Claimed to plump out wrinkles, strengthen muscles and ease sore joints, collagen is heavily marketed as a miracle solution to many of the effects of ageing.
As a result, a host of collagen-based products, from gummies to powders, has flooded supermarkets.
And their popularity was given a boost last month, when a review of more than 100 trials, involving almost 8,000 patients, found that taking collagen supplements daily for at least three months could improve skin elasticity and hydration – and help stiff, painful joints.
‘Collagen does have credible benefits when used consistently over time, particularly for skin and osteoarthritis,’ says Lee Smith, a professor of public health at Anglia Ruskin University who co-authored the review.
Collagen is made by breaking down the protein we eat into amino acids, which are turned into collagen by cells known as fibroblasts.
It is then used to form skin (it provides elasticity and firmness); as well as tendons, muscles and bone (providing structure and support).
After the age of 25, our bodies start to generate less collagen (there are 28 types) and, as it’s found mainly in skin, bones and connective tissues, it can be hard to boost levels from diet alone.
‘In studies, collagen is usually taken in doses ranging from 2.5g to 15g daily,’ says Professor Smith.
Collagen is made by breaking down the protein we eat into amino acids, which are turned into collagen by cells known as fibroblasts
‘The best studied doses are generally around 3-5g for skin benefits, and around 10g daily in joint pain studies.’
By comparison, a 200g chicken breast with skin has 2-3g, a 180g salmon fillet with skin 3-5g, while a bowl of bone broth (made by cooking bones for 4-6 hours) around 3-6g.
Most supplements (which range in price from £25 to £40 a month) contain marine collagen (from fish skin and bones), which contains more type I collagen, a form linked to skin firmness, and bovine collagen (from beef cartilage and bones) which is generally richer in type II – a form more relevant to joint health.
We asked Professor Smith and Dr Roshan Ravindran, an aesthetic doctor and researcher, who co-authored the new review, to assess some of the newest collagen products; we then rated them.
Fizzy tablets
Bioglan Beauty Collagen Effervescent Tablets, £10.40 for 20, boots.com
DAILY DOSE: 1g
COST PER DAY: £1.04
CLAIM: With added biotin, selenium and vitamin C. Dissolve one tablet, twice daily, in water.
EXPERT VERDICT: ‘The main issue is the dose: 1g a day of marine collagen is low compared with the 3-10g doses used in most studies,’ says Professor Smith.
‘The added vitamin C is sensible, as it helps the body make collagen, but 12mg is low – the recommended amount for an adult is 40mg. The biotin and selenium don’t add much, only 15 per cent of your daily needs.
‘Effervescent tablets rely on ingredients such as sodium carbonate and sweeteners to make them fizzy and palatable, so for some, a simpler powder may be more attractive.’ 2/10
Powders
Chuckling Goat Pure Fish Collagen, £40 for 210g, chucklinggoat.co.uk
DAILY DOSE: 10g
COST PER DAY: £1.90
CLAIM: ‘Hydrolysed’ pure fish collagen powder from Atlantic cod. Add a 10g scoop to drinks. No fishy taste.
EXPERT VERDICT: ‘Hydrolysed collagen has already been broken down into smaller peptide fragments, the building blocks of protein, which may make it easier to digest – but there’s not yet substantial research proving this,’ says Dr Ravindran.
‘Marine collagen is often marketed as being better absorbed than bovine because of its smaller peptide size – but the evidence does not yet show this either.
‘The 10g dose is a strong, sensible dose for both skin and joints.
‘But the main attraction of this product is its purity – this has no added extras. But at £3.33 per day, it’s expensive.’ 7/10
Wild Nutrition, Collagen 500 Plus, £18.10 for 94g, wildnutrition.com
DAILY DOSE: 3g
COST PER DAY: 60p
CLAIM: Marine collagen with silica and vitamin C. The maker says its formula uses ‘500 Dalton weight peptides’ for optimal absorption. Add a 3g scoop to drinks.
EXPERT VERDICT: The 500 Dalton claim – which means the peptides are very small, so easier to absorb, is ‘biologically plausible’, says Dr Ravindran, but there’s no evidence it’s ‘definitively better than other hydrolysed collagens’.
‘The vitamin C helps the body make collagen,’ he adds, while silica (a natural compound of silicon that holds collagen fibres together, and oxygen) ‘can improve aspects of skin quality’.
‘However, at 3g of collagen per day, this sits at the lower end of what has been studied for skin benefits.’ 5/10
Ancient Nutrition, Multi Collagen Protein Powder, Strawberry Lemonade flavour, £25.99 for 273.6g, healf.com
DAILY DOSE: 10g
COST PER DAY: £1.08
CLAIM: Supports ‘your muscles and bones with ten types of collagen’. Add one 10g scoop to water.
EXPERT VERDICT: ‘This powder contains collagen from multiple sources, including bovine, fish, eggshell membrane and bone broth,’ says Professor Smith.
‘However, we do not have strong research to say a multi-source collagen blend is better than a simpler, single-type product.
‘The collagen is hydrolysed which, in theory, should mean it’s absorbed well. This is a decent mid-priced product with a good dose of 10g (and vitamin C), with a pleasant flavour.’ 8/10
Capsules
NaturesPlus Collagen Peptides with Vitamin C, £24.95 for 120 capsules, naturesplus.co.uk
DAILY DOSE: 2g
COST PER DAY: 83p
CLAIM: ‘Provides all 6 major collagen types (I, II, III, IV, V & X).’ Take four capsules a day.
EXPERT VERDICT: ‘There is currently no strong evidence that multiple forms of collagen alone make a product superior,’ says Dr Ravindran. ‘And the dose of 2g per day is on the low side.
‘Four capsules a day is quite a lot for anyone who struggles with swallowing pills.’ 2/10
Liquid
Nutrabytes High Strength Liquid Collagen, £21.99 for 500ml, nutrabytes.com
DAILY DOSE: 10g per 25ml dose
COST PER DAY: £1
CLAIM: Contains bovine collagen plus 50mg of hyaluronic acid and biotin, silica and vitamins B12 and C.
EXPERT VERDICT: ‘This liquid gives a solid 10g dose,’ says Professor Smith. ‘It contains bovine collagen which can be rich in type II collagen, more closely linked to joint support.
‘But the idea that one type of collagen is categorically better than the other for everyone is probably overstated.
‘The added hyaluronic acid is reasonable and studies [of doses 80-200mg] suggest it may improve skin hydration.
‘The trade-off is that it’s more processed, with sweeteners, flavourings and preservatives.’ 7/10
Ready to drink sachets
Revive Collagen Enhanced Plus – Hydrolysed Marine Collagen Drink, £35.69 for 14 sachets, revivecollagen.com
DAILY DOSE: 10g
COST PER DAY: £2.55
CLAIM: This ready-to-drink sachet also contains retinol, keratin and vitamins B6, C & D.
EXPERT VERDICT: ‘Sachets are certainly handy for travel and these contain the 10g marine collagen dose used in many studies,’ says Dr Ravindran, ‘but there’s little strong evidence that adding vitamins and keratin [a protein found in hair, skin and nails] makes a meaningful difference over collagen alone.
‘The big caution here is the 800micrograms of retinol – i.e. vitamin A – to support skin health. Safe for most people, this dose should be avoided in pregnancy because too much vitamin A can harm the baby. At £2.55 per day, this is also very expensive.’ 4/10
Gummies
Holland & Barrett Bovine Collagen Strawberry, £19.99 for 60
DAILY DOSE: 1g
COST PER DAY: 67p
CLAIM: With added vitamin C. Take two per day.
EXPERT VERDICT: ‘The main issue is the dose: 1g a day from the recommended two gummies (500mg each) is far below the amounts used in most studies,’ says Professor Smith.
‘Gummies are convenient for people who dislike tablets, but the first ingredients are glucose syrup and sugar, which aren’t helpful for teeth, weight or general health.’ 0/10
Juice shot
Sainsbury’s Collagen Raw Shot, £1.50 for 60ml
DAILY DOSE: 1g
COST PER DAY: £1.50
CLAIM: Bovine collagen blended with fruit juice (watermelon, apple, pomegranate, beetroot, raspberry and ginger) plus added zinc and vitamin C. One shot daily.
EXPERT VERDICT: ‘A handy format and the added fruit, vitamin C and zinc make it feel more like a wellness shot,’ says Professor Smith.
‘The vitamin C and zinc – sensible additions for skin health – do not change the fact that 1g of collagen is too low.’ 2/10
