Risk of Collagen During Pregnancy

Collagen consumption during pregnancy- is it risky?

Both pregnant and nursing women need to consume foods that are high in nutrients and important for maintaining the health and well-being of their babies as well.

The question is, can pregnant women consume collagen? To understand this, it is important to know the role of collagen during pregnancy and how collagen supplements can help to-be mothers.

In this article, you discover what collagen is, how different types of collagen are necessary for pregnant women, and what women can do to keep their health in check.

What is collagen and why is it important for pregnant women?

Getting the right nourishment during pregnancy is vital as it impacts the health of the mother and the baby as well. Collagen is one of the crucial structural proteins present in the body.

The duration of pregnancy has a great impact on the body of the mother as she has to carry the child for nine whole months.

This period is crucial and thus, the right amount of nutrients and important elements are necessary for carrying the baby and maintaining the health of the mother.

As collagen is fundamental for supporting several structures in the body including the bones, muscles, and the skin it is important for maintaining optimum levels of this protein in the body.

Also, different types of collagen are present in the body, and each type has a specific role.

It is important to know the types of collagen and their functions to understand how these can impact the health of pregnant women. The most common types of collagen have been mentioned below: 

• Type I collagen is important for keeping the connective tissues and the bones in good form.
  
  
• Type II is important for maintaining the health of the cartilage, ribs, and other similar structures in the body.
  
  
• Type III collagen works with Type I collagen to keep the muscles, organs, and arteries intact.
  
  
• Type V is important for maintaining the health of the bones, skeletal muscles, liver, as well as the cells of the placenta that pregnant women carry. 
  
  
• Finally, Type X collagen is important for the formation of the cartilage.

Thus, having an adequate amount of collagen is important for supporting and strengthening women during pregnancy.

What are the potential benefits of Collagen during pregnancy?

Adding collagen has several potential benefits for pregnant women as well as fetal development. Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of taking collagen supplements during pregnancy:

• Maintaining the health of your bones:

Pregnancy affects the bone density of women and thus increases the chances of bone loss and decreases bone mass as well.

This can affect them later in life as they can experience problems like osteoarthritis. Thus, adding collagen supplements to the diet can be beneficial as they strengthen the bones and increase the absorption of calcium.

This reduces the risk of bone resorption and keeps bone mass and density intact.

• Maintaining healthy skin:

The body of a woman goes through a lot of changes during and after pregnancy. The skin of the abdomen and the core gets stretched causing problems like stretch marks.

Also, pigmentations, breakouts, and changes in the texture of the skin are some of the common effects of pregnancy. Adding collagen supplements during pregnancy can enhance the hydration of your skin and enhance the elasticity of your skin.

This in turn reduces the chances of getting wrinkles and other skin issues that may arise as a result of pregnancy.

• Enhances the health of your hair:

Hair thinning as a result of hormonal imbalance is common during pregnancy. Collagen is known to boost hair growth and maintain its health during and after pregnancy.

• Combats Joint Pain:

The cartilage present in the joints plays an important role in maintaining healthy joint movement. A lot of pregnant women experience joint pain during pregnancy as the muscles in the body weaken. Thus, collagen can help you ease the pain and strengthen the muscles in different parts of your body.

There are several other benefits of adding collagen supplements during pregnancy and can be great for the health of the baby as well.

Is it safe to consume Collagen during pregnancy?

It has been made clear that collagen is important for pregnant women, however, there is no evidence available that suggests the benefits of collagen during pregnancy. There are several downsides to collagen consumption during pregnancy including:

• Unknown side effects.
• Uncertainty of the contents of the supplement.
• May cause pain or discomfort.
• Can trigger allergies and much more.

Most of the time it is not recommended for women to take supplements to enhance their health. This is because having supplements can affect the health of the baby as well as fetal development.

Even though adding supplements may be beneficial for pregnant women, it must be done only under the supervision of a healthcare provider.

It is important to maintain the levels of collagen, however, if you consider taking collagen peptides during pregnancy you must take it in recommended doses and must use it with precaution.

If you want to improve the health of your skin, you can always add foods that promote collagen production to your diet.

Final Thoughts…

Pregnancy impacts the health and well-being of a woman in several ways. It is important to adhere to the guidelines provided by the doctor during and after pregnancy as the body is weakened.

While collagen supplementation can be beneficial for strengthening the boned and helping with other issues during pregnancy, no evidence can is available to support its effects on pregnant women.

Hence, women can add nutrient-rich foods to their diet, and have bone broth and other collagen-boosting foods to improve the strength of the body as well as enhance the elasticity of the skin.

Finally, every woman’s body is unique and every pregnant woman has different experiences, hence, one must take utmost care and consult a doctor before taking supplements of any kind.

Adding alternative collagen sources (foods, fruits, vegetables, and much more) is the safest option for pregnant women as they also contain other nourishing elements that support the health of the mothers as well as the child. 

 

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