With the growing popularity in collagen supplements, more and more people are beginning to incorporate this amazing product into their diet.  Many claim that collagen supplements help dramatically improve the health of the gut.

Also, many may begin to take a collagen supplement due to its beautifying effects on the body.  Both research and individual experience shows that collagen can be great for combating premature wrinkles and improving over health of the skin (1). 

However, what about those who are suffering with candida overgrowth in the body?  Can collagen be taken safely by individuals dealing with candida?

Luckily, we’ve covered all the information that you need to know in regards to collagen and candida overgrowth.  By the end of this post, you will be able to make a better decision on whether you should supplement will collagen if you suffer from a candida overgrowth.

What is Collagen?

For those unaware, collagen is a protein that is obtained from mostly the skin and connective tissue of animals.  Due to poor eating habits across the nation, most are extremely deficient in this vital protein.

The only way to obtain this protein naturally through diet is by consuming more gelatinous cuts of meats and bone broths.  Traditionally, these foods would have been consumed in abundance.  In fact, it can still be seen that many tribes still living a traditional way of life prize the fatty and gelatinous cuts of the animal.

Typically, collagen supplements have undergone processing and are sold as a white powder.  These powders have been pre-heated and broken down for easy assimilation and quick absorption.  Collagen supplements can be extremely useful for those who are short on time but want the health benefits collagen has to offer.

Why take Collagen?

There are several different reasons why an individual may want to take a collagen supplement.  As mentioned before, most take this supplement for its beautifying effects on the skin.  However, there are several other health benefits that can result from taking this supplement.

In particular, this protein is excellent for reducing inflammation in the body and can be great for athletes.  Many take it to help combat old injuries that won’t seem to heal and to initiate faster recovery in the body.

A 24 week study observed the effects collagen supplementation had on athletes dealing with activity related joint pain.  The study found that athletes experienced a significant reduction in joint pain and an overall improvement in athletic performance (2).

That being said, it can also be great for those dealing with intestinal problems such as gut permeability and intestinal inflammation.  It should be mentioned that those with candida overgrowth often have extreme gut permeability and high amounts of intestinal inflammation. 

Research has shown that collagen is necessary for improving the intestinal epithelial barrier and enhancing the tight junctions (3).  This simply means that collagen helps to reduce gut permeability and helps stop conditions such as “leaky gut.”

Collagen and Candida – Should You Take it?

Since a candida overgrowth often gives rise to several different food allergies, many are confused as to whether they should take a collagen supplement.  To add even more confusion to the mix, many claim that collagen supplements can feed candida!

However, in our experience, this is not the case.  That being said, collagen can in fact be problematic in some sensitive individuals.

This is because all collagen supplements are extremely high in histamine.  Those suffering with a candida overgrowth almost always have some form of histamine intolerance.  Be sure to read our histamine and candida post for full details as to why this.

However, to put it simply, candida stimulates the release of histamine from mast cells in the intestines (4).  Overtime, this histamine builds up in the body and the individual can develop a hypersensitivity to all foods containing histamine.

As a result, those who have a candida overgrowth and experience negative side effects when taking a collagen supplement is most likely due to excess amounts of histamine.  When this occurs, many are under the impression that collagen supplements “feeds” candida.  However, this is impossible since there is zero sugar present in these supplements.

Eat Gelatinous Cuts of Meat and Bone Broths

Instead of supplementing with collagen, we highly encourage you to eat real foods to obtain this vital protein.  In our experience, real foods are much better tolerated by those with candida overgrowth.

Gelatinous cuts of meat such as oxtail, shank, lamb leg, and neck bones are all great sources of naturally occurring collagen.  These types of foods have an extremely therapeutic effect on the intestines and can help naturally seal the gut lining.  For best results, slow cook gelatinous cuts of meat in a bed of water and cover for several hours.  The end result is tender meat and gelatin that can be eaten with the meal and stored for later consumption in the refrigerator.

Bone broths are also a great source of this beneficial and vital protein.  However, the longer you cook bone broths, the more histamine will be produced.  As a result, it may be beneficial to short cook your bones (less than 2 hours) in order to stop the formation of excess histamine.  Once candida is under control and the gut is properly functioning, you may find that histamine no longer is an issue for you.

If you’re having difficulty finding high quality organic cuts of meat and bones, we highly recommend you try out Grassland Beef.  They deliver quality organic animal foods right to your door and still frozen!  Just be sure to purchase over $100 so that you can get free shipping.

For those interested, use the link below:

US Wellness Meats sells quality grassland meat products – Visit us Online!

Symptoms that May Result from Collagen Supplements

If your determined to try a collagen supplement and suffer from candida overgrowth, there are some symptoms you will want to look at for.  If you notice any of these symptoms, we highly recommend you stop using the supplement. 

Below is a small list of symptoms that may result:

• Red Bumps
• Itchiness
• Nervous Energy
• Anxiety
• Fatigue
• Brain Fog
• Constipation
• Confusion

Again, this is not to try and push you away from collagen supplementation, but rather to make you aware of the possible adverse reactions that may result. 

Some may do completely fine with this type of supplement and never once notice any of the symptoms list above.  It’s highly individualized and experimentation is often needed in order to know if it’s right for you.  In any case, always start with an extremely small dose (1/4 tsp) and work your way up.  This will allow you to properly gauge how your body feels and can help minimize a reaction if an individual is sensitive.

For those interested, Sports Nutrition Premium Peptides makes a quality collagen supplement from grass-fed animals.

Start Eating a Candida Friendly Diet

If you suffer from candida, we highly encourage you to check out our free eating strategy plan located on our Diet Protocol Page.  Here you will find everything you need to know about diet and what foods are best for candida overgrowth.  Don’t pay for an over-priced candida eating plan; we have all the information you need to get started for FREE!

Also, for those interested in creating candida friendly recipes, our Crush Candida Recipe Cookbook can be great.  We included the most tasty and mouthwatering recipes that are both great for the gut and candida friendly!