April 8, 2024 — When Mary Claire Haver, MD, took an interest within the potential of collagen supplementation a few decade in the past, she struggled to seek out many gold-standard research that confirmed main enhancements within the points that mattered most to her sufferers, corresponding to cellulite, wrinkles, and bone well being.
Now the information appears to be extra plentiful, although nonetheless murky. Collagen dietary supplements look like secure to take and considerably efficient, relying on what downside you’re attempting to unravel, what sort of complement you are taking, and which elements are included.
“I all the time say to search for the proof,” Haver mentioned. “I noticed randomized managed trials with a specific sort of collagen complement — known as VERISOL — that confirmed enchancment. Because it helped and positively wouldn’t damage, I started taking it, and it turned a part of my routine.”
Haver, an OB/GYN in Texas who has drawn a serious following on social media below the model The ’Pause Life, speaks in regards to the challenges of menopause and the modifications in vitamin, train, and supplementation which will assist. Haver sells collagen dietary supplements with VERISOL below her model, however she nonetheless cautions her sufferers and followers to watch out about what they select to make use of since dietary supplements aren’t regulated by the FDA.
“Corporations can slap a label on something and promote it, and a part of why I created my model is as a result of it’s so arduous to seek out respected merchandise,” she mentioned. “On prime of that, you additionally see ‘meno-washing,’ the place firms market merchandise as menopause-related and mark up the costs.”
Generally, Haver recommends on the lookout for complement firms that use third-party testing, checking the manufacturing location and date for freshness, and being conscious of unrealistic claims. If something appears too good to be true, it most likely is.
“I obtain DMs from followers with screenshots from Instagram or TikTok advertisements, asking if a product is nice or if the claims are actual,” she mentioned. “Purchaser beware: Nothing cures menopause, however there are issues we are able to do to assist our our bodies, together with the right dietary supplements.”
What Is Collagen?
Collagen serves as a serious structural protein in connective tissues and supplies assist to pores and skin, hair, nails, bones, tendons, and cartilage. Collagen can also be a constructing block for proteins corresponding to keratin, which types pores and skin, hair, and nails. Different substances, together with hyaluronic acid and elastin, work with collagen to keep up pores and skin elasticity and moisture.
Greater than two dozen sorts of collagen exist, with sort I making up 90% of the collagen discovered within the human physique. Though the physique naturally produces collagen by means of amino acids present in protein-rich meals, manufacturing decreases over time on account of getting old, alcohol consumption, smoking, and solar harm, which might result in frequent points corresponding to wrinkles, joint ache, and dry pores and skin.
Collagen dietary supplements sometimes use sorts I, II, and III, with sorts I and III being good for pores and skin, hair, and nails and kind II being good for joints and cartilage. Probably the most bioavailable types — or most available for digestion — are offered as hydrolyzed collagen, or collagen peptides which might be damaged into smaller molecules that the physique can take in.
However collagen isn’t thought of a “full protein” as a result of it doesn’t include the entire important amino acids wanted to assist the physique operate, so supplementation can’t substitute protein powders or different dietary supplements with all 9 important amino acids.
What Do Research Present About Collagen Dietary supplements?
New research about collagen supplementation have emerged up to now decade, with a notable improve in recent times. For example, a 2021 systematic review of 19 research that examined hydrolyzed collagen dietary supplements amongst 1,125 folks confirmed favorable outcomes for pores and skin hydration, elasticity, and wrinkles. In 2023, another review of 14 research with 967 folks discovered encouraging outcomes for pores and skin moisture ranges and elasticity. But another 2023 review of 26 research with 1,721 folks additionally confirmed improved pores and skin hydration and elasticity. Further research have famous potential advantages for joint stiffness and ache, bone density, and brittle nails.
“The excellent news with collagen is that, until the product is adulterated or doesn’t observe good manufacturing practices, it sometimes gained’t hurt you to take,” mentioned Mahtab Jafari, PharmD, a professor of pharmaceutical sciences on the College of California, Irvine. Jafari and her analysis workforce check botanical extracts and dietary dietary supplements for his or her anti-aging properties and long-term well being results.
With collagen merchandise, Jafari suggests paying shut consideration to elements. She not too long ago obtained a name from somebody who began taking collagen and developed a rash. After wanting on the product, Jafari noticed that it used marine-based collagen, and the individual was allergic to fish. Collagen dietary supplements could use fish, rooster, cow, pig, eggshells, or different sources of protein, she famous, but firms typically make it tough to be taught in regards to the sources or elements of the product.
As well as, Jafari mentioned, firms could use research or information to again up their claims, however that won’t inform the entire story. Most collagen-related research use self-reported measures from examine contributors, who could look within the mirror and write down what they see. This may skew the outcomes since a number of the measurements are subjective, together with the looks of wrinkles, superb strains, pores and skin hydration, or elasticity.
“Contemplate the entire different variables that aren’t measured: Did the entire examine contributors use sunscreen? What are their stress ranges?” Jafari mentioned. “In the event you don’t use sunscreen to forestall solar harm, as an example, then oral collagen isn’t essentially going to assist.”
Complement-related research additionally are likely to have main limitations. A lot of the research are observational, which suggests they don’t immediately check the product as a part of an experiment, they usually usually embrace a small variety of folks. In collagen-related research, practically all have included solely girls, most centered on pores and skin (slightly than hair, nails or joints), and plenty of are funded by complement firms.
“There are just a few research that counsel collagen dietary supplements could also be useful, however extra rigorous analysis is required to substantiate that that is true,” mentioned Temitayo Ogunleye, MD, an affiliate professor medical dermatology on the College of Pennsylvania’s Perelman College of Medication.
Though research are enhancing, few make clear the right dosing or the opposite elements, corresponding to vitamin C or hyaluronic acid, which will increase the optimistic results of collagen, she says, in addition to probably much less useful elements corresponding to added sugars or synthetic flavors.
“Lots of the research make the most of dietary supplements with different elements, making it tough to tease out which ingredient could also be contributing to perceived modifications,” she mentioned. “There’s additionally an absence of standardization for measuring enchancment or improve in collagen synthesis to objectively assess response to remedy.”
What Else Ought to I Contemplate With Collagen Dietary supplements?
Collagen dietary supplements are typically secure to make use of, however different strategies could also be simply as efficient, corresponding to consuming a balanced eating regimen with sufficient protein, Ogunleye mentioned.
“Because it’s damaged down as different proteins, I don’t see why ingesting collagen can be extra useful than consuming different types of protein,” she mentioned. “Lotions aren’t well worth the effort.”
For anti-aging properties particularly, Ogunleye recommends solar safety and retinoids over dietary supplements, in addition to life-style modifications corresponding to getting sufficient sleep and lowering stress.
“My takeaway is that each one the information may be very weak,” mentioned Robert Anolik, MD, medical assistant professor of dermatology on the NYU College of Medication. “Because it stands now, I don’t advocate that my sufferers devour collagen supplementation as a result of I consider it finally wants extra information for a medical advice just because there isn’t any sturdy proof of efficacy.”
Anolik factors to the easy bodily nature of consuming meals or a complement: You’ll be able to’t dictate the place the collagen goes within the physique after being digested, so in case you determine to take a complement, it needs to be p
artwork of an general method slightly than a particular answer.
“Simply because we devour collagen doesn’t imply that it’s going emigrate proper into the pores and skin layers the place we would like it,” he mentioned. “Moreover, simply because we devour one thing doesn’t imply it’ll act in that particular operate in our physique. I’d like to have a stronger hairline, but when I swallowed some hair, it sadly gained’t go proper to my scalp.”
