Collagen Protein Powder - How do the Benefits Differ From Whey?

[01dragonslayer]

Collagen protein is an important source of energy for your body. But did you know that it has many other benefits? From lean muscles to smooth skin, collagen offers a lot!

There are two main kinds of protein: Whey and Collagen. Both provide great benefits but they do different things. We’re going to look at the different benefits both whey and collagen protein powder has to offer.

But first, let’s take a closer look at why having enough protein in your body is so important.

Lack of Protein ​

Having a lack of protein in your body can lead to some pretty negative consequences. These are just a few things that can happen if you don’t give your body enough protein (1):

• Swollen and puffy skin
• Slow healing wounds
• Brittle hair, skin and nails
• Lack of energy
• Loss of muscle mass
• Higher risk of bone fractures
• Stunted growth in children
• Decreased ability to fight infections
• Higher levels of hunger

But don’t worry, if you suffer from a protein deficiency or you just want to add some extra protein to your diet, there are some really easy ways to do it.

What Is Whey? ​

You may have heard of whey before when talking about milk. Milk is made up of two different proteins: casein and whey.

When making cheese, the whey is separated from the casein and is formed as a by-product of the cheese-making process. Whey used to be done away with in the past because it was thought to not have any nutritional value. However, whey is a complete protein because it contains all 9 essential amino acids (2).

So now that we have an idea of where whey comes from, let’s talk about the benefits it has to offer.

Benefits of Whey​

Whey is known to help people increase muscle mass. Not only does it help build muscle, but it can also help repair it. Most people drink a whey protein powder shake immediately after a workout to provide their body with the essential protein to repair the muscles they just damaged during their workout weight loss (3).

Along with gaining lean muscle, whey protein can also help with weight loss. In a study conducted by Nutrition & Metabolism researchers found that people who drank the whey protein lost more weight than those that were given a control drink (4).

Whey is also great for lowering cholesterol levels. According to research conducted by The British Journal of Nutrition, study participants given whey protein had a significant decrease in their cholesterol levels over the course of 12 weeks (5).

Adults aren’t the only ones who can benefit from whey. When given to children, whey can help boost their immune system, especially those with asthma (6).

What Is Collagen?​

Okay, so now that we understand a bit more about whey, let’s talk about another type of protein: collagen.

Collagen is the main structural protein of connective tissues in the body and makes up about 30% of all proteins in the body. Collagen can be found in tendons, ligaments, cornea, cartilage, bones, skin and blood vessels (7).

Benefits of Collagen Protein​

Compared to whey, collagen offers a wider variety of benefits. It is similar to whey in that it can help build lean muscles, but it does so much more than that.

Collagen can help in healing joint pains, improve blood pressure, glucose tolerance and provides more elasticity for your skin which means fewer wrinkles and signs of aging (8).

Collagen is an important part of recovery for many athletes. During the game season, athletes are pushing their bodies to their limits and often past it in order to prepare for the next game or competition.

A study conducted by Sports Medicine found that when athletes had a higher intake of collagen they were able to recover more quickly (9).

Your muscles aren’t the only thing that’s benefiting from collagen, your skeletal structure will also thank you. According to Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, collagen protein is quickly absorbed by the body due to the fact that it is highly soluble.

The protein is specifically absorbed through the gut thus crossing the intestinal barrier and becoming available for the metabolic process in certain tissues and gaining better access to the skeletal structure (10). Having more collagen in your bones will help prevent them from breaking and give you a nice strong skeletal structure.

Collagen protein is great for helping with joint pain as well. A study was conducted with athlete participants that experienced activity-related joint pain in their knee. These athletes were given a supplement of collagen protein and over time experienced a significant improvement in the injured area (11). Even though this study shows that collagen protein specifically helps in knee joints, it can also benefit other injured areas as well.

Everyone wants to have that youthful glow and avoid any kind of wrinkles on their face. However, aging is not something we can escape but there are certain things you can do to prevent the visible effects of aging. These are just a few things you can do to prevent your skin from aging as quickly:

• Don’t smoke
• Use sunscreen
• Apply moisturizer
• Stay hydrated
• Have a balanced diet
• Give your body plenty of collagen protein

There are plenty of remedies you can do to help keep your skin healthy, but there are things you can do that go beyond a weekly face mask that will benefit your skin. Providing your body with protein is a great way to get healthy skin.

Studies have shown that collagen has been helpful in lessening the effects of aging on the skin. How does it do that? Collagen protein attracts water in the body which can help hydrate your skin which prevents wrinkles and sagging skin (12). The main benefit of collagen protein can give you that other proteins don’t is healthy skin.

Hydrolyzed Collagen​

Hydrolyzed collagen refers to the process the protein goes through in order to get to its final peptide stage (13). When collagen is hydrolyzed it can be better absorbed by the body thus allowing it to do its work quickly.

WHEN TO TAKE COLLAGEN ​

Collagen protein can be taken at any time however the most beneficial time to take it is after a workout. Taking it right after a workout will help repair the muscles you’ve worked and provide you with more energy.

HOW MUCH SHOULD I TAKE?​

One scoop of collagen protein powder each day should do the trick to provide you all the benefits. If you aren’t planning on working out for the day, you can also take it in the morning during breakfast.

Let’s Recap​

Clearly there are great benefits that come from whey and collagen protein powder drinks. Let’s break down what we talked about and compare the two proteins side by side.

Whey:

• Increases muscle mass
• Repairs muscles
• Aid in weight loss
• Lowers cholesterol levels
• Boosts immune system

Collagen:

• Helps produce lean muscles
• Heals joint pains
• Improves blood pressure
• Prevents wrinkles and sagging
• Provides strong skeletal structure