Collagen drinks
How effective is this liquid wonder product? Does it really firm the skin?
Imagine you could turn back the clock. Not on your wristwatch and not by magic, but with natural processes. Imagine your skin glowing and retaining its youthful smoothness. Age really becomes just a number. Thanks to scientific progress, what used to be the stuff of dreams is becoming a reality.
Collagen is a protein that the body produces itself, primarily from the amino acids proline, hydroxyproline and glycine. This structural protein is what gives our hair, nails and even joints and bones their strength. It also supports youthful skin and is used to combat the signs of ageing. After all, the natural skin ageing process is in large part due to progressive collagen loss. Modern scientific techniques can now combat this.
Although collagen used to only be available as topical creams and treatments, for some time now, it has been available in ingestible forms, such as capsules or powders to stir into drinks. It is thought that using the right collagen products can visibly reduce wrinkles and improve skin elasticity. They do this by increasing collagen synthesis, which increases collagen density in the skin, supporting the skin’s structure from within. But how effective is this natural wonder product when you drink it? We took a closer look at the evidence.
Many studies – one result
Numerous clinical studies involving thousands of participants of different age groups have tested the effects of oral supplementation with hydrolysed collagen. The results of all the studies we analysed are consistent. They show that oral supplementation of collagen can effectively reduce some signs of skin ageing because it can reduce wrinkles and improve skin elasticity, hydration and collagen density. The studies also reported improvements in the clinical manifestations of skin health and revitalisation of the skin. Improved wound healing was another positive effect that was mentioned. Taking collagen is generally considered safe – no adverse events were reported by the participants. However, it is worth noting that effectiveness always depends on the choice of product, the dosage and the duration of use.
The results are therefore very promising and encouraging. Nevertheless, we believe that further research is needed to analyse the effects and physiological mechanisms of oral collagen supplementation more thoroughly and comprehensively.
