Collagen

Is it all it’s cracked up to be?

There is a BIG commercial push on this at the moment, with some hefty price tags attached.

But is there any convincing and/or quality science behind it?

For hair and nails - not really.

For joints and bone density - very little (and what there is is inconsistent).

For skin - some.

With anything like this, we need to ask the question: how much benefit do you actually get in real terms, ie. what's the actual gain vs the cost/effort? And where does that sit amongst other factors in your life? In this case think sun exposure, stress, alcohol, smoking, hydration etc.

The amino acid profile of collagen, which is a protein, can be beaten by other protein sources, eg whey, so it's not a superior source of protein.

So why the claims?

Well, firstly, if you're someone who could benefit from an increase in protein in your diet but you don't know this, then any increase is likely to be a good thing compared with where you started - so it is possible to argue that someone experienced benefit, and then attributed more kudos to the collagen than it was actually due; in other words, an increase in protein generally (and from real food) may have helped them just as much.

But having said that there are some studies that show benefit to skin elasticity from collagen supplementation, over time.

However, if it's difficult to quantify what that benefit actually is in real terms, then it's possible to argue that you could make a bigger impact on your skin by altering something else, for which there is a bulk of evidence, like sun exposure or alcohol intake, than you could with collagen - and for less money too.

In other words, supplementing collagen without first looking at overall dietary and lifestyle habits (things like alcohol and smoking, and stress and sleep) seems the wrong way around to me, and another one of those scenarios that’s akin to you trying to ice a cake you haven’t yet baked.

Still, if cost is no issue and it's not likely to do you any harm, then maybe it is worth trying? Or, if your cake actually is baked - ie your diet, exercise and lifestyle is on point - then why not enhance what you’re already doing?

Well, my opinion on this is that If improving the elasticity of your skin is your goal (that’s trying to delay the onset of wrinkles, to you and me) and you can afford to supplement, then it’s possible to make a case that supplementing collagen (90 days or more) could possibly help. It’s not definite, and we can’t say by how much or what that actually means for you as an individual.

Also, as I often say, remember that that no/little evidence doesn't mean something doesn't work - it just means little/no evidence; and this can change.

But can we argue a strong case for collagen at the moment, a case as strong as all of the marketing claims would have us believe? No, I’d say sadly we cannot - at least not yet - and certainly not for all of the claims that are being made.

Still have questions? Get in touch.