Are there benefits of collagen in menopause?

Collagen makes up thirty percent of the total protein in our body, and is the most abundant structural protein found in many tissues, including the tendons, ligaments, cartilage, blood vessels and skin.  In recent times, it has been popular to take collagen as a supplement, with many women praising the benefits of collagen in menopause, including improvements in skin, gut health, hair and nail growth and joint pain. This article looks at the evidence of the benefits of collagen in menopause, the role of collagen in the body and types of supplements available and whether there is a benefit in menopause.

What is Collagen?

Collagen is made up of three strands of amino acids, glycine, proline and hydroxyproline, that form a very strong, rope-like structure. This strong structure is important as collagen provides structural support to the tissues including the connective tissue, tendons, skin, cartilage and bones.  It is also involved in tissue repair, immunity, communication between cells and tissue maintenance.  The amino acid hydroxyproline is unique to collagen, and is made from proline and Vitamin C.  Fibroblasts are a type of skin cell where collagen is produced, which also produces elastin for skin elasticity and hyaluronic acid for water retention.  There are at least 28 different types of collagen found in the body, with Type I, II and III being the most abundant.  Type I accounts for 90% and is found in connective tissue, tendons, ligaments, the cornea, bones and skin.  Type II is found mainly in cartilage and Type III is normally found with Type I in blood vessels and the skin. We have more collagen when we are young, losing about 1% per year from the age of 18 years, and by the time we are 80 years of age, we may only have about a quarter of the collagen in our skin compared to when we were younger.

Oestrogen, Menopause and Collagen

Collagen in menopause begins to decline as oestrogen level fall.  Oestrogen is involved in targeting the fibroblasts in the skin and hair follicles that make collagen, which therefore start to produce less collagen in menopause.

The decline in oestrogen and collagen production influence the symptoms experienced in skin health and hair loss, as the skin becomes thinner, drier, less elastic, more wrinkled, skin pigmentation increases and it takes longer for our skin to heal. It is thought that Type I and Type III skin collagen decreases by up to 30% in the first 5 years of post menopause, which, interestingly, is also the time in which decreases in bone mass are seen in postmenopausal women.  Collagen in the skeleton also decreases with menopause and aging, which leads to decreased bone strength, putting women at further risk of osteopenia and osteoporosis.

Collagen Supplementation in Menopause

There are many hydrolysed collagen supplements available, sourced from cattle, pigs, chicken or marine sources.  Collagen is only produced by animals,  so please be wary of vegan sources.  Hydrolysed collagen is basically the collagen broken down into smaller fragments to allow for faster absorption.  Hydrolysed collagen is absorbed into the bloodstream from the small intestine, as smaller fragments and amino acids, and they travel to the skin fibroblasts to produce more collagen.  There is evidence to suggest that the benefits of collagen in menopause (5-15g/day) include:

• Improved skin hydration, elasticity and thickness
• Reduced appearance of wrinkles
• Decreased hair loss
• Benefits in joint pain and osteoarthritis
• Assists in recovery from injuries
• Increases bone mineral density in the prevention of osteopenia and osteoporosis

One study looked at the effects of collagen supplements in 102 post menopausal women who had reduced bone mineral density.  Those who took 5g collagen a day for 1 year had significant increases in bone mineral density compared to those who took the placebo.  A follow up study of 31 of the women found that 5g collagen per day for 4 years resulted in progressive increases in bone mineral density in both the spine and femur.

Lifestyle approaches to slow down collagen decline

Although there are many benefits of collagen in menopause, there are also lifestyle strategies that we can use to slow down the loss of collagen production.  Our body naturally produces collagen from amino acids, so eating adequate protein from foods such as poultry, fish, beans, legumes and eggs will assist in this process.  Vitamin C is also needed for the production of collagen in fibroblasts, eating vitamin C rich foods such as citrus fruits, capsicums, greens and berries will provide sufficient vitamin C.  Overall, a diet higher in plant foods will provide antioxidants to support collagen production by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress.  Collagen loss can also be prevented by not smoking, avoiding excessive alcohol intake, foods high in sugar and ultra processed foods.  Diets also low in AGES (advanced glycation end products) that are found in processed meats, fried foods, roasted and grilled meats will support collagen production. Excessive sun exposure will also slow collagen production in the skin fibroblasts, and wear sunscreen daily.  Consistent, daily exercise including aerobic and resistance exercises will also benefit bone and muscle health, as muscle recovery has been shown to support collagen production.

Collagen has been a popular choice for menopausal women and the anecdotal evidence of the benefits in menopause continue to be reported, there is more growing evidence of the overall and varied benefits of collagen supplementation.  There is much more to be learned to understand the mechanisms involved which gives the opportunity for more research to be undertaken in this emerging area.

If you are needing any help with your menopause experience and you are looking for an individualised approach to your personal needs, contact me for a Discovery call to learn more.

References:

1  Chiang Tsay-I et al, Amelioration of estrogen deficiency-induced obesity by collagen hydrolysate, Int J of Med Sci, 2016 13(11):853-857

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5118756/pdf/ijmsv13p0853.pdf

2  Healthline, What is Collagen, and What Is It Good For?

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/collagen#what-it-is-and-uses  

3  Khatri M et al, The effects of collagen peptide supplementation on body composition, collagen synthesis and recovery from joint injury and exercise: a systematic review, Amino Acids (2021) 53:1493-1506

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34491424/

4  Konig D et al, Specific Collagen Peptides Improve Bone Mineral Density and Bone Markers in Postmenopausal Women – A Randomised Controlled Study, Nutrients, 2018, 10,97

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5793325/pdf/nutrients-10-00097.pdf

5  Thinking Nutrition, Are collagen supplements legit or just Insta influencer fairy dust?

https://www.thinkingnutrition.com.au/collagen-supplements/  

6  Thinking Nutrition, Collagen supplements: the science behind the health benefits

https://www.thinkingnutrition.com.au/collagen-supplements-health/  

7  Thompson MJ, Estrogens and aging skin, Dermato-Endocrinology, 2013 5:2 264-270

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3772914/pdf/de-5-264.pdf

8  Tsagari A, Dietary protein intake and bone health, JFSF, March 2020, Vol 5, No 1, 1-5

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7155358/pdf/JFSF-5-001.pdf

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