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One day you might wake up and think that your skin is not as firm and plump as it used to be.
Collagen plays a big part in skin health and elasticity. But already in your mid 20s collagen breaks down faster than your body’s ability to replace it. This leads skin becoming thinner, drier and more prone to damage.
Enter the beauty industry ready to sell you anything at a high cost. You can now get beauty collagen powder, bovine collagen supplements and even collagen vegan supplements.
So what is collagen? Do collagen supplements work and how long does it take for collagen supplements to work?
If you are looking into or are already taking collagen supplements this article is for you.
On this page you will find:
This post may contain affiliate links, which means that we may receive a commission should you make a purchase using these links.
What is collagen
Collagen is the most abundant protein found in skin, tendons, ligaments and even bones. There are a number of different types of collagen with Type 1 collagen being the most talked about because it relates to skin.
Type 1 collagen is an essential protein for your skin because it helps skin look youthful and firm.
As you age, and quite early on, collagen production reduces and your body struggles to replace it. Collagen production becomes lower and lower showing up in joint problems and visible signs of skin ageing.
Naturally, if you are concerned about your appearance, you will want to increase the levels of collagen in your body.
One of the most common and easily accessible remedies are collagen supplements that you can take with food.
Not surprisingly, but quite worryingly, when I searched for “collagen” I found endless ads for collagen supplements, collagen powders and collagen tablets to buy. This search included a promoted ad from a company called Feel, which promoted vegan collagen for and eye watering price of £39.50. Add this cost over the years you’ll be taking this supplement and it equals to a small fortune.
You should see the claims they are making, with phrases such as “clinically proven to”. I would ask how was this proven? And who conducted the research?
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Types of collagen supplements and how do they work
Your body produces collagen by itself. As you age, the collagen production weakens and the body cannot replace it leading to a gradual decrease in collagen.
Collagen supplements claim to boost collagen production.
Collagen is produced by an animal so the supplements and powders are made from the tissues of animals such as cow and chicken, but also fish. Collagen supplements made from fish skin is called marine collagen.
There are also vegan collagen supplements and powders, which are made from genetically modified yeast and bacteria. This is not a well developed or common form of collagen and so it is difficult and expensive to get hold of. Logically, you can just buy some brewer’s yeast and take that. Brewer’s yeast is natural, unprocessed and much cheaper. If you want to know more about the powers of brewer’s yeast, see my article here.
Often, vegan collagen is a combination of beneficial plants like aloe vera and ginseng. You can buy these in their natural form and for a low cost. The beauty industry hides behind a fancy name to charge you high prices for something that is inexpensive.
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Do collagen supplements work
First of all, your body makes its own collagen.
You won’t like this but you cannot get your body to make more collagen as you age. You cannot replace the collagen that is lost.
When you ingest collagen in a form of a supplement, it breaks down into amino acids in your digestive system. There is no evidence that collagen survives the digestive process to reach your skin in the form that is needed.
There are some studies that do show improved skin quality when taking collagen supplements. But these studies are usually funded by the companies that make the supplements. Also, the number of people included in the studies is small meaning that the results are not proof of effectiveness.
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The BBC did a short program on collagen supplements and the dermatologist advised that no evidence of the effectiveness of collagen supplements was provided by any reputable researcher. The skin professional also advises that you could see a dermatologist for the money you pay for collagen supplements.
Often, collagen supplements include other beneficial vitamins, antioxidants and minerals, meaning that it is not certain whether the improved skin quality was due to the collagen or the other beneficial vitamins and minerals like collagen and hyaluronic acid.
As an aside, but equally relevant, face creams containing collagen do not penetrate the skin deep enough to have any effect. Don’t waste your money on collagen creams.
I find it interesting that research on collagen focussed around supplements (makes money for the beauty industry), rather than food (does not make money for the beauty industry).
I am not surprised.
What is also important to know is that supplements in general are not regulated, so you have no way of know what you are getting.
Stick to what you know I say, in other words, actual healthy food.
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How to boost collagen naturally
We have established that collagen loss is an ageing process. Therefore, it makes sense to reduce the level of oxidation in your body by including antioxidants in your skincare and diet.
Antioxidants that are proven to work are:
- Vitamin C, which you can find in oranges, lemons, kiwis, peppers, dandelion has a lot of vitamin C. Use dandelion ice recipe here and ice your face every morning.
- Rosehip oil is full of antioxidants. Apply rosehip oil in the evening after washing your face as a rich moisturiser
Kefir should be included in your diet because not only does it contain a lot of B vitamins, it is also full of antioxidants
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Luxurious yet lightweight this moisturiser contains aloe vera to soothe skin and rose hip known for its antioxidant properties.
Include foods that are rich in protein too, such as fish and meat. Generally, follow a healthy diet using this helpful guide. Reduce your sugar intake, which only helps speed up the oxidation process (ageing) in your body.
Exercise is also proven to improve blood flow, especially to areas such as skin and hair. Exercises in a natural anti-ageing trick and you can find some exercise ideas here.
What matters here is consistency. Take small steps to a healthy lifestyle and make smart food choices and you will see a difference in your akin quality in 3 to 6 months. Natural beauty does take time.
Dermatologists also advise to protect your skin from the sun with a hat and sunscreen. But I disagree that your sunscreen should be any old cheap rubbish. Many sunscreens are full of harmful chemicals for you and the environment. To help you choose the right sunscreen read my article here.
Lavera My Age Day Cream
With natural ceramides and vitamin E these powerful antioxidants help keep skin looking youthful.
Collagen supplements FAQs
Does bone broth increase collagen levels?
As mentioned earlier, collagen comes from animals and fish. Making bone broth, chicken soup in other words, is good for your healthy diet. But although bone broth will contain collagen, it will not replace the lost collagen because you cannot replace it. At the same time, chicken soup is a very healthy food full of natural vitamins and protein and is easy to make. So go for it.
Do collagen supplements help hair growth?
Harvard states that “There haven't been any studies in humans examining the benefits of collagen supplementation for hair. Currently, no medical evidence supports marketing claims that collagen supplements or drinks can improve hair growth, shine, volume, and thickness.”
I think that answers your question very well.
Are collagen supplements safe to take?
Any studies on collagen supplements show that there are no side effects to taking collagen supplements. There is definitely no quality control because supplements are not regulated. So the quality of the product is not guaranteed.
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Conclusion: does taking collagen supplements really help?
From my research, I am going to say no.
Collagen supplements are expensive and numerous reputable studies have confirmed little or no effect of collage supplements on skin. Dermatologists have confirmed this.
As with everything, the solution to your keeping your skin healthy and youthful for as long as possible is simpler than you think. Healthy diet, exercise and a good simple skincare routine has worked for years, and will continue working as long as you stick to it.
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The many quick fixes in a form of pills are only used to feed on your insecurities (also created by the beauty industry). Collagen supplements do not work, and I wouldn’t bother with them if I were you. So to answer the blog post question: how long does it take for collagen supplements to work? – how long is a piece of string?
If you like this kind of informative, honest talk, then give this post a comment and a share with someone who might find it useful.
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Why trust The Clear Sky?
I am an educator and l am passionate about providing you with information about the beauty industry empowering you to make an informed choice when spending your money. I take time to research beauty products. I recommend beauty products that are non toxic, have natural ingredients and often plastic free.
With over a decade of personal experience using natural ingredients for skin, hair and body I also provide many beauty tips which are simple, innovative and sustainable.
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