Why Your Gut Deserves Collagen Peptides

Collagen protein can help transform your health and wellbeing, fortifying skin and nails, bolstering muscle growth and more. It’s popular in the beauty world as well, touted for helping you maintain a youthful appearance. But collagen has another amazing use: transforming your gut health.

So what do we mean when we say “gut”?

First, we aren't talking about the beer-belly you had post-college. When health specialists talk about the gut, they are typically referring to the digestive tract, especially your intestines. Your digestive tract starts with your mouth and esophagus, passes through the stomach, and ends with, well, you know where it ends.  When we think of digestion, we often stop at the stomach. But digestion is so much more than your stomach breaking down food. In fact, your stomach is only a small part of it. From the moment food enters your mouth, your body is working hard to make the most of any nutrients it can receive. So while your stomach is important, it doesn’t do all the heavy work when it comes to absorbing nutrients.

A leaky gut

If you’re not receiving enough water from your faucet, you might be dealing with a leaky pipe. Your gut can work the same way: if the pipes are leaky, you might not be receiving the nutrients you need. In this case, the pipes are your gut. Just like a faulty pipe, your gut can become leaky over time. This is due to a number of factors, from age to a poor diet. While more research needs to be done, the idea is that gaps in the lining of your intestines allow large, harmful molecules to pass through, while nutrients slip by. When you have a leaky gut, even if you eat nutritious food, you may not be receiving all the contained nutrients. Another theory is that when you are not absorbing necessary nutrients, such as protein, your body has to turn elsewhere to find it. And unfortunately, that is, well, itself. This leads to a host of issues, including inflammation and autoimmune issues affecting anything from the thyroid to the skin. Emerging research links many autoimmune disorders to having a leaky gut. Studies suggest that the permeability of intestinal walls can be linked to the emergence or worsening of autoimmune disorders, as they can leave the body susceptible to a variety of pathogens, excess bacteria, toxins, and antigens. Long story short, a healthy gut is a happy gut.

So how can we patch up the gut?

Here’s a hard and fast rule: the best to promote good gut health is to promote good general health. This is where collagen protein can help! Collagen has been suggested as a way of patching up a leaky gut. Why is that? Well, collagen is rich in the amino acids glycine, glutamine and proline, which can all help your stomach and digestive tract. Glutamine is one of the body’s most abundant amino acids. The intestines alone use up to 30% of the body’s glutamine, showing just how important it is. Studies show that it is essential for structural integrity, the intestines’ inflammatory response and protection against cellular stresses. Collagen helps regulate stomach acids, preventing it from excessive release. This could also help with heartburn. Glycine and proline’s effect on acid may also reduce the risk of stomach ulcers, which are as unpleasant as they sound. Collagen helps the intestinal tract absorb large nutrients, while at the same time maintaining a structurally sound lining, one that doesn’t allow excessively large molecules to enter the bloodstream. The body produces collagen in the digestive tract, specifically in the intestines, and then uses that collagen to repair itself when needed. The amino acids in collagen provide the building blocks for a tight digestive lining. When it comes down to your gut health and keeping it free from leaks, what really matters is your amino acids. Rich in amino acids, collagen can help your body maintain its own gut health. Good overall health depends on good gut health. That’s why BUBS Naturals uses grass-fed collagen to make collagen peptides that are highly bioavailable and easy for your body to absorb. This in turn can help strengthen the lining of your digestive tract, so that your body resists pathogens and absorbs nutrients more efficiently. Do your gut a huge favor and put our collagen protein to work!

The Bottom Line

From diet to illness, there are many reasons why a person may have a leaky gut. However, emerging research shows that the amino acids in collagen peptides play a critical role in filling in the gaps to support the lining of the gut, making them an essential part of healing a leaky gut and maintaining wellness throughout the body.