Collagen and Bone Health

You probably already know that collagen is an essential component for the proper functioning of the human body. It is found in most of the body’s tissues: bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, organs, tissues, skin, and more! It is its role in bone health that interests us here. In fact, we believe that knowing about the role of collagen will help you understand the relevance of adding collagen supplements to your daily routine.

Strong bones for a strong body

An adult body consists of 206 bones, from the top of the head to the tips of the fingers and toes. Together they perform essential functions, the most obvious of which are related to mobility. However, it would be wrong to think that these are the only functions of the bones. Indeed, our skeleton helps to:

• Protect our organs and viscera. Most of them are in the skeletal cavities. Thus, the skull protects the brain, while the thorax protects the heart, lungs and part of the digestive system.
• The joints, which are part of the skeletal system, ensure the mobility of the body, allowing us to make different movements.
• Bone marrow, which is found in the vertebrae, produces the red and white blood cells that make up the blood and are important for the immune system.
• Bones help our body store minerals that are essential to its functioning.

The role of collagen in bones

Collagen is a protein estimated to make up about 30% of the total bone mass. Its role is to allow minerals, such as calcium and phosphorus, to bind to bone tissue. Collagen thus plays a key role in bone regeneration. However, collagen production slows down as we age. At some point, the loss of bone cells becomes greater than cell regeneration. In addition, the collagen found in our bodies is gradually eliminated, resulting in the appearance of wrinkles on the skin or stiffness and pain in the joints.

This combination of factors can also lead to bone health problems. Indeed, the loss of bone mass is directly linked to a serious condition that threatens all people over the age of 50: osteoporosis. Bones become porous, which reduces their flexibility, rigidity, and density. They then become more prone to fractures, which can occur even in the case of a minor fall, which would have had no effect on healthy bones.