Plump cheeks and a sip from the fountain of youth, hair that flutters long as if Haim\u2019s fourth sister and nails so robust they demand pointed queries from strangers; all promises of a collagen supply kept topped up to the brim. A reserve that dims as we age.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ll admit I\u2019m a skeptic, hedging my beautiful bets as I gather fine lines. The multitude of health benefits offered by many a collagen-lifting drink seems all too polished to be true. Is it a sprinkle of magic dust into my smoothie brightening my complexion or the fact that I\u2019m enjoying a green smoothie at all in place of a handful of trail mix with a side of second-coffee anxiety? <\/p>\n
Not as sexy as the skincare commercials have touted to this day, collagen is essentially a tissue-binding protein. Or in other words, a building block of elasticity and strength in our skin and beyond. The adhesive that binds our body together, it\u2019s naturally produced by our body but production slows with age. When our collagen is high (at birth \u2018til approximately mid-20s), smooth, bouncy skin becomes us. \u2018Til it starts escaping our perfectly lathered and lotioned hands and pores, leaving a trail of less than taut skin in its path. And the pesky phantom pains of squeakier joints and muscles too.<\/p>\n
Replenishing our collagen stores and working on the density dive from the inside out is most promising. Where topical collagen products are unlikely to make their way beyond the dermis, ingestible collagen with the right surrounding conditions can lengthen strands, elevate elasticity, and deliver long-lost radiance. Fans of collagen supplements are evangelical as a peer through reviews shows, baby-hairs banished and botox-sidelined. <\/p>\n
The quest for forever glow is not new nor novel, this pursuit for collagen spans decades. Bird\u2019s Nest a beloved Japanese drink bursting with collagen, CoQ10, and hyaluronic acid or collagen-abundant bone broth has framed the rituals of many a woman for generations. Recognized as an essential daily defense from the aging process. In Western cultures, collagen supplements are often maligned as vain pursuits, a dosage of mirror-approval unsupported by study or science. But is this merely an act of beauty is a silly little pursuit defiance uttered by those who don\u2019t face the same societal pressures to look forever young? After diving single-origin fish skin deep into the topic, the answer is a wholehearted yes. <\/p>\n
Collagen marked on the label of your health shelf of choice can be all kinds of misleading, a trail of Italian breadcrumbs distracting from the ingredients at hand. Delicious and deceptive all at once. Let\u2019s debrief (decrumb) on the two types of collagen, pure collagen, and the boosters.<\/p>\n
Pure collagen: <\/strong>Derived from fish (marine), pork (porcine), or cattle (bovine), collagen in its purest form will be developed from all three of these into a powder or liquid ready for your morning routine. While bovine is most common, marine collagen is identified in more clinical data for its hair-lengthening and skin-tightening prowess. The gold standard amongst this bunch is hydrolyzed, whereby the collagen has already been broken down into peptides to speed up your body\u2019s ability to soak it up.<\/p>\n
Anna Lahey founder of VidaGlow, the wild-caught and fresh-farmed marine wonder of brightly adorned packaging and swiftly nabbed sachet adds its all about molecular weight. \u201cTo make the most of any skincare formula, its essential actives have a low molecular weight. Whether they\u2019re applied on top of the epidermis or ingested to reach the dermis from within, actives can only perform at their potential if they\u2019re absorbed where they\u2019re most effective. When supplementing collagen, it\u2019s important to recognize that it is a large molecule in its native state. Meaning it\u2019s too large to be absorbed by the body and penetrate the skin\u2019s deepest layers. This is why our Natural Marine Collagen is hydrolyzed. Enzymatic hydrolyzation emulates the digestive process to naturally break down collagen into smaller peptides. By reducing collagen peptides from 30,000 Daltons to as low as 2,000 Daltons, Natural Marine Collagen has an absorption rate of over 90% in the body.\u201d <\/p>\n
Fellow marine collagen champion Olivia Boyd-Smith<\/a> of Pearl by Par Olive<\/a> concurs, \u201cFor instance Bovine, they’re very big particle. So it’s actually harder to absorb, bovine is more specifically for like bone and ligament and gut health. And then marine collagen is more specifically for hair, skin, and nail health. Because Marine is really rich in type one and type three collagen, which is the most abundant type of collagen in the human body, so it’s best assimilated into the human body. And that\u2019s where type one and type three in marine collagen are definitely the most beneficial for hair, skin, and nail health. In terms of bioavailability, it’s so important to have a hydrolyzed collagen. Pearl is hydrolyzed down to the lowest molecular weight. If it’s not hydrolyzed, you’re just going to be digesting those collagen peptides as protein.\u201d <\/p>\n
Trinity Mouzon Wofford<\/a>, founder of beauty and wellness outfit Golde<\/a> created such a solution for vegans or lovers of creamer. Their collagen-booster is a blend of bamboo extract, a rich natural source of silica – crucial in collagen-building, hyaluronic acid, and biotin all with a soft coconut sweetness. Trinity wanted everyone to be able to experience these beauty-boosting benefits, saying \u201cAs we think about how to make wellness truly accessible for everyone, dietary choices and restrictions are an important category that comes into play! A lot of forms of hyaluronic acid aren’t vegan either, so we made sure to source an animal-product-free version to keep our formula 100% plant-based.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ceramosides is another novel vegan vehicle, a wheat-based form of ceramides ready to ingest for glow-from-within-skin. Ceramides are lipids that help boost your skin barrier and fill the space between your skin cells. They keep things looking plump and stop trans-epidermal moisture loss, and in restocking your body\u2019s supply you can preserve the collagen you already have a little longer. It halts the enzyme breakdown of collagen and elastin and clinical explorations of its efficacy are promising. Supplements are available in capsules and even delicious morsels of vegan chocolate as Sourse<\/a> delivers for the powder-averse and pro-treat.<\/p>\n
Nutritionist and whole-food hero Serein Wu<\/a> notes that promises of plumpness on the label aren\u2019t always the full picture. Her pick? A varied diet first, supplements as supporters. \u201cBone broth is incredibly rich in collagen as a whole food source. A lot of these supplements are high in sugar or filler ingredients that can disrupt absorption, making it more expensive than useful.\u201d She notes monk fruit or a dash of Stevia are OK, but is in favor of less is more if you want to truly glow.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re diligently dosing collagen, it\u2019s crucial to elevate your protein intake too, or otherwise, your superbly sourced blend won\u2019t be able to do its supple skin best. Nutritionist Serein Wu<\/a> shares, \u201cYou need to be eating enough protein first, and I say eating – not sipping protein shakes. If you\u2019re not getting enough protein (at least 20g a meal) the collagen peptides are going to essential functions first, before they go to your hair, skin, or nails.\u201d<\/p>\n
Oral Collagen Drink for Anti-aging<\/a> – 2020<\/p>\n
Effects of hydrolyzed collagen supplementation on skin aging<\/a> – 2021<\/p>\n
A Collagen Supplement Improves Skin Hydration, Elasticity, Roughness, and Density<\/a> – 2019<\/p>\n