For decades serious gym goers have known the importance of consuming enough protein each day. Protein supplies the body with essential amino acids the body needs to repair damaged muscle, support new muscle growth, and fuel numerous other processes, including hormone and neurotransmitter synthesis.
Whey protein is the most well-known protein powder supplement. It’s fast-digesting, affordable, and delicious. However, there is another powdered protein product that’s just as important as whey.
The protein is Collagen.
Today, we’ll take a closer look at 1UP Hydrolyzed Collagen Peptides and discuss the myriad benefits of collagen protein.
1UP Hydrolyzed Collagen Peptides Features
- Grass-Fed Collagen
- Packed with protein & amino acids
- Nourishes healthy skin & hair
- Enhances skin hydration, elasticity, and firmness
- Promotes a youthful appearance
- Supports healthy joints & tendons
- Hydrolyzed for easy digestion
- Antioxidant support
- Lab Tested
What is Collagen?
Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body, and it accounts for up to 35% of the entire protein content in your body!
Collagen serves as the primary structural protein for your:
- Skin
- Bones
- Muscles
- Tendons
- Ligaments
- Blood vessels
- GI system
Basically, collagen is the glue that gives your body structure and holds it together.
Do I Need to Supplement with Collagen?
Our bodies produce collagen every day, and if you’re already consuming enough dietary protein to support your workouts and transformation challenge goal, then you might think that you don’t need to supplement with collagen.
However, your body’s natural ability to synthesize collagen starts to decline sometime between the ages of 25 and 30, meaning that collagen breakdown exceeds the rate at which it is produced.
Additional factors can also accelerate this process including[1,2]:
- Sunlight
- Smoking
- Environmental pollution
- Alcohol abuse
- Nutrient deficiency
The typical Western diet isn’t particularly rich in foods high in collagen, such as bone broth and organ meats. Put all of these factors together, and the end result is decreased collagen synthesis, which manifests in the form of older-looking, drier, looser skin, thinner hair, more brittle nails, slower wound healing, etc.
Supplementing with hydrolyzed collagen peptides provides a convenient, cost-effective, and delicious means to increase your collagen intake without having to eat liver or chug cases of bone broth.
Ingredients
Grass-Fed Hydrolyzed Collagen
Every serving of 1UP Grass-Fed Hydrolyzed Collagen delivers a nourishing 20 grams of hydrolyzed collagen in every serving.
Hydrolyzing collagen protein breaks the protein’s amino acid chains, improving digestibility and absorption of the key amino acids in collagen -- glycine, proline, hydroxyproline, and arginine.
Supplementing with collagen has been rigorously investigated by research and found to be efficiently taken up and utilized by the the body, and studies indicate that collagen supplements may:
- Improve skin elasticity[3]
- Decrease wrinkles[3]
- Reduce activity-related joint pain[4]
- Promote recovery of lost cartilage[5]
- Strengthen tendons and ligaments[6,7]
- Support lean mass gain in men and women[8,9]
Our 1UP Grass-Fed Hydrolyzed Collagen Peptides are sourced from cattle that have been pasture-raised and grass-fed, free of added hormones and antibiotics. The result is a superior-quality collagen protein powder offering all the benefits of dietary collagen.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is an essential vitamin, powerful antioxidant, and an important player in immune system support. The versatile micronutrient also enhances collagen synthesis as it is a cofactor for prolyl hydroxylase and lysyl hydroxylase-- a pair of enzymes that contribute to the proper folding of the stable collagen triple-helix structure.[10,11]
In addition to its role in collagen synthesis, vitamin C also helps limit the damaging effects of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that can contribute to aging.
Additional research notes vitamin C may increase type 1 collagen synthesis, accelerate bone healing after fractures, and reduce oxidative stress parameters.[12]
1UP Grass-Fed Hydrolyzed Collagen Peptides supplies a full 100mg of Vitamin C per serving.
Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic acid is a substance that belongs to the extracellular matrix (ECM) and possesses the unique ability to bind and retain water molecules.[13] It is most abundant in the skin, accounting for 50% of the body’s total hyaluronic acid content.
Production of hyaluronic acid occurs in the skin; however it has a fairly short existence (meaning it needs to be replenished quite frequently) -- less than a day in the skin and 1-3 weeks in the cartilage.[13]
Supplementation with hyaluronic acid has been shown to stimulate endogenous production of the substance as well as help improve skin wrinkles.[13]
1UP Grass-Fed Hydrolyzed Collagen Peptides supplies a full 100mg of Hyaluronic Acid per serving.
How to Use
Our grass-fed collagen supplement is easily digested and soluble in hot or cold liquids. Adding a scoop of 1UP Hydrolyzed Collagen Peptides to different smoothies, shakes, coffee or other foods (protein pancakes, protein muffins, dressings, etc.) is a delicious way to boost your collagen intake and nourish your hair, skin, nails and joints.
For added support and more vibrant, youthful-looking skin, consider stacking your daily serving of collagen with our advanced skin care formula 1UP Skin Health Plus.
References
- Wong R., Geyer S., Weninger W., Guimberteau J.C., Wong J.K. The Dynamic Anatomy and Patterning of Skin. Exp. Dermatol. 2016;25:92–98. doi: 10.1111/exd.12832.
- Krutmann J., Bouloc A., Sore G., Bernard B.A., Passeron T. The Skin Aging Exposome. J. Dermatol. Sci. 2017;85:152–161. doi: 10.1016/j.jdermsci.2016.09.015.
- Proksch E., Segger D., Degwert J., Schunck M., Zague V., Oesser S. Oral supplementation of specific collagen peptides has beneficial effects on human skin physiology: A double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Skin. Pharmacol. Physiol. 2014;27:47–55. doi: 10.1159/000351376.
- Zdzieblik D., Oesser S., Gollhofer A., Koenig D. Corrigendum: Improvement of activity-related knee joint discomfort following supplementation of specific collagen peptides. Appl. Physiol. Nutr. Metab. 2017;42:1237. doi: 10.1139/apnm-2017-0693.
- McAlindon T.E., Nuite M., Krishnan N., Ruthazer R., Price L.L., Burstein D., Griffith J., Flechsenhar K. Change in knee osteoarthritis cartilage detected by delayed gadolinium enhanced magnetic resonance imaging following treatment with collagen hydrolysate: A pilot randomized controlled trial. Osteoarthr. Cartil. 2011;19:399–405. doi: 10.1016/j.joca.2011.01.001.
- Praet S.F.E., Purdam C.R., Welvaert M., Vlahovich N., Lovell G., Burke L.M., Gaida J.E., Manzanero S., Hughes D., Waddington G. Oral supplementation of specific collagen peptides combined with calf-strengthening exercises enhances function and reduces pain in Achilles tendinopathy patients. Nutrients. 2019;11:76. doi: 10.3390/nu11010076
- Dressler P., Gehring D., Zdzieblik D., Oesser S., Gollhofer A., König D. Improvement of functional ankle properties following supplementation with specific collagen peptides in athletes with chronic ankle instability. J. Sports Sci. Med. 2018;17:198–304. doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2018.09.037.
- Zdzieblik D., Oesser S., Baumstark M.W., Gollhofer A., König D. Collagen peptide supplementation in combination with resistance training improves body composition and increases muscle strength in elderly sarcopenic men: a randomised controlled trial. Br. J. Nutr. 2015;114:1237–1245. doi: 10.1017/S0007114515002810.
- Jendricke P., Centner C., Zdzieblik D., Gollhofer A., König D. Specific collagen peptides in combination with resistance training improve body composition and regional muscle strength in premenopausal women: A randomized controlled trial. Nutrients. 2019;11:892. doi: 10.3390/nu11040892
- Manela-Azulay M, Bagatin E. Cosmeceuticals vitamins. Clin Dermatol. 2009;27(5):469–474.
- Phillips CL, Combs SB, Pinnell SR. Effects of ascorbic acid on proliferation and collagen synthesis in relation to the donor age of human dermal fibroblasts. J Invest Dermatol. 1994;103(2):228–232
- DePhillipo NN, Aman ZS, Kennedy MI, Begley JP, Moatshe G, LaPrade RF. Efficacy of Vitamin C Supplementation on Collagen Synthesis and Oxidative Stress After Musculoskeletal Injuries: A Systematic Review. Orthop J Sports Med. 2018;6(10):2325967118804544. Published 2018 Oct 25. doi:10.1177/2325967118804544
- Oe M, Sakai S, Yoshida H, et al. Oral hyaluronan relieves wrinkles: a double-blinded, placebo-controlled study over a 12-week period. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2017;10:267-273. Published 2017 Jul 18. doi:10.2147/CCID.S141845
