Collagen-Muscle Matrix, A "Must-Have"
Doctor's Notes brings you direct insights from Nutriex founder and orthopedic surgeon Dr. Thomas Rosenberg. Grounded in peer-reviewed science and decades of clinical experience, each piece is written to educate, not to sell. Informed people make better health decisions.
In a prior post, we discussed how regular sugar consumption over time can lead to undesirable skin changes of thinning and accelerated aging through the process of glycation. Glycation develops when sugar molecules bind to skin's type I collagen forming abnormal chemical crosslinks.
When optimizing Nutriex Proteins+, our science panel determined that we add 20% hydrolyzed collagen from grass-fed bovine sourcing. The process of hydrolyzation is the breaking down of collagen protein into smaller polypeptide "fragments" to benefit digestion and assimilation of the critical amino acids into the bloodstream.
The key amino acids for collagen production in the body are proline, hydroxyproline, and lysine, none of which is well-provided in whey protein and essentially none in plant-based proteins. The muscle developing amino acids of whey protein, especially the short-branched chained amino acids (SBAAs) leucine, isoleucine and valine, are simply not sufficient in plant proteins. A source of the collagen-friendly AA's are necessary. Again, while the SBAA's are optimally delivered in whey, whey is inadequate for the delivery of collagen-building amino acids.
We were aware of the hugely important relationship of collagen development and remodeling to the improvement of muscle mass. 30% of your abs (your 6-pack/8-pack) are collagen. 30% is also true of your biceps (your guns) where tendon/collagen failures are the overwhelmingly predominant risk.
The diagram depicts a typical skeletal muscle and its three levels of collagen containment, which are inextricably related to optimal function. The endomysium (collagen), perimysium (collagen), and epimysium (collagen) are each depicted. While being a major component in the structure of the muscle itself, the tendons on both ends are essentially 100% collagen structures.
This "stiffer" collagen-muscle matrix at all three levels allows for faster force production. Rate of Force Development (RFD) is dependent on high-quality collagen critical for sudden or explosive movements and overall strength, and, I should mention, in order to avoid muscle and tendon tears.
Nutriex Proteins+ is devoid of both sugar or artificial sweeteners. The current ratio of muscle-friendly whey to grass-fed hydrolyzed collagen-friendly protein is 80:20. Also remember to consume collagen-friendly foods, which will be the subject of a future post.
Meantime, remember to minimize your sugar and processed carb intakes!
