Do Collagen Supplements Really Work?

This month I earn my Medicare number………seems impossible but it WILL save me about $1000/month in health insurance premiums! Along with the privilege of reaching this milestone has come a myriad of aches and pains. I tell friends I now wake up stiff…. but not in a good way! I’ve been active my entire life whether wrestling in high school, triathlons in my 30’s and amateur bike racing in my 40’s. I’ve skied, played racquetball, scuba dived, and taken biking and hiking vacations and I’ve been a spin instructor for 20 years. Now I’m addicted to Pickle ball! But that’s a story for another day.

Along with this lifetime of activity has come the inevitable aging and damaging to my joints, ligaments, tendons and muscles. In the last 6 years I’ve tried to have a well balanced diet leaning towards plants and less animal protein. I’ve added multivitamins, specific supplements and branched chain amino acids during workouts. Additionally I’ve been using a skin cream every morning that contains sunscreen every morning for 20 years. I think I look pretty good for my age but I honestly was not able to get rid of the achiness.

Over the last few years there have been MANY products promoting collagen and hyalruronic acid supplements so I thought I’d give them a try. But first a little about the science. Collagen is a fibrous, supportive protein. It is found in bone, cartilage, tendons, ligaments, and skin. It helps skin cells adhere to one another and also gives the skin strength and elasticity. Collagen production decreases with age, contributing to skin wrinkling and sagging. So is it possible to replace and nourish collagen? There have been studies that show increased skin elasticity and improved joint health….but some collagen products are different than others and that’s where the problem lies.  A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted on 120 subjects who consumed either a collagen-containing test product or a placebo on a daily basis for 90 days. Those who consumed the collagen supplementation reported improved skin elasticity compared with the placebo group. Additionally, the same participants also reported decreased joint pain and improved joint mobility. 

Collagen can’t be absorbed by the body in its whole form. Collagen proteins must be broken down into smaller peptides or amino acids before they can be absorbed. Collagen supplements are typically already broken down into peptides of two or three amino acids for the purpose of increasing their ability to be absorbed also known as bioavailability. They can then be absorbed through the GI tract when taken by mouth. Since collagen is produced by our bodies from amino acids and cannot be absorbed in its whole form, plant and animal protein sources both can provide the raw materials needed for adequate collagen production. Thus the current number of collagen supplement products on the market from fish, beef and chicken protein sources. Vegan supplements DO NOT contain collagen.  These supplements are called “collagen builders” and typically contain ingredients that are derived from plants, such as plant-based protein.

So I found a supplement that I feel is well researched, has multiple positive studies, several patents and is formulated so that I don’t have to take large amounts to assure absorption. I can say this about it. My knees don’t hurt as much and my recovery time from a couple of hours of pickleball per day is vastly improved! My skin also is looking and feeling smoother. Hair and nails are growing faster than ever. Several friends are also using it with good results. Is it the fountain of youth?…….we’ll see, but if nothing else it beats the hell out of handfuls of Advil! Additionally I think it could extend the effectiveness of Dysport treatments in my aesthetic patients as well!

If you’d like to know more about the product I’m using please contact me at jsdoc56@gmail.com or on Facebook…..Jon Salisbury. I’m choosing to not promote the product myself but will direct you where to buy it. Give it a try…….you’ve got nothing to lose except maybe some aches, pains and wrinkles! Stay healthy and thanks for reading!