Have You Tried Collagen Peptides?

By Victoria Waang

I made the commitment to post about Bruno MD’s Royal Collagen Peptide Powder on Instagram prior to the COVID-19 outbreak. I actually postponed posting in hopes that this dire situation would have diffused itself by now. Obviously (and unfortunately) that hasn’t been the case, so I am writing and posting this in the hopes that it would bring some sort of spring time joy to you. I shot the Instagram portrait by myself, it is pretty removed from my initial concept, but when stuck inside what can we do, right? Let me know your thoughts as I would love to hear from you! I genuinely mean that, connecting with others is something that I relish in. Let’s be friends! Are you interested in seeing how I shoot professional quality portraits at home? 

I also wish to note that I completely empathize and understand that not everyone has the means or desire to pick up anything new right now, do not feel inclined, just keep the faith! Lift up every and all spirits; yours and the ones around you! This will pass! We must be vigilant in safeguarding our health; physical, mental, and spiritual! Things right now are challenging to say the least, but you got this! We got this! What’s most important though, is that we stay logical, informed, and calm. “Keep calm and carryon” as the Brits would say… Don’t believe everything you read, see, or hear. Only trust verified sources by government backed agencies such as the Center for Disease Control (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO), Health Canada, or a similar entity central to the country that you reside in. Wherever you are in the world know that the precautions set in place are here to help all of us contain this awful virus. Following the five —

1. Wash your HANDS often

2. Cough into your ELBOW

3. Don’t touch your FACE

4. Stay more than 3-6 FEET AWAY from one another

5. Feel SICK? Stay home!        
   
   

— Are the best and most effective ways to live presently, and going forward. With saying that, I hope that you do realize spring has sprung! It is upon us and even though we are inside; we can still bloom! What has been keeping you in full bloom? For me, and for some people that I have spoken to through social media, keeping a routine that feels like a regular day is integral to maintaining balance and feeling good right now. During the work week I always start my day with a juice or smoothie full of nutrients, so I have been vigilant in continuing this habit during quarantine. Collagen is a supplement that I recently started trying (and have been loving the results) thanks to the one woman show - the design rockstar that is, Mia Suresh… thanks Mia!

So what is Collagen, you ask?

Collagen essentially is the glue that keeps your body together. It is most known for the colossal benefits it provides to ones skin, especially those of us who are maturing. In an article focused on the effects of collagen on damaged skin it suggested that “collagen peptide is beneficial as a dietary supplement to suppress UV-B-induced skin damage and photoaging” (Tanaka et al). By consuming collagen, it actually invigorates the body to produce more. More collagen equals firmer, more elasticized skin, stronger hair, skin, and even nails. Collagen also helps prevent joint pain, decreases inflammation, and rebuilds cartilage. It really helps with bone health, and people with arthritis or osteoporosis should consider adding collagen to their intake. In fact a scholarly article from The Journal of Current Medical Research and Opinion postulated that “Collagen hydrolysate is a nutritional supplement that has been shown to exert an anabolic effect on cartilage tissue. Its administration appears beneficial in patients with osteoarthritis”. (Clark et al). Additional studies have also claimed that collagen aids in muscle recovery when used in conjunction with a healthy diet, exercise, and recovery product such as protein powder. Collagen promotes better sleep with glycine which regulates the body’s temperature and keeps it cooler. Most of us need to be a touch cooler in order to settle into a good night’s rest.  Collagen also balances hormones in females, lines the respiratory and digestive tracks, and is linked to preventing dementia. If you are looking to feel and look your best, you should consider adding collagen into your regimen as soon as possible. I’ve been using collagen steadily for the last month, but have consumed it on-and-off since I started properly working out at the gym.

Here are my top choices:


1. Neocell
I enjoyed Neocell because it was able to dissolve into hot liquids like coffee or tea! This product leaves no powder behind, it completely vanishes into your beverage of choice and is tasteless. This brand also carries the product in capsule form and is available on Amazon!

2. Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides Powder
I liked this brand because they offer a plethora of options, whether you would like collagen water, or matcha flavour, they are a one-stop-shop and can even be found at Urban Outfitters.

3. Bruno MD Royal Collagen Peptides Powder
What I’ve enjoyed most about Bruno MD is that this product seems very potent. Out of these options, this one has delivered results immediately. It dissolves quickly but can only be used in cold beverages. Its proprietary ingredient of medicinal grade vitamin c from three different strains of Italian blood orange; moro, sanguinello, and tarocco are especially important during this time. I recently read an article in the New York Post that has claimed that New York physicians who are handling the COVID-19 pandemic are delivering high amounts of vitamin c to their patients, and it is. actually helping them fight through the illness. Though there is no way to prove this, it is my belief that if we have fuller stores of vitamin c now, we will be more equipped to handle the flu or COVID-19.  Now that I’ve been adding this specific collagen to my morning beverage, I feel better about my intake of vitamin c. This product has a sweet after taste but it is not bitter, you may read that there are a lot of collagen products that taste bitter so rest assured that this is not one of them!

4. Good Old Fashioned Bone Broth
If you’re uneasy about utilizing the collagen powder, as it all comes from animal/meat related sources, you can fill up on some collagen the old fashioned way — with some hearty bone broth! A good bone broth will be stocked with collagen so sip up, and enjoy, cheers!

So there you have it! I’ve personally tried them all and hope that you will try one for yourself! As a disclaimer, I never ever post anything that I do not use, or would not use myself. Authenticity is key! Is anyone interested in reading or hearing about the vitamins and supplements that I take regularly? Do you know of any vitamins or supplements that one should try right away? What do you look for in wellness products?

Thank you for being here, the world needs you.


Big big virtual hug,

Victoria and Alpha
xoxo

As a disclaimer: This is a paid partnership through Heartbeat and Bruno MD. A commission was made for this website through the initial Instagram post.

Works Cited

Koyama Yoh-ichi, Tanaka Midori, and Nomura Yoshihiro in Effects of Collagen Peptide Ingestion on
UV-B Induced Skin Damage. The Journal of Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry Inc, 2014.

Albert Ann, Aukermann Douglas F, Clark Kristine L, Deitch John R, Flechsenhar Klaus R, Meza Felix, Millard

Roberta L, Sebastianelli Wayne, and Sherbondy Paul S on 24-Week study on the use of collagen hydrolysate as a dietary supplement in athletes with activity-related joint pain. The Journal of Current Medical Research and Opinion Inc, 2008.