What are collagen supplements, and do they actually work?
In the age of influencers and Instagram ads, it’s hard not to feel overwhelmed by the abundance of products being constantly pushed onto us.
We’re bombarded with things for sale on social media, but how do we know what’s best for our bodies? Or, better yet, what product actually works? Is that sponsored ad promoting diet pills by our favorite influencer really legit?
Well, the science behind weight-loss pills says definitely no. Sorry, Kardashians.
However, unlike fake and potentially dangerous diet pills, the scientific jury is still out on plenty of other trendy beauty and lifestyle products out there.
One product that’s been questionable but exceptionally popular for a while now is collagen supplements. Touted as a means to improve our skin, support joint health, and even stimulate nail growth, collagen supplements are all the buzz in the beauty world. That’s probably why the collagen supplement market was valued at USD 1.99 billion in 2021.
But, do collagen supplements actually work, or are they just another hoax to get us to open our wallets in search of the elusive fountain of youth and beauty? Let’s dive into it.
The 411 on Collagen
Collagen is a type of protein that the body produces naturally; it’s actually the most abundant protein in the human body. Collagen is found in the body’s connective tissues, skin, muscles, bones, and tendons.
This structural protein strengthens the skin while improving its elasticity and hydration: think of it as the scaffolding of skin that holds it all together. So, naturally, the idea goes: the more collagen I consume, the healthier and younger my skin will look.
This is important to note because, as we age, our body’s natural collagen production decreases. Your body starts to lose collagen starting somewhere between age 25-30.
Fretful of aging and sagging skin, consumers are frantically looking to supplement the body’s natural collagen levels. There are two popular approaches people take to increase collagen uptake: simply consuming collagen-rich foods or taking manufactured supplements that can come in the form of drinks, powders, and pills.
Plenty of food groups are naturally high in collagen, with bone broth, fish, eggs, and beans rounding off the top of the list. Basically, any protein-rich food is packed with collagen. This means the majority of collagen supplements are also derived from animal products, namely bone broth. While there are manufactured vegan alternatives made from yeasts and bacteria, it’s technically not real collagen.
But don’t fret vegans: Vitamin-C-rich foods are also shown to stimulate collagen production in the body, so don’t skip on the berries or papayas either.
Nonetheless, there’s still a marked difference between consuming naturally collagen-rich foods versus taking collagen supplements. How so? Well, it’s a bit complicated.
What the science says
First off, there’s little scientific evidence that consuming collagen-rich foods actually boosts the body’s collagen levels. When digested in the stomach, collagen is broken down into amino acids and can be used to make any new type of protein or burned as fuel.
That means, the collagen we eat is made into other proteins in our digestive tracts, and it’s likely not going to have the same impact as the collagen the body produces naturally.
There’s not enough research to show if there’s any statistical improvement in skin and joint health from consuming such foods, but, because they’re chalked full of vitamins and minerals, we might as well eat them anyways. No harm, no foul kinda vibe.
In terms of collagen supplements, researchers long dismissed them as ineffective, but, as of late, there have been some compelling peer-reviewed studies that prove otherwise. It’s suggested that collagen supplements support better absorption and uptake of collagen in the body than simply consuming it in food.
One study out of Germany, for instance, found that a drinkable collagen supplement, ELASTEN®, had significant positive impacts on skin health and appearance. Researchers performed a trial on 72 women, with 36 receiving a placebo and 36 receiving the collagen supplement, over a period of twelve weeks. They performed a skin assessment on all the test subjects before and after the trial based on measurable/quantifiable properties, including corneometry (skin hydration) and cutometry (skin elasticity).
The differences between the experimental group and the placebo group were statistically significant for all the factors assessed: hydration, elasticity, roughness, and density. The subjects taking collagen had measurably healthier skin than those who did not receive the supplement.
However, the downside of many of these promising trials—as with any industry or product trials—is that they are often sponsored by companies that stand to profit from positive results: there’s a whole lot of conflicts of interest at work. The aforementioned study out of Germany, for instance, was sponsored by the pharmaceutical company Quris Healthcare, which developed ELASTEN®.
This makes it difficult to determine the real efficacy of collagen supplements and if they are worth the high price tag.
To take or not to take…
The biggest problem with collagen supplements is that you never quite know what you’re going to get.
That’s because the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not review supplements for safety or effectiveness—meaning, there’s really no oversight or independent studies of the exact supplement you’re taking, and, theoretically, anything could be inside.
Of course, that’s the case with any dietary supplement, even your standard gummy vitamins.
But there’s a persistent lack of transparency in the world of collagen supplements. Companies do not give enough information upfront to consumers about what’s exactly inside or the results of any trials, which leads to little data available and not a lot for independent researchers to work with.
But as beauty enthusiasts continue to seek out collagen supplements for skin, hair, and nail health, it’s crucial that the industry be more forthcoming.
Any trusted collagen supplement should have undergone testing by independent laboratories, and the manufacturer should make the results easily available: like a QR code to scan on the product packaging in order to view the trial results.
It’s hard to be a vigilant consumer these days with so many products at our fingertips. But read the reviews, read the science, and be smart to your body. That’s real beauty.
WHATS UP NEXT…
