What’s so Cool About Collagen?

A “Markets and Markets” research report indicates that the global collagen market size was estimated to be at $3.5 billion in 2018 and is expected to grow to reach $4.6 billion by 2023. For some context, that’s about 1% of South Africa’s entire GDP in 2018. Why is this important you might ask? It helps to understand why we are seeing collagen advertised on every corner and every “health” influencer or blogger you know, telling you to go out and buy collagen. Huge companies have invested in this and they want to sell it. This marketing growth strategy filters right down into your social media feed and suddenly, out of nowhere, you are considering the need to head out and buy collagen. So, just keep this in mind when you read through the information below.

First question, what is collagen?

Collagen is a major structural protein (kind of like the scaffolding of your body) that acts as a building block for bones, teeth, muscles, tendons, ligaments, skin, and all other connective tissues. It also plays a vital role in wound healing and in immune function. Collagen is the most abundant protein found in the human body but on its own, it is not a complete protein. This means collagen alone does not contain all of the nine essential amino acids required by the human body.

Collagen goes commercial

Products containing collagen are suddenly everywhere! They have been in serums and creams for a while but now they are in powders, tablets and ready to drink beverages. Furthermore, bloggers are blending collagen powder into smoothies, breakfast oats and even baking “healthy” treats with this supposed superfood. These supplements usually contain collagen in their peptide forms meaning that the protein has been broken down into shorter amino acid building blocks as this is easier for your body to digest. Why is this important? Because there is very little scientific evidence that tells us which collagen proteins will be formed in the body from these peptides, if any collagen will even be formed at all.

Collagen and its effect on the skin

There is no doubt that collagen in the body contributes to the firmness and elasticity of the skin. With aging, collagen production declines and this can contribute to wrinkles, dry skin and fine lines. Additional factors that deplete collagen levels include smoking, sun exposure and a generally nutrient poor diet that is high in refined starches and sugars. All of these factors activate enzymes that degrade collagen fibers.

Limited studies have shown some benefits (such as increasing skin elasticity and moisture) from ingesting collagen in its peptide forms but SPOILER, these studies were flawed. Information bias was present because the very studies claiming these supposed benefits were sponsored directly by the company manufacturing the collagen. Awkward! Other studies done were conducted in vitro (test tube) with very small sizes and no humans in sight. Therefore, it cannot be suggested that what worked in a petri dish, is going to automatically occur in the same way in the very complex, intricate system of the human body.

Collagen and bone health

With aging, the tendons and ligaments of the body can become swollen and stiff through inflammation and wear and tear. Collagen plays a role in the functioning of connective tissues, which suggests that maintaining healthy collagen levels is essential to maintain healthy tendons and ligaments. Some studies have found that collagen supplementation may decrease pain in patients who already suffer from osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. The exact mechanism for this action is not clearly understood but the important factor here is that this is a dose dependent result. A therapeutic dose of approximately 10g of hydrolyzed collagen per day is needed to attain supposed benefits.

So, what is the verdict? Should we be supplementing or not?

From a dietary perspective, your body can’t tell whether you ate a hydrolyzed collagen supplement, a skinless chicken breast, or some lentils. They’re all sources of protein, and once your digestive system has broken them down into amino acids, they are indistinguishable.

So why bother with collagen supplements? When you take hydrolyzed collagen, you are getting a boost of the specific amino that is used to make collagen. So if these are routinely lacking in your diet, then this could be beneficial to you specifically. However, you could also reevaluate your diet and focus on getting sufficient protein from a variety of wholefood sources. You could enjoy the colours of the the rainbow on your plate to ensure sufficient vitamins and minerals and phytonutrients are present, that have also been shown to improve collagen synthesis in the body. For example, vitamin C has been shown in recent studies to actually enhance collagen synthesis in the body. It’s clear that there is so much more to skin and joint health than collagen alone.

The crux of the matter: we just don’t know enough yet. Scientifically speaking, there is more hype at present than hope and it’s important that we as consumers are aware of this.

If you want to improve your skin and joint health without collagen there is lots you can do!

Surprise, surprise…optimal nutrition is a key factor to help your body produce its own collagen! Essentially you should aim to eat a variety of wholesome unprocessed foods. A diet rich in protein, phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals with special reference to calcium, magnesium, vitamin C and vitamin D. Reducing refined carbohydrates (white bread, crisps, baked goods, take-aways) and increasing wholegrain high fibre alternatives (brown rice, quinoa, legumes) together with an increased intake of plant based, colourful foods, is a great start. Also focus on your body as a whole by embarking on daily strategies to decrease stress (exercise, mindfulness, meditations), avoid excessive sun exposure, quit smoking and prioritise sufficient sleep.