Are collagen supplements worth it?

I think of all the collagen inducing treatments there are, oral collagen is the least scientifically convincing, and that is my honest opinion. Collagen is made up of peptides and so when you ingest it, these peptides are broken down into amino acids (for example proline) so they can pass through the digestive tract. Diary products are rich in proline and your body breaks it into the same particles to pass through the intestine. This means no matter what form of proline is presented to the gut, whether it’s from collagen or diary, the by products of proline all look the same to the body.

 

There are some brands of collagen supps that have vitamin C in them and there is scientific evidence that high doses of vitamin C can improve pigmentation and improve resistance to UV. However fresh fruit and veg or vitamin C supps are a lot cheaper than these marine hydrolysed collagen supplements.

 

Some of my patients like collagen supps and tell me they see benefits, so there’s plenty of anecdotal evidence that patients like them. But my money would go on micro-needling, peels, good skincare and injectable biostimulators for some scientifically proven collagen induction that we can all see.

 

My private clinic is 1/2 way between Chester and Wrexham in a countryside setting with lovely gardens. I am Dr Maeve Kenningham and I have clinical experience spanning over 25 years that includes aesthetics and dermatology. I give honest trustworthy advice on what will deliver results. Click on booking link or call us on 07711190079