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WHY WOULD I WANT COLLAGEN PROTEIN?
As its name seems to tell us, collagen protein is about protein. As we all know, or should know anyway, high quality, complete dietary protein is important to obtain every day. Proteins are about the amino acids they contain, the building blocks of life the protein provides the body. Taking a close look at the amino acid content of a protein can tell you a lot about its potential value.
Collagen, like gelatin, is a nutritionally incomplete protein (its protein quality score, PDCAAS = 0). It is missing at least one of the essential amino acids; tryptophan. The body needs tryptophan for normal growth and development, especially for infants, and nitrogen balance in adults.
WHAT IS NITROGEN BALANCE AND WHY DO YOU CARE?
Here’s a quick comment on that from an old, but still valid reference from the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA)2
“Studies on human subjects have repeatedly shown that, if any one of the essential amino acids is lacking, the others are poorly utilised or may be excreted with a resulting “negative nitrogen balance.” This phenomenon explains the “poor biologic value” of certain dietary proteins, such as gelatin, which is low in tryptophan,”
Tryptophan is also the essential amino acid the body needs to produce serotonin and melatonin; critical for sleep and mood stability.3
Collagen protein is nutritionally imbalanced, with an overabundance of some amino acids and an absence or near absence of others. Here are a few examples of what that means;
• We all know that there are 22 amino acids delivered in every NeoLife protein product. In contrast, most collagen proteins only list values for 16 -18.
• The single amino acid glycine is the dominant amino acid in collagen and alone can account for up to 35% of the total content.
• Collagen proteins contain little or no:
› cysteine – important for glutathione production.
› cystine – closely related to cysteine, involved in immune cell functions.
› glutamine – important for recovery from injury.
› asparagine – required for brain development and function.
• Though promoted by some companies for muscle building, collagen proteins are relatively low in muscle building branch chain amino acids (BCAA’s).
NeoLifeShake has 2 to 3 times more muscle-building BCAA’s than collagen protein.
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SO WHERE DOES THIS LEAVE US?
There is no doubt that getting all the amino acids you need each day is fundamental to health. It is also true that certain amino acids play different roles in the body, either individually or synergistically with others. Collagen, because it is a protein, contains some amino acids. But it is also terribly imbalanced, at least for humans, missing some amino acids, while delivering very low levels of others and an overabundance of a few.
There is little scientific evidence to support benefits of ingesting collagen protein. While the amino acids in the protein are absorbed, they do not specially reassemble as collagen in our body and tissues. Eating collagen will not make more new collagen in the body.
So the question here really boils down to why? Why would I want to take a protein supplement that does not fulfill my body’s overall protein and amino acid needs? And why would I want those amino acids to come from something typically thought of as the leftovers of the food industry?
Those are personal questions that each of us must answer for ourselves. Especially when you consider that clinically tested and proven NeoLifeShake has none of those shortcomings. Indeed, it provides 22 amino acids involved in human nutrition including the 9 essential ones, from the highest quality, most biologically functional sources in the world.
References
1. Collagen Type II: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Dosage, and Warning. https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-714/ collagen-type-ii. Accessed October 11, 2019.
2. Nitrogen balance. JAMA. 1947;133(4):247-247. doi:10.1001/jama.1947.02880040033010
3. Tryptophan: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002332.htm. Accessed October 11, 2019
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