Collagen
Well worth taking but not essential. A type of protein.
From the Greek for 'glue' (kólla) and 'gen' for producing.
Particularly beneficial for some groups (increasing bone mineral density in menopausal women for example).
Vitamin C is essential to biosynthesis.
You don't need to worry about types, particularly if taking with vitamin c - your body will synthesize what it needs from other types (or from other protein you consume). Most of the collagen in the body is type I.
Also recommended you get enough vitamin d and zinc.
Good old bone broth.
Made from cow skins, or marine animals.
Amazon affiliate link.
Interesting BBC article here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cjr5zj12ye1o and here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/future/article/20250214-do-collagen-supplements-work
Also see red light therapy which helps stimulate collagen production in the skin.
Forms/Types
There are at least 28 types of human collagen 1.
Quality
As with all supplements - buyer beware. It's quite common for supplements to be contaminated with a variety of impurities, often in the form of heavy metals, and/or contain far more or less of the ingredients stated on the label. There's no simple rule of thumb to avoid this, such as avoiding cheap or imported products; expensive or well-known brands produced in-country may be just as bad. Ideally you should take some time to find products (if you can) that;
- have been laboratory tested on behalf of the manufacturer by a reputable body or company that operates in your country or region (here's an example of a Peak Supps creatine supplement available on Amazon in the UK which has been tested by Eurofins: Creatine Monohydrate Powder 1Kg | Pure Micronised | Packaging May Vary - see pictures 3 & 4)
- in the UK & EU, are manufactured in facilities that meet the minimum standards of good manufacturing practice (GMP) in their production processes (for medicines).2[^3] Facilities are inspected for compliance and manufacturers' product(s) must:
- be of consistent high quality
- be appropriate to their intended use
- meet the requirements of the marketing authorisation (MA) or product specification
Be wary of any manufacturers or brands making claims around these valid but irrelevant standards;
- HACCP: this standard relates to food safety which indicates that the seller is claiming their supplement is a food; whilst meeting this standard is worthwhile, GMP (detailed above) would be a more appropriate standard
- ISO22000: same as HACPP
- ISO9001: this standard is focussed on quality control management systems in the context of managing a business or organisation, not directly on the the quality of the products that business produces (although it may have a beneficial impact)
Amino Acids
Dosage - How Much?
Deficiency - Too Little
Toxicity - Too Much
Side Effects
When to Avoid Use - Interactions/Contraindications
Assistants
See red light therapy.
Random Facts
- Gelatin is irreversibly hydrolyzed