Your questions on collagen supplements answeredWhat are the best collagen supplements?<\/p>\n
There are a wide range of collagen supplements available, each offering different benefits. With 18 amino acids that contribute to all round skin, bone and gut health, Hunter and gather collagen peptides<\/a> is an excellent choice. If you want your skin to feel the benefits of collagen, look to Revive collagen<\/a> and Sixways wild marine collagen, <\/a>while Ingenious Beauty\u2019s ultimate collagen+ <\/a>comes in an easy-to-take capsule form. <\/p>\n What is collagen?<\/p>\n Collagen is a structural protein found in our hair, skin, nails, cartilage and bones. It\u2019s also found in several foods. Collagen supplements source the collagen they contain from either bovine sources or marine sources. This will mean that depending on what type of collagen you take, it will come from either cows or something like cod or shellfish. <\/p>\n What is the best type of collagen?<\/p>\n There are actually numerous types of collagen \u2013 type one, two, three, four and five. They\u2019re all found in the body and have different functions. Those categorised as types one and three are the most commonly found in supplements. <\/p>\n \u201cOver 90 per cent of the collagen found in the body is type one\u201d, explains nutritional therapist Maz Packham<\/a>. \u201cSo supplementing with types one and three can support overall health where your diet may be lacking and collagen stores decrease with age.\u201d But does this work?<\/p>\n Jackson explains that, \u201cAccording to a\u00a02022 study<\/a>, a collagen supplement can improve connective tissue recovery and pain, meaning it supports resistance training and will hopefully support tissue as [we] age.\u201d <\/p>\n However, not all collagen supplements are alike, and not all of them contain ample levels to support good health. You want to ensure you\u2019re not only consuming the right type but also the right amount and in a way that suits your lifestyle. This is why I\u2019ve spoken to nutritional experts for their recommendations, as well as tested the collagen supplements featured in this guide myself. <\/p>\n How do collagen supplements work?<\/p>\n Collagen supplements work to help support the health of the connective tissues where this protein is found in our body and can be used to improve the look of fine lines, help with joint pain and make nails and hair healthier and stronger. As we age our natural collagen stores deplete, even if we\u2019re consuming a balanced diet that contains plenty of amino acids and proteins. Collagen supplements provide the body with additional collagen and usually come in powder, liquid or capsule form. <\/p>\n What types of collagen are there and which should I take?<\/p>\n There are several types of collagen. The most common are types one, two, three, four and five. Type I collagen is the most abundant in the body and is found in skin, bones and tendons. This is the type that\u2019s also most commonly found in supplements. Type two collagen is primarily found in cartilage, supporting joints and many people take this for mobility, to ease pain and to help with longevity, as opposed to the look and feel of skin. Type three collagen is often found with type one and can be found in muscles, blood vessels and your organs. Type four is found in certain layers of the skin, and type five is present in cell surfaces, your hair and interestingly, the human placenta. <\/p>\n Many collagen supplements contain a blend of types one and three and type two is mainly found in foods like chicken bone broth and pork bone broth, eggs and red and yellow vegetables. Different types come from different external sources so depending on your goals you should look at the origin, the type and the potency of the collagen you\u2019re buying. <\/p>\n How long do collagen supplements take to have an effect?<\/p>\n How long it takes for collagen supplements to have an effect varies from person to person. Generally speaking, it should take between one and three months for the supplements to start working. As with any protocol, consistency is key so it\u2019s worth tracking your results and making sure you\u2019re taking the same amount of a quality product every day for best results. <\/p>\n How much collagen should you take per day?<\/p>\n Experts suggest adults can consume between 2.5g and 15g of collagen a day (make sure to read the label on your supplement to see how much it contains). Most supplements come with a handy guide that advises how much you should take per day, or they come in pre-measured sachets or capsules to support your daily intake. These levels are usually measured based on someone with a healthy diet, so if you\u2019re unsure whether you should be taking more or less collagen, speak with a nutritionist who can advise you on the exact amount you should be supplementing. <\/p>\n What is the best time to take collagen supplements?<\/p>\n There\u2019s no definitive answer on the best time to take collagen, as long as you\u2019re consistent and taking the right dose. Some suggest taking it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, while others recommend taking it at night as the body repairs itself during sleep. However, experts agree there\u2019s no evidence that timing affects results. As Bare Biology \u2013 one of the brands listed above \u2013 notes: “There\u2019s no optimum time to take your powder as long as you\u2019re taking a high enough dose of collagen to see a difference.”<\/p>\n Bovine, marine or vegan collagen \u2013 what are the differences?<\/p>\n The only difference between bovine and marine collagen is the amino acid profile. Bovine boasts a higher content of glycine and hydroxyproline (both are important for skin, muscle tissue and the brain), while marine has more alanine for immune function and recovery.<\/p>\n \u201cYour main areas of concern should determine the type of hydrolysed collagen supplement you take,\u201d Jackson explains. Consider whether you\u2019re looking to boost longevity and mobility, or whether upping your skin, hair and nail health is your primary driver for taking this supplement. <\/p>\n Is there such a thing as vegan collagen? <\/p>\n Naturally occurring collagen comes from animals, but scientists have developed techniques to use genetically engineered microorganisms, such as yeast, to make artificial collagen that is suitable for vegans. So technically, although it isn\u2019t animal collagen, vegan collagen does exist. However, vegan collagen isn\u2019t actually collagen. <\/p>\n Usually, when you buy a vegan collagen supplement it will comprise a mix of plant-based ingredients like amino acids, vitamins and ceramides which help to boost your body\u2019s own collagen production. So vegan collagen is more of a collagen promoter than a direct source of the nutrient. <\/p>\n Can you increase collagen naturally?<\/p>\n As Packham explains \u201cyou can give the body the raw materials it needs for collagen production, by eating protein-rich foods like meat, fish and bone broth, as our bodies naturally create collagen using the amino acids from these foods \u2013 especially glycine, proline and hydroxyproline.\u201d <\/p>\n However, with the best sources of collagen coming from animal skin and organ meat, modern diets (such as vegan lifestyles) can lack this protein. While plant-based foods such as legumes, nuts and seeds do contain key amino acids, Packham explains they might not be in as high concentrations, compared with animal sources. \u201cAlso, with age, the quality of collagen produced isn\u2019t as good, so supplementation can be a good support,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n Are there any negative side effects of taking collagen?<\/p>\n In general, most people can tolerate collagen supplements. However, Packham recommends being careful if you have any allergies or sensitivities to bovine or marine sources. She explains, \u201cif someone has a histamine intolerance or sensitivity, they should use collagen with caution, as they may react to it. Meanwhile, marine-based collagen is usually lower in histamine than bovine, and levels of tolerance vary from person to person.\u201d As always, if you are at all unsure, seek advice from a qualified healthcare professional or nutritional expert.<\/p>\n Meet the expertsJess Shand \u2013 Naturopathic nutritionist Jude Jackson \u2013 FacialistMaz Packham \u2013 Nutritional therapist<\/p>\n Read more on supplements with our roundup of the best probiotics for gut health<\/a>, menopause-friendly supplements<\/a> and vitamin D<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Your questions on collagen supplements answeredWhat are the best collagen supplements? There are a wide range of collagen…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":331977,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[103,61,60,446],"class_list":{"0":"post-331976","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nutrition","8":"tag-health","9":"tag-ie","10":"tag-ireland","11":"tag-nutrition"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/331976","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=331976"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/331976\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/331977"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=331976"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=331976"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=331976"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}