During pregnancy, a woman not just feeds herself but feeds her fetus growing inside her womb. This is why women need to consume a diet with high nutritional value. According to recent research, it was found that women need to increase the intake of collagen during pregnancy.
Collagen is helpful to improve the flexibility of the muscles and add extra strength to a woman’s body. However, that doesn’t mean you need to start considering collagen supplements in excess in your diet. It may be harmful to the fetus and you. With that in mind, we will discuss the benefits and side effects of collagen in this blog. Let’s continue reading.
In This Article
- What is Collagen?
- What Are Collagen Peptides?
- Different Types of Collagen
- Benefits Of Collagen During Pregnancy
- Side Effects of Collagen During Pregnancy
- Tips For Buying Best Collagen Supplements While Pregnant
- FAQ’s
What Is Collagen?
Collagen is a protein widely present in almost all animal bodies, including humans. Our body tissues are made of collagen protein. Our body can also synthesize collagen to bring elasticity to the tissues and improve muscle strength.
During pregnancy, a woman’s body changes a lot, and as the fetus grows, the muscles and tissues of a mother expand. There is a high chance of breaking collagen protein. For this reason, you will need to increase the consumption of collagen in the diet during pregnancy.
On top of this, collagen also helps build the growing baby’s tissues and muscles. However, if you are already eating meaty sources like fish and chicken, you probably don’t need to add more collagen supplements to your diet.
What Are Collagen Peptides?
Collagen peptides refer to the small protein pieces obtained from animal collagen. This is made after the breakdown of complex collagen into small peptides. Research says that adding collagen to a pregnant woman’s diet can bring elasticity to the skin and build more cartilage.
It also helps in improving muscle strength and power required to support the growing fetus. Moreover, it is helpful to improve bone density too.
Different Types of Collagen
Generally, five different types of collagen present are beneficial for women to consume during pregnancy. These are as follows;
Type I Collagen
This is made with connective tissues and densely packed fibres. Usually, it is found in bovine and marine food supplements. Type I collagen is also found in the skin and helps promote bone density, teeth, muscles, etc.
Type II Collagen
This collagen type is present in marine food supplements such as grass-fed bovine. It is loosely packed as compared to Type I. It helps you build cartilage generally in ribs, nose, larynx, trachea, and joints.
Type III Collagen
Type III works like Type I collagen to structure the muscles and organs. It plays a vital role in shaping the organ and tissues built in the growing fetus during pregnancy. This is why it is often recommended that the woman add collagen Type III to her diet during pregnancy.
Type V Collagen
This collagen is beneficial in providing structure to the mother and fetus’s bones and muscles. Besides this, it is also known to boost the cell formation of the placenta, which acts as a connecting medium between mother and fetus. Including Type V collagen as a supplement in pregnant women’s diet can help to boost the production of cells.
Type X
Type X collagen is helpful in the formation of the cartilage in the body. Naturally, this type of collagen is present in endochondral muscles.
How Much Collagen Is Safe To Take During Pregnancy?
Although there is no research evidence provided by the health associates about how much collagen is safe to take during pregnancy, you can consume a scoop of collagen powder with milk or tea in the morning as far as it is safe for you.
However, it would be great to take your doctor’s advice before including collagen in the diet to be safe. The reason is excessive collagen intake may cause an allergic reaction.
Benefits of Collagen During Pregnancy
During pregnancy, women’s bodies expand, especially the belly, thigh, and arms regions, and excess fat deposits on these areas. The connective skin tissues become loose, which results in stretch marks. Therefore, if women consume collagen during pregnancy, it helps bring elasticity to the muscles. This, in turn, helps to improve skin tissues flexibility and enhance bone strength.
In addition to this, regular consumption of collagen protein can be beneficial in so many ways. Let’s discuss them.
1. Improves Bone Density
Women are at greater risk of losing bone density and bone reabsorption during pregnancy. Therefore, consuming hydrolyzed collagen can be the upper hand in boosting bone density. Collagen helps to improve calcium absorption into the body. As a result, bone density will be increased, which further reduces the chances of osteoporosis in women after pregnancy.
2. Relief From Joint Pain
As the fetus matures into the female body, the muscles near the uterus relax and become weak. This may create pressure on the joint areas and result in constant pain. This is why it is recommended to include collagen in the diet to prevent joint pain. It helps increase muscle elasticity, which in turn protects collagen breaks in muscles and tissues and keeps you safe from joint inflammation and pain.
Revitalize Skin
Stretch marks, skin pigmentation, and breaking of the skin collagen are quite common during pregnancy. The breaking of the skin collagen may result in itchiness. In that case, women can include hydrolyzed collagen supplements in their diet. It helps build new skin cells, improves elasticity, and brings healthy skin.
3. Promote Growth of Baby
Like, collagen is necessary for women, it is also vital for the growth of the fetus. It promotes skin formation and builds muscles and cartilage in the growing baby. Moreover, collagen also fulfils the protein requirement of the growing baby. In addition to this, it increases the bone density of the baby.
4. No More Morning Sickness
Not only for skin and bone health, but collagen is also beneficial to combat morning sickness. Collagen intake keeps a check on sugar levels in the blood and fulfils all the protein requirements in the body, which keeps women healthy.
Side Effects of Collagen During Pregnancy
Collagen intake is safe during pregnancy. However, it would be a good idea to consult with your doctor to know about the safe dose of collagen. Taking collagen in excess can cause itching and rashes. So, be sure to take your doctor’s advice before adding a supplement to the diet.
Tips For Buying Best Collagen Supplements While Pregnant
As Discussed above, collagen is great for the growth of the baby and mother’s body, so it is essential to include it in the diet. However, not all collagen is safe for consumption, so be sure to follow these tips to find the best collagen while pregnant.
- Make sure the collagen you choose is not adulterated
- Prefer to have natural collagen sources such as lean meat, fish, seaweed, bovine, and chicken
- Collagen is available in different forms, such as powder and pills. Prefer to have powdered collagen as it is easily mixed with liquid like milk and water. Moreover, it absorbs into the body quickly.
- Be sure the collagen supplement you choose is clinically tested or certified by the health-associated and food health ministry, which shows that collagen is safe for pregnant women.
In a nutshell, collagen is a natural protein in the body. But during pregnancy, the muscles start stretching, and bones density decreases. Therefore, women need to increase their intake of collagen. But keep in mind, consuming collagen in excess can also cause allergies and may invite diseases. Hence, it is advised to ask for a doctor’s recommendation before you start consuming collagen.
FAQ’s
1. How Much Collagen is Safe During Pregnancy?
Ideally, it depends on the requirement of a woman’s body and how much her doctor prescribes for her. Generally, 2.0-15 mg of collagen is safe to consume.
2. Can Excess Collagen Consumption Cause Miscarriage?
Although collagen is helpful to boost bone density and elasticity in the tissues. But excessive consumption of collagen can lead to abnormal expression of proteins and cause pathological issues associated with pregnancy. This may lead to diabetes and even miscarriage. Hence, it would be great to ask for a doctor’s recommendation before consuming.
3. Is Collagen Beneficial to Improving The Elasticity of The Tissues?
Collagen is highly beneficial for pregnant women because it helps to improve the elasticity of the tissues. During pregnancy, the skin tissues expand, especially in the belly region. As a result, muscles become sore and leave behind stretch marks. This is why it would be great for women to consume collagen to improve the elasticity of the tissues.
