Here’s a fact that will have you clutching your pearls. Collagen – the protein that is responsible for youthful skin – begins to decline from around the age of 25.
“Collagen exists naturally in our body and is found in our skin, ligaments and muscles. It works to support the overall health of our skin and bones”, says celebrity skincare expert, Nilam Holmes. “Our production of collagen slows down as we age, so it is so important to give our body more of that hard-working protein to improve the elasticity, hydration and strength of our skin”.
Each year, we are said to lose one per cent of our collagen production, so it becomes ever more pressing to replenish the body’s natural resources. Supplements will bolster collagen levels in the body from the inside out - and have become ever more popular. New research from Westfield’s How We Shop platform has shown that almost half of Brits are prioritising products that have a positive and lasting impact on their health and wellness and these dietary add-ons certainly fall into this category.
The star ingredient is typically derived from marine (from fish skin) or bovine (cow’s connective tissue) sources and for this reason, they tend not to be the most palatable. Forcing yourself to down one a metal or fishy-tasting pill on the regular is not conducive to long-term consistency. While they also come in gummy or sachet form, drinking collagen is a swift and painless way to consume this essential protein. No surprise then, that Face The Future has seen a 346 per cent increase in drinkable collagen sales in the past year.
Why drink collagen?
To be able to minimise the appearance of fine lines and stop sagging, dehydration, crêpiness and wrinkles in their tracks with just a swig of your favourite beverage seems a simple and easy way to incorporate more collagen into the body - but does it have legs? Dr Ahmed El Muntasar GP and award-winning Aesthetician explains, “Drinking collagen or eating foods that help increase collagen in your skin will help reduce the breakdown of the protein and maintain the functionality of your skin producing collagen for as long as possible”.
When should we drink collagen?
First and foremost, it is never too early or late to start and you can’t overdose on the stuff. “You can begin drinking collagen at any age – perhaps 20-25 as a preventative measure or when you start to notice visible signs of ageing and fine lines on the skin” reveals Holmes. “The body’s natural collagen production starts to decrease around the age of 21. There are benefits of starting early so your body keeps those levels sustained and you can continue to reap the rewards as your natural production slows down”.
Does drinking collagen work?
According to Dr El Muntasar, “The first generation of these collagen drinks didn’t do much to benefit skin but times are changing now and newer to market collagen drinks have started to show very good results”.
Holmes stresses the importance of upping our collagen consumption to compensate for our body’s natural decline. “The best way to do this is through our diets, however, it can be difficult to intake adequate amounts and collagen is not easily digested and absorbed by the body. Drinking meat or fish bone broth is an excellent form of collagen but its preparation is time-consuming and not always practical, so collagen supplements are a great way to boost your intake, as long as they have the right formula. Most collagen drinks have added ingredients and vitamins that work by stimulating our own collagen production as well as drinking the collagen itself”.
Are collagen drinks better than supplements?
“It’s very difficult to argue with that one”, says Dr El Muntasar. “Sometimes people say if it’s in a liquid form, it’s easier to absorb however a capsule could be gastro protected which means it’s shielded from the acids in the stomach, which means you might reduce the breakdown of the supplements themselves”.
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Holmes agrees that the benefits are similar and instead stresses that it can vary from person to person. “The key is consistency so if a drink isn’t practical, it’s worth considering which type suits your lifestyle best when deciding which works best”.
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