Collagen Supplements: Do We Need Them?
By Laura Jennings
Collagen supplements claim to help skin, joints, bone and muscle… but do they really work? Let’s explore more with Laura Jennings.
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Anti-ageing, improved skin elasticity and increased ligament flexibility are just some of the supposed hailed benefits of supplementing with collagen. Collagen is an amino acid protein which provides structure to the skin. Collagen determines how smooth and firm the appearance of the skin is. When skin matures, the production of collagen fibres declines and the collagen matrix begins to lose its structure, resulting in wrinkle and fine line formation.
There are multiple factors that can impact the rate of collagen production and accelerate the ageing process of the skin, including pollution, alcohol abuse, sunlight, nutritional deficiencies, stress and an unbalanced diet.
Is the secret to improved skin quality and increased youthfulness really tied to this one ingredient?
Previously there was a lack of good quality scientific evidence to conclude any real additional benefits to supplementing with collagen. However, recent studies have shown that oral collagen supplementation does improve:
Skin elasticity
Skin hydration
Skin roughness
Benefits may be particularly pronounced in females who experience a decline in estrogen during menopause. Estrogen deficiencies can cause a reduction in skin thickness by approximately 1.13, owing to a reduced collagen synthesis rate.
Collagen supplementation has also been found to improve sporting performance. Collagen peptides ingested orally have been shown to increase the strength of ligaments and tendons, decrease joint pain and improve return to injury time. Further studies are needed in professional athletes to see if the same benefits appear when muscle damage and overload may be enhanced.
However, these benefits appear to be restricted to oral consumption of collagen only.
Creams and serums containing collagen do not appear to penetrate the deeper layers of the skin and influence the ageing process to the same extent as oral collagen supplements.
Studies have cited a 10mg collagen supplement as the optimum dosage to produce significant skin benefits. However, further research is needed to confirm this quantity. Generally, there have been no adverse side effects reported to consuming collagen supplements orally or topically.
It is important to acknowledge that collagen supplements should be used in conjunction with a healthy lifestyle and will not produce benefits when used in isolation.
Supplementing alongside a balanced diet, regular exercise and using SPF protection is key to promoting and maintaining healthy skin.
Here at the Be Well Collective, we have put together a list of foods that are key to keeping your skin healthy due to their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties:
• Olive oil
• Fatty fish
• Avocadoes
• Nuts and Seeds
• Vitamin C rich vegetables [Butternut Squash, sweet potatoes, carrots]
• Leafy greens [Kale, spinach, broccoli]
• Berries
• Dark Chocolate
• Green Tea
References
1. Bolke L, Schlippe G, Gerß J, Voss W. A Collagen Supplement Improves Skin Hydration, Elasticity, Roughness, and Density: Results of a Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Blind Study. Nutrients. 2019 Oct 17;11(10):2494.
2. Choi, F.D., Sung, C.T., Juhasz, M.L.W., Mesinkovsk, N.A. (2019). Oral Collagen Supplementation: A Systematic Review of Dermatological Applications
3. Sato, K. (2017). The presence of food-derived collagen peptides in human body-structure and biological activity. Food & function, 8(12), 4325-4330
4. Cole, M. A., Quan, T., Voorhees, J. J., & Fisher, G. J. (2018). Extracellular matrix regulation of fibroblast function: redefining our perspective on skin ageing. Journal of Cell Communication and Signaling, 12(1), 35-43.
5. Kirmse M, Oertzen-Hagemann V, de Marées M, Bloch W, Platen P. Prolonged Collagen Peptide Supplementation and Resistance Exercise Training Affects Body Composition in Recreationally Active Men. Nutrients. 2019 May 23;11(5):1154.
6. Jendricke P, Kohl J, Centner C, Gollhofer A, König D. Influence of Specific Collagen Peptides and Concurrent Training on Cardiometabolic Parameters and Performance Indices in Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Front Nutr. 2020 Nov 19;7:580918. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2020.580918. PMID: 33330579; PMCID: PMC7710701.
ABOUT LAURA JENNINGS:
Laura Jennings
After five years working in the corporate world in luxury fashion and technology, Laura trained as a yoga teacher and joined the team at My Method, curating exciting and diverse wellbeing programmes for private clients and corporates.
Laura has a passion for holistic wellbeing and nutrition and has joined the Be Well team to support with content creation, workshop development and more. She is progressing in the world of health and wellness and has recently completed a Masters in Nutrition at King's College London.