Collagen: Not Just A Beauty Molecule?

Does collagen actually work? The word collagen is absolutely everywhere at the moment. Every beauty product that I seem to pick up has the word collagen on it together with a promise of youth. There are supplements, creams, masks, serums and even collagen shampoo – the list goes on. Collagen Banking has become the recent buzz word in beauty but does anyone actually know what it means?

What is clear is that the collagen market is booming at the moment – worth over $9billion globally and is set to rise to $20 billion by 2030. A whole host of A listers swear by a daily supplement and lets not forget Jennifer Aniston, whose recent new bob haircut image has got everyone wondering how she doesn’t age, is the face of Vital Protein – the USA’s biggest collagen brand. But when it comes to the scientific evidence to back what collagen supplements actually do, there is not a huge amount out there and you have to dig really hard to find it.

Now a UK doctor, who has been at the forefront of collagen for the last 15 years, has written a book called Collagen: Not Just A Beauty Molecule. Dr Johanna Ward is a leading skincare doctor who has formulated, lectured on and studied collagen and for the first time, her easy-to-read book brings together all the recent clinical evidence to reveal the full benefits of collagen.

Collagen benefits

Collagen is fundamental to our bodies yet we start to decline production from as young as mid-20s. Our ancestors would supplement collagen when we ate ‘nose to tail’ yet our modern diets don’t enable us to do so, meaning most humans are collagen deficient. For example, chicken feet are a huge source of collagen type 2 but we simply don’t eat or cook chicken feet anymore. Collagen affects not just our skin, but our nails, hair, vessels, gut, muscles, joints and organs and can be seen in old age as symptoms. With our generation predicted to live beyond 100, this doctor wants to educate everyone on the importance of managing your own levels and her book gives you everything you need to know about collagen, how to preserve your own and the full range of what it can do to help you thrive into old age.

The book is fairly short and for a non-medic, its also easy to read. It suggests that collagen is an ‘absolute power molecule’, and that it stands up to scientific scrutiny. It presents emerging evidence for supporting many modern day conditions such as osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, post-exercise recovery and joint health. For any per-menopausal or menopausal woman its an absolute must as we lose 30% of our collagen levels we we go into menopause.

We all associated the word ‘collagen’ with the beauty industry, but in this book its clear that Dr Ward wants everyone to know and understand the full benefits of it on our total bodies, and also why we don’t get the supplementation we used to through our modern diets. This could be leading to conditions such as sore joints, bone breaks, sagging and thin skin and hair and much more.

Dr Ward shares her top things to look out for with collagen which are:

1.     Make sure it is taken orally via a tablet or liquid.

2.     Make sure your dose is 10,000mg per dose as a minimum. Low dose collagen, for example in gummies, does not make a difference to your body.

3.     Take your collagen with Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Zinc, Iron and Copper, otherwise it is not absorbed by the body. Look for supplements with these co-factors included in them.

4.     Make sure your collagen is hydrolyzed, your body will not be able to absorb it. Hydrolized collagen is much smaller molecules that your body can absorb. If its not hydrolized, its not worth buying.

5.     If you are vegan or vegetarian, there is now a 100% bio-match collagen that replicates the complex amino acid in collagen. It’s a new discovery and could help many millions of vegan and vegetarians access a true supplement for the first time.

Topical applications

The other revelation in the book is that collagen in your skincare products such as face creams and serums can not be absorbed by the body. So all the products that claim to apply it ‘topically’ to the face and body just don’t work as a source.

Dr Ward reveals how there is only so much that is ‘absorbed’ through topical means by the skin and only so much that can actually penetrate. Molecules that are very large like collagen don’t get beyond the surface of the skin because they are too large in molecular size. Molecules have to be less than 500 daltons in size to make it through the corneal layer. So if you are treating your wrinkles with collagen topically, it just isn’t going to make a difference.

The only way to ensure your collagen supplement is effectively treating your skin and body is to take an oral supplement but again, in 2024 the collagen supplement industry is like the Wild West. According to the book, the minimum daily dose to see any benefit is 10,000mg with many manufacturers on the market putting a much much smaller amount of collagen in their supplements.

Collagen banking

So what about collagen banking – the new buzz word in the industry. Well according to Dr Ward it is about increasing our dietary intake of collagen-rich foods and reduce our depletion and destruction of collagen to ensure our ‘bank’ is filling up as we head towards old age. We are the first generation predicted to live in excess of 100 years if we take good care of ourselves. The thought of living a long life however only really appeals if we are blessed with the good health to enjoy it. What we eat today and the food choices that we make each day help our collagen bank grow which in turn will maximise our potential lifespan and indeed our healthspan. The book covers what foods and clinically-proven initiatives can help you to bank your collagen and what happens when you ‘collagen bank’.

Type 1 collagen is stronger than steel and the state of your collagen can affect your whole body health, yet every decade our collagen quality and quantity declines. Dr Ward reveals why she believes collagen must be taken with co-factors Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Zinc, Iron and Copper when supplemented or the it is not absorbed by the body. She also examines the six main reasons for collagen decline – genetics, aging, poor diet, UV exposure, smoking and stress, and outlines how we can prevent and minimise this through powerful, evidence-based initiatives.

This doctor is on a mission to demystify the world of collagen, to help people understand the full body and vitality benefits of this wonder molecule and to ensure they are spending their money on quality supplements that work.

Buy the book here.