Why Collagen?
With Anika Christ, RD
Season 7, Episode 7 | October 3, 2023
Collagen is something of a buzzword in the nutrition world of late, yet this nutrient has always been important to our overall health. As our eating patterns have steered toward processed and convenience foods over the past 60 years, our dietary needs for collagen have increased — hence the growing interest in collagen supplementation. Anika Christ, RD, explains what collagen is, its role in our body, and its advantages for health. She also offers guidance around supplementation and supporting your body’s natural production of this nutrient.
Anika Christ, RD, CPT, is the senior director of nutrition and weight loss at Life Time. She’s known to many as “Coach Anika” and leads a number of digital programs each year at Life Time.
About 30 percent of our bodies are made up of collagen, and after about age 20, that amount begins to gradually decline, which is why intentional support is usually necessary. In this episode, Christ highlights some of the benefits of collagen for various parts of our bodies:
- Skin. Collagen helps maintain the elasticity of the skin, which is why it can combat wrinkly skin, fine lines, and other appearance effects of aging.
- Joints. Christ says people often compare collagen to scaffolding on a house — it connects bone to bone or muscle to bone. Clients who supplement with it have reported greater movement mobility and a decrease in achiness, Christ says.
- Gut. For clients who are dealing with reactions to certain foods or gut permeability, collagen is a protein source that Christ and her team often turn to as it can boost the health of the gut lining.
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We’d Love to Hear From You
Have thoughts you’d like to share or topic ideas for future episodes? Email us at lttalks@lt.life.
The information in this podcast is intended to provide broad understanding and knowledge of healthcare topics. This information is for educational purposes only and should not be considered complete and should not be used in place of advice from your physician or healthcare provider. We recommend you consult your physician or healthcare professional before beginning or altering your personal exercise, diet or supplementation program.