Mark Sisson, founder of Primal Kitchen • May 23, 2024
For years, the bodybuilding, protein-gorging community has maligned collagen for its nonessential status and lack of input into the muscle-protein synthesis process. From their perspective, it makes sense. Why bother with “low quality” protein like gelatin/collagen when you can pound the whey, eat the meat, and focus on other sources of the essential amino acids directly involved in building muscle? Except the research is showing that these “nonessential” proteins are actually pretty darn useful.
1 We don’t make enough glycine to cover our body’s needs Most people view amino acids in one of two ways: either they’re essential, meaning our bodies can’t synthesize them, or they’re inessential, meaning our bodies can. In actuality, there’s a third category: amino acids can be conditionally essential. Glycine, the primary amino acid in collagen, is synthesized from the amino acid serine to the tune of 3 grams per day. That’s not nearly enough. The human body requires at least 10 grams per day for basic metabolic processes, so we’re looking at an average daily deficit of 7 grams that we need to make up for through diet. The body needs even more in disease states that disrupt glycine synthesis, like rheumatoid arthritis.
2 It’s good for your skin. Your face is made of collagen. Your underarms are made of collagen. All the problematic swathes of skin liable to descend into wrinkly parchment are made of collagen. Collagen provides body and bounce. Increasing collagen consumption to maintain skin appearance may provide a lot more than just a cosmetic intervention.
3 It improves sleep quality One of my go-to “sleep hacks” is a big mug of bone broth about an hour before bed. It always knocks me out (in a good, non-narcotic way). And according to research, I’m not making this up or experiencing the placebo effect. Human studies show that 3 grams of glycine taken before bed increases the quality of your sleep and reduces daytime sleepiness following sleep restriction.
4 It’s good for your joints. Remember that study showing how we need at least 10 grams of glycine each day for basic metabolic processes? One of those processes is the maintenance of the collagen levels in our body (the most abundant protein we carry, in fact). Collagen is everywhere through the human body, but it concentrates where joints meet and in the connective tissue binding us together. Those 10 grams of glycine is just for maintenance, not repair after catastrophic injury or recovery from intense loading. If you’re a heavy exerciser or are recovering from joint damage, supplementary collagen/gelatin/ glycine will improve your resilience. A 2008 human study also found that giving collagen hydrolysate supplements reduced pain in athletes complaining of joint pain.
5 We’re wasting half the animal otherwise The average cow is half muscle meat and half “other stuff.” Most people only eat the muscle meat and ignore everything else, which includes bones, connective tissue, cartilage, tendons, and other collagenous material. The other stuff ends up in pet food or used by other industries, but we could be eating it, getting healthier, and wasting less food in the process.
Mark Sisson is a NYT bestselling author and health expert and the founder of PRIMAL KITCHEN®, a company on a mission to create uncompromisingly delicious condiments, sauces, cooking oils, collagen protein and pantry staples that contain no dairy, gluten, grain, refined or added sugar or soy.
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