Does Collagen Make You Poop?

From reducing wrinkles and improving skin to preventing joint pain and improving cardiac health, lots of people buy into the hype around collagen and want to consume it as part of their daily routine.

Whilst there may be an array of people wanting to consume collagen for the many benefits associated with it, there are also several people wanting to know whether collagen has side effects, one of the most commonly spoken about is whether it makes you poop or not.

Unfortunately, many people start taking collagen without a second thought, but if you are looking to reap the benefits of collagen, there are a few things you should know about it, including whether or not it increases bowel movements.

In this article, we’re going to take a look at whether or not collagen can make you poop, as well as explain exactly what collagen is if it has other side effects, and whether or not you should be taking it!

What Is Collagen?

Collagen is a protein that helps too, and is largely responsible for, repairing and protecting substances within the body. Collagen is naturally produced by the body – the body makes collagen by breaking down protein into amino acids.

After you turn 30 years old, the levels of collagen within your body start to decrease and you will notice a variety of classic aging symptoms when occurs.

For example, you may start to get wrinkles, your skin may start to lose its elasticity, and your joints may become stiffer.

Although the level of collagen within the body starts to decrease after 30 years old for most people, there are certain things that speed up the loss of collagen, such as physical stressors, excessive consumption of unhealthy foods, lack of nutrient consumption, UV exposure, and more.

Therefore, for many, after they turn 30 or start to visibly see or physically experience symptoms that stem from a loss of collagen, the thought of turning to collagen supplements will happen!

Although collagen is naturally produced within the body, it can also be supplemented. Collagen within supplements is called exogenous collagen – it hasn't been produced within the body.

The consumption, in terms of dosage and consistency, depends on the individual person and the supplement they are taking.

However, people that use collagen regularly tend to see the best results from it over a long period of time.

Does Collagen Make You Poop?

So, let’s get down to it and answer whether or not collagen makes you poop!

One of the most well-researched, yet not commonly known, benefits of collagen is that it actually improves the health of the digestive system.

Collagen helps to line your digestive system and can actually help close or cover gaps within the digestive system that are caused by toxins, waste, digestive conditions, or bad bacteria.

Therefore, collagen directly impacts the digestive system and improves it. More specifically, collagen can improve conditions such as the leaky gut.

However, just because collagen can help to support the health of the gut doesn’t mean that it doesn't make you poop.

In fact, collagen peptides can promote bowel movement and increase the regularity of bowel movements.

Overall, this is actually a benefit.

However, initially, when you start to take collagen you may realize that you are going to the toilet a lot more frequently than you were before – this will likely settle.

It’s important to say that if you are experiencing bouts of diarrhea after taking collagen, or if you are experiencing diarrhea for a prolonged period of time after consuming collagen, you may be intolerant to collagen or other ingredients within a collagen supplement.

If this happens to you, you should consult your doctor immediately.

Does Collagen Have Any Side Effects?

Although most people don’t experience any side effects when consuming collagen supplements, one of the most common side effects to experience is digestive discomfort.

Additionally, collagen supplements may cause heartburn, bloating, or a feeling of satiety.

Collagen supplements should obviously only be consumed by people who have no intolerance or allergic reactions to collagen, and if you do experience side effects when consuming collagen, you should halt your consumption of it and consult a doctor for advice.

Does Collagen Actually Work?

Although there are a number of benefits associated with collagen, there’s not a lot of research that shows whether exogenous collagen (collagen produced outside the body) will actually provide health benefits.

If you want to take a collagen supplement, by all means, do it!

However, don’t rely fully on a collagen supplement to provide you with health benefits.

Alongside taking a collagen supplement, I would recommend having a balanced diet, leading an active lifestyle, and supplementing with a superfood powder to ensure your health and wellbeing are kept at an optimal level.

Do You Want To Start Taking Collagen?

If you really want to start consuming collagen, you shouldn’t be concerned about whether or not it will make you poop!

Collagen actually helps to improve the health of the gut and overall digestive system, so whilst you may find yourself going to the toilet more initially when you start taking collagen, it’s helping in the long run.

If collagen does cause digestive issues for a long period of time, this may not be the collagen that’s making you poop and you may need to look more closely at other ingredients within the collagen that you’re taking, as well as whether or not you’re intolerant to collagen.

Whatever you do, just make sure you’re taking precautions and keeping track of any side effects if you do experience them!