Is anyone else confused about collagen? There are ingestible essences that contain it, as well as creams and serums that promise to boost our cells’ ability to produce it. But do any of them actually work? And why do we need more collagen anyway?
The short answer is, collagen is what helps structure our bones, muscles, and skin. It is the most abundant protein in our body, but by the age of 25 we become less efficient at making it, so our skin loses its firmness and begins to wrinkle and sag. Sigh.
The wellness industry would have you believe that by taking a pill you will emerge again, with skin that looks as young as Jennifer Aniston (who adds a scoop of Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides daily to her morning coffee. ). And yet, as with anything “anti-aging”, it’s more complicated than that.
There are three main sources of ingestible collagen: bovine, vegetable and marine. Bovine (cow) is believed to be effective, although to be sure it is a good quality source, look for collagen from organic grass-fed beef. According to Dr Sabine Donnai of Viavi Health, bone broth is one of the most gut-friendly ways of absorbing collagen.
She recommends asking your local butcher for beef bones and boiling them, the old-fashioned way. There’s something healthy about it, kind of like how my grandma used to boil chicken bones for hours on end to get every ounce of nutrients for her heated okra soup, a recipe which she perfected during the war.
Of course, not everyone has the time or inclination to do this, in which case nutritionist Eve Kalinik tells me that Borough Broth Co’s Organic Grass-Fed Beef Bone Broth (from £ 4.92) is the best pre-made broth and can be ordered online.
Naturally, those who don’t eat meat will prefer plant-based collagen supplements, but they are not a direct source of collagen, which can only be found naturally in fish and animal products. Vegan alternatives are what are known as ‘collagen promoters’ and will cause your own cells to make more of their own collagen supply.
Vitamin C is one of them and has been shown in studies to improve collagen synthesis, even helping to recover from musculoskeletal injuries when taken orally. Applied locally to the skin, it can brighten and firm the complexion.
I am two months into a three month course of Ingenious Beauty Ultimate Collagen + supplements which have been shown in independent clinical trials to reduce wrinkles and improve elasticity.
Approved by King’s College London, these products harness marine collagen, which co-founder and pharmacist Pupinder Ghatora says is closest to the protein structure of our skin.
Combined with two other skin heroes – hyaluronic acid and astaxanthin – what’s smart about this particular pill is its cellulose shell, which protects the collagen peptides from breaking down too quickly during the process. of digestion.
In addition, to avoid cross-contamination, they are made on their own production line, whose climate and light are controlled to maintain the potency and stability of the ingredients.
Ghatora says it takes three full months to reap the benefits and with continued use my complexion should be smoother and firmer. But my skin already has more bounce, and a J-Lo-esque luminosity. There are different ways to get your collagen fix; try one of these five fabulous ones to get started.