Six months ago when my daughter moved back home from college, I loved watching what types of things had really become a part of her healthy lifestyle. One supplement she was incredibly disciplined about using every single day was the Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides. A lot of the bloggers and wellness publications I follow have long-reported how great Vital Proteins is for hair and nails, but I wasn’t sure that was enough to get me to buy and use them. It wasn’t until I started to dig into why this company was founded that I was convinced it was worth giving them a try.
Our bodies naturally produce collagen, a structural protein that’s found in connective tissue like hair, skin, muscles, bones, etc. But as we age, we produce less of it. That leads to achy joints and weakened muscles, along with less healthy-looking hair or dull skin.
Vital Proteins founder and CEO Kurt Seidensticker, who is in his 50’s, noticed that the recovery time after his 3-5 mile daily runs was getting longer and longer. A former NASA aerospace engineer (a real rocket scientist!), he began investigating ways to quicken joint recovery. With the help of his daughter who was in medical school at the time, he discovered a study that suggested athletes who consumed additional amounts of collagen experienced a reduction in injuries and joint deterioration.
When Kurt was doing this research, only collagen capsules were available on the market. To achieve the results he was looking for, Kurt would have needed to consume 80 capsules a day. A serial entrepreneur at heart, Kurt decided to create his own collagen peptide powder that would make getting what he needed much easier.
In 2012, Kurt launched Chicago-based Vital Proteins. Vital Proteins is advertised as a “clean,” simple, and allergen-free collagen that can easily be added into anyone’s lifestyle because it’s odorless and flavor-free.
The funny part of this story to me is that Vital Proteins was initially marketed to improve joint heath. Its side effects were beauty related. So while it was originally marketed towards athletes, consumers ultimately made this into a beauty brand because of the improvements people could see in their hair and skin.
Vital Proteins recommends consuming 20 grams of the collagen peptides daily to see noticeable results in 4 to 6 weeks. My daughters and I have noticed a huge difference in our nails and hair. Additionally, I think my downtime after workouts has significantly decreased since I started using Vital Proteins consistently at the end of July.
If you’re curious how much collagen you might need to add to your diet, Vital Proteins has a “Collagen Calculator” on their website where you can input your health issues and it helps you determine the amount right for you.
My girls add Vital Proteins to their morning coffees and I mix mine into my green smoothie each day. It’s been an easy addition to our daily lineups. It literally has no flavor or weird odor and is only 70 calories per serving.
I hope this was helpful. I’m always so curious about things that become as trendy as Vital Proteins has. But when I find out there is some real science behind it and health benefits too, I’m all in and have to share.
xo,
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