Collagen and the Cult of the Shiny Scoop
Hi, I’m Mel. Registered nutritionist, neuro-affirming, non-diet, and a big fan of saving your money for things that bring you joy rather than yet another tub of “miracle powder”.
The supplement industry continues to boom and collagen is one of the lead characters in nutritional supplements.
You can choose from a whole host of products, from creams, powders, gummies, drinks and shots with a growing range of claims for combatting aging and improving health. If you’re feeling tempted or bewildered by all the hype, you’re not the only one.
Let’s blow away some of that hype and focus on the facts. Think of this as a friendly pocket guide to making safer, more cost-effective health decisions..
Quick reminder: this is general education, not personal medical advice. If you have a health condition, take meds, are pregnant or breastfeeding, speak to your GP or a registered nutrition professional who knows your history.
Collagen: the protein with a creative PR team.
If protein had influencers, collagen would be running the campaign. Collagen is the most abundant protein in your body. Think scaffolding and glue; holding skin, bones, tendons and pretty much everything else you are made of together. As we age (and particularly as oestrogen dips during peri-menopause), our production slows. If firming, plumping and rejuvenating has not been high on your life agenda, will getting on the collagen bandwagon fix our wrinkles, bad hair days and stiff joints?
What does the research say?
At the moment, high-quality research hasn’t yet shown clear benefits of collagen supplements having positive effects on health.
By “high-quality”, I mean studies that are big enough, long enough, well-designed and independent of the companies that make or sell these products.
An important consideration before buying
Whether from food or dietary supplements, your body will treat collagen like any other protein you eat. It will get broken down by your digestive system into amino acids, absorbed, then reassembled into the many different proteins your body needs at that time. There are no signposts that say “this way for skin” or “that way for joints” and there’s no distribution “hack” that gives us a guaranteed delivery destination or time.
Sources and types of collagen
Understanding a bit more about collagen can help you make a more informed decision if a supplement could support your individual health goals. Most collagen supplements provide bovine (beef) or marine (fish) sources of type I collagen. This is easy for your body to absorb and use.
Type I is the most abundant form in your body, so brands often make multiple claims about its benefits. As the market grows, different types are now combined to offer supposedly more ‘targeted’ effects.
Type I is marketed for skin, Type II for joints, and Type III sometimes added to sound extra sophisticated. Not confusing at all, is it?!
What about vegan collagen?
This is where it can get a bit murky. Because plants don’t produce or contain collagen, vegan ‘collagen’ isn’t actually collagen. These products provide the building blocks your body needs to make its own, rather than supplying collagen directly.
Different brands offer numerous variations of different amino acids from plant-based sources and are often fortified with vitamins and minerals essential for collagen synthesis.
You might notice “collagen boosters”, “builders” or “pro collagen peptides” on product labels, which I don’t think is particularly clear. I could of course put on my specs (if I can find them) to read the teeny tiny ingredients label. But that won’t necessarily tell me what I need to know. Reputable brands will not rely solely on the term "vegan collagen" and will be transparent about their sourcing and formulation. However, I recommend you do your homework before committing to investing.
Proper vegan collagen that mimics human collagen is on the horizon, through genetic engineering. Human collagen genes are inserted into bacteria and yeast which copy then produce proteins that are structurally identical to human collagen. It's not widely available yet and that makes it pricey. Also, we need more research to establish its effects and any long term risks so maybe don’t rush to be at the front of the queue.
Are collagen supplements safe?
Collagen supplements don’t face the same strict regulations as medicines, and they’re not entirely risk-free. They’re generally considered safe, but some people experience stomach ache, bloating or nausea. There’s no agreed recommended dose, so advice varies wildly between brands. Always check the source of collagen if you have animal allergies.
Save-your-money take
Eating enough protein, getting vitamin C, sleeping, moving your body and wearing SPF will do just as much - if not more - to support collagen production than a £45 tub.
If you want to try it, go for it. Just don’t expect miracles.
If you’ve given it a go and feel a difference, great! Just remember, correlation isn’t the same as causation
Lastly, collagen may be clever marketing, but your body’s cleverer.
Coming next: a warm, slightly salty look at bone broth - the other “miracle” making the rounds