FMCG : Should I Start Taking Collagen Supplements?

FMCG: Should I Start Taking Collagen Supplements?

The FMCG industry is vast with new products being released all the time, especially supplements like collagen.

What is collagen?

Collagen is the most plentiful protein in your body, accounting for about 1/3 of its protein consumption.

The word collagen in fact comes from the Greek word for glue, ‘kólla’, because collagen is the “glue” that holds all the major building blocks of our body together.

There is not just one type there are 16!

Different types do different things for your body. One type provides structure to your skin, bones, tendons and teeth, another cushions your joints, another supports the structure of muscles and organs, and another helps with filtration and is found in layers of the skin.

Unfortunately, as we age the levels of collagen in our body decease. This leads to appearance changes associated with old age – such as wrinkles and sagging.

How can you encourage your body to produce more collagen?

Try and squeeze in as many of these nutrients into your daily routine to maximise the chances:

Vitamin C (citrus fruits, bell peppers, and strawberries)

Proline (egg whites, wheat germ, dairy, cabbage, asparagus, and mushrooms)

Glycine (pork skin, chicken skin, and gelatine)

Copper (organ meats, sesame seeds, coca powder, cashews and lentils)

What can damage the collagen in my body?

Eating too much sugar and carbs! Sugar interferes with it’s ability to repair itself.
Getting too much sunshine! Ultraviolet radiation can reduce production. Avoid excessive time on the sun beds!
Smoking reduces your production because it can impair wound healing and lead to wrinkles.

How can I guarantee a higher level of collagen in my body?

Take collagen supplements!

Supplements have become extremely popular in recent years, with many daily forms available on the market.

Taking collagen in a supplement form has been found to be much easier for you body to absorb because supplements are hydrolysed – meaning it has been broken down.

What are the benefits of taking collagen supplements?

Collagen supplements are the biggest and most popular beauty supplement of 2021. These supplements can help make up for the loss or help boost the production. These supplements are most commonly found in powder or drink form, very rarely in a capsule form. These are the ways that it is best absorbed into the body.

Can improve your skin’s health

It is a major component of your skin. Several studies have shown that collagen peptides or supplements may help slow the aging of your skin by reducing wrinkles and dryness.

Helps relieve joint pain

Some studies have shown that taking these supplements may help improve symptoms of osteoarthritis and reduce joint pain overall.

Could prevent bone loss

Just as the collagen in your body deteriorates as you age, so does bone mass. This may lead to conditions like osteoporosis, which is characterized by low bone density and linked to a higher risk of bone fractures.

Studies have shown that taking these supplements may have certain effects in the body that help inhibit the bone breakdown that leads to osteoporosis.

Could boost muscle mass

Studies suggest it can help boost muscle mass in people with sarcopenia, the loss of muscle mass that happens with age.

Promotes heart health

In one study, 31 healthy adults took 16 grams of collagen daily for 6 months. By the end, they had experienced a significant reduction in measures of artery stiffness, compared with before they started taking the supplement.

So, what collagen supplement products are out there?

In the past year the amount of supplement products available to the consumer has skyrocketed (link). The amount of choice on offer is bound to cause confusion over which supplement is the best for you. We have reviewed 5 of the top collagen supplements available in the UK at the moment.

Bare Biology

This marine collagen from Bare Biology (link) can be added to a range of drinks or food. The peptides contained within this product can withstand temperatures of up to 300°C – meaning you can add collagen to home-baked banana bread!

It is the most desirable as it’s packed with antioxidants that help encourage the natural production.

Ancient and Brave: True Collagen

Odourless and highly absorbable, True Collagen contains key amino acids that will counteract the loss that starts in our 20s. You can mix this high quality blend into your morning coffees, smoothies, or tea – without tasting a thing!

The Beauty Chef: Vegan Collagen

The beauty chef is one of the biggest brand names in beauty supplements. They focus on the importance of your gut in absorbing supplements that will benefit your skin. The Beauty Chef Boost contains the essential ingredients, vitamins and mineral that will boost your body’s natural production.

Pink Cloud Beauty

This supplement is the best collagen and bioten blend on the market. This blend by Pink Cloud Beauty (link) will maintain your skin, hair, and nail’s health. Also, the product is pink lemonade flavour, making it a joy to drink every day. The supplement also contains Vitamin E and C – keeping those wrinkles at bay!

Revive Collagen

Revive uses Type 1 Hydrolyzed Marine Collagen. This is collected from ethically farmed fish skin which breaks down into small chains. Each Revive sachet contains this, making it different to the other products on the market as the hydrolysis process breaks it down into small, bioavailable component and is immediately available for absorption by the blood stream.