have enough antibodies to fight off diseases. And the best way to ensure that you have a lot of antibodies, is to get enough protein.
This is where collagen comes into play.
Collagen is a protein which 25-35% of your whole body is made up of. It is present in your skin, bones, ligaments, tendons, blood vessels, and your gut. With age, the body’s natural production of collagen starts to decline. The body produces less and less collagen, which affects the aforementioned connective tissue and results in their weakening.
When we are sick, or recovering from an illness, the body uses more proteins and antibodies to heal itself. Making sure that the levels of proteins and antibodies are high is vital to achieve a faster, more effective recovery.
Here are five ways collagen helps you achieve better health.
Helps in Detoxification - Collagen contains an amino acid known as Glycine. Glycine helps produce glutathione, a powerful antioxidant which reduces damage to your liver. Such damage is usually caused by toxins that are present in viruses. To put it simply, your body already has the ability to naturally detoxify. But collagen offers some extra help which is always appreciated.
Minimises Inflammation - Inflammation is the thing that can decrease the body’s ability to recover fast. It takes away the energy needed to combat illnesses. Collagen can help you ward off all those things by reducing inflammation.
Keeps Away Autoimmune Disorders - When the body is recovering from an illness, cells can sometimes start to attack themselves by mistake. This is what’s known as an autoimmune disorder. Such disorders usually manifest in one particular area of the body, such as the joints (which is known as arthritis). Since collagen aids in the strength and resiliency boosting of all the tissues in the human body, it can help minimise the damage that cells cause themselves, thereby reducing the risk of an autoimmune disorder.
Helps Keep the Heart Healthy - One of the properties in collagen is Proline, which can help affect the depositing of fat in the arteries. It can also help repair arterial tissues, aiding in blood pressure management and helping improve heart health.
Heals Wounds - Be it a cut, a scrape, or an internal injury, the body needs enough raw materials to heal it. According to a 2015 study, collagen is the body’s “material of choice” when it comes to healing wounds.
We can all also use a little more peace of mind in this Coronavirus pandemic by making sure we are staying healthy. In more ways than one, collagen helps you have a stronger immune system and an improved overall health, which is good for your peace of mind.