In the1990s, everyone who watchedFriendswanted Jennifer Aniston’s haircut. Now, she’s hoping that we’ll allwant tocopy her morning cuppa: a coffee with a spoonful ofhercollagensupplementstirred in.But is there any scientific support for the claimthat the supplement will“promote a youthful appearance”?
Collagen is one of the most abundant proteins in the body. Itplays a role inbuilding cells for skin, hair and nails, and as connective tissue in cartilage, muscle, and tendons.Studies have showncollagen’seffectiveness inreducing symptoms of arthritis,repairing tendons and ligaments, and as a scaffold for growing tissues for testing in the laboratory.
Theproductionof collagenis ramped upduring childhood and puberty, but as we reach our late-20s, our ability to replenish collagen starts to decline. The main cells that synthesise collagen for the skin are called fibroblasts andthey’re sensitive to damagefrom sunlightandairpollution.The decline of collagen has been suggested asa main cause of wrinkles, with one study findingan80-year-old’scollagen production is decreased by 75 percentcompared withayoung adult’s.
So cancollagen supplements stave off wrinkles, sagging skin and brown spots, as their sellers claim? Technically, collagen supplements – whether they’re taken as pills, mixed up from a powder, or drunk as a hydrogel shot – contain a slightly different form of collagen to that made in our bodies. This is because purecollagen would be hard for us to digest. To put collagen into a supplement,it isthereforepartially broken down in a process called hydrolysis. The result, hydrolysed collagen, can beconsumed anddigested safely.
But does it work?A review of 19 available studies, with a combined total ofmore than1,000 participants, found thathydrolysed collagen supplements were effective in reducing the appearance of skin ageing if taken for at least 90 days.
However, the same review cautioned that the individual studies could’ve been limited by their small numbers of participants. They also pointed out that these studiesare often funded,at least in part,by the companies thatmanufacture thesupplements. The authors conclude that claims by sellers, and their supporters,“surpass any evidence currently proven in the literature.”
While some have said that the temperature of your beverage could diminish the benefits of collagen supplements, the limited amount of research available suggests you’d need much higher temperatures than that of your morning mocha – 150°C at least – to begin breaking down collagen into something unusable by your body.
Still, as celebrity wellness fads go, collagen supplements seem to be slightly more scientific than things like perineum sunning and coffee enemas. But having the skincare of the stars doesn’t come cheap; the collagen supplement Anniston promotes costs just under £40 a tub, working out at £1.41 for each daily dose.
Read more:
- Why is human skin so fragile?
- Why do people get wrinkles?
- How do you get healthy hair?
- Does sunshine make us happier and healthier?
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