Collagen for Coffee: Beneficial or Bogus?

With most of the population drinking beverages such as tea or coffee, the question arises whether collagen supplements can be added to the coffee without damaging their beneficial effects.

• There are many myths that if you have collagen along with coffee, the proteins may melt because of the heat (which is untrue). Collagen is available in both flavored and unflavored forms. Because the unflavored form is of no taste, it can be added to foods and beverages without hampering the flavors. As collagen is a protein, it may get degraded at higher temperatures.
• Because the proteins get degraded as the temperature increases, collagen supplements may get rendered useless if exposed to high temperatures.
• Coffee is brewed at lower temperatures than what may be required to harm the supplement. Therefore, it is advised to prepare the coffee. Add some amount of collagen supplement to it, stir, and then consume it. The temperature should increase to 572°F for a protein to get degraded.
• Coffee when prepared at temperatures of 185°F, it is improbable for the collagen supplement to be impaired if mixed in scalding coffee.
• Coffee is one of the favorite beverages of both older and younger generations. The day does not start in most households without this hot beverage. Therefore, it does not come as a surprise that the most preferred drink would be coffee to have the collagen supplement.
• Collagen is broken down into smaller components so that it can be easily dissolved in liquids.

The daily requirement of proteins from foods should be encouraged. The collagen supplement could be used instead of sugar or sugar supplements.

Seven health benefits of collagen include:

1. There are no established clinical trials conducted concerning collagen. Thus, most of what we know about these supplements comes from people who claim to use these supplements regularly or from anecdotal evidence.
2. Oral supplements of collagen may reduce wrinkles on the skin. They can also be beneficial in wound healing, where the bleeding is controlled and inflammation is reduced. Supplements can be administered in the form of gels or powders.
3. The bone becomes more brittle and less dense with age. Studies have reported that taking collagen supplements may increase the density of the bone and helps maintain healthy and strong bone.
4. Hair loss is most commonly seen in older people. However, studies have reported that older people taking collagen supplements daily have improved hair growth in terms of quantity, scalp coverage, and thickness.
5. Few people experience nail breakage very often. Therefore, it is proven that a daily intake of collagen supplements will help in healthier and thick nails. Moreover, this improvement can be observed very early; taking collagen supplements daily for four to five weeks shows a positive result.
6. Daily intake of collagen supplements may help reduce osteoarthritis pain. Although collagen supplements relieve pain and improve the functioning of joints, this improvement can be observed after taking the collagen supplement daily for about four to five months.
7. Collagen supplements potentially help increase muscle mass and strength.

Collagen is produced naturally in our body by combining different amino acids (building blocks of proteins).

To stimulate collagen in your body, the body needs the following:

• Proline: Found in eggs, dairy products, mushrooms, and asparagus
• Glycine: Found in various protein-rich foods such as pork skin, chicken skin, and gelatin
• Vitamin C: Present in citrus fruits and bell peppers
• Zinc: Found in meat products such as beef, lamb, and shellfish and meat-free products such as lentils, chickpeas, nuts, and dairy products such as milk and cheese
• Copper: Found in lentils, cashews, cocoa powder, organ meat, and sesame seeds

Fourteen grams of collagen peptide supplement contain the following:

There may be some disadvantages of having these supplements.

• For example, these supplements may cause occasional bloating and heartburn. 
• Moreover, these supplements are made up of common food allergens such as eggs and shellfish; hence, people should avoid these supplements.

Collagen may be lost during pregnancy, menopause, and smoking. Low levels of vitamin C or ascorbic acid may also cause loss of collagen. Some conditions, such as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and osteogenesis imperfecta, may reduce the collagen content, which is also fatal to the person who has it.

As collagen is required by the body to maintain normal bone and muscle health, collagen supplements can be one of the options available. Collagen supplements are essentially safe to be taken with coffee without any adverse effects on the supplements.

Although there are not many downsides to having these supplements, it should be kept in mind that these supplements should not replace the standard protein requirement supplied by the diet.