Peri and menopausal women - collagen powder

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Morning. Reading about menopause and weight loss, I keep coming across collagen powder. I wonder if it's a US thing but do any of you take it? Have you noticed any benefits?

Yes ,everyday. It plumps my skin and stops my right knee from hurting - if I run out, I go to pot
I put a scoop in my morning coffee so I don't forget.

Thank you Angel. Is there a brand you'd recommend? Does it taste of anything or change the texture of your coffee?

The evidence around hydrolyzed collagen peptides is minimal at best. It has some proven effect for joints when injected (and potentially ingested) and some effect could potentially be seen in hair, nails and skin. The evidence, while potentially promising, is still ridiculously thin.

I seriously doubt it's the magic weight loss bullet, we'd all know about it if that was the case. There's also a lot of variation between the types of collagen and you need to know which one to take for what (eg. Marine based encourages sebum production in the skin, so not advisable if you're already oily skinned but great if you're very dry). I take a specific one for my hair (suggested by my dermatologist), I was highly sceptical but have seen some positive effect I the two months so far where I didn't expect it (aside from hair).

In terms of weight, nothing, but it did make me bloat a lot in the first few weeks and my clothes fit very snugly as a result and it took me a while to notice it was down to the collagen, when the bloating went it did seem like I lost weight but it was just bloating/water retention.

Oh I didn't know that they make claims about weight - I agree that does sound dubioust
I'll find a link later for my one - got to run out now with kids. And no it doesn't taste of anything nor change texture of my cappuccino.

Botemp, what one do you take ?

Sorry I haven't read about this at all
I am feeling very down in the dumps - frumpy, fat, and about to get back on a very low carb bandwagon with some IF in for good measure
Any advice on collagen which will help skin and weightloss gratefully received.

Oh please! My skin is so dry. I'm overweight with bad joints and muscles, I'd be really keen to try something other people rate!

Not sure if it's relevant OP , I'm not peri menopausal and have not experienced he menopause however I do have a genetic disorder that significantly affects my bodies ability to produce and utilise collagen (among other glorious symptoms that wreak various havoc). Every specialist I've seen, including the very swanky london ones have totally poo poo'd collagen supplementation as likely to be entirely pointless. Collagen is a structural protein and you can't direct where the body chooses to utilise it. For balance I have (by consultants) often been prescribed and recommended vitamins, now have b12 injections on the nhs,have had consultants strongly recommend specific prebiotics and probiotics but whenever I ask about collagen it has always been a no and a warning to be careful of the source of the meat/fish used to obtain it as you could be consuming all sorts. I, like many with my disorder actually look a lot younger than my age despite it and have no facial wrinkles at all. I'd prefer to look my age and not be bed bound though.

Not suggesting that it doesn't work for anyone at all, in fact I am pleased for those that take anything (as long as its safe) and feel or see improvement but just wanted to add my experience in.

I'd advise anyone with unexplained symptoms or fatigue to ask the GP to test for thyroid function, b1w, vitamin d etc. I was deficient in all three, take prescribef supplementation/injections and look a lot healthier a year on, thicker hair etc

@workshy44 I take Verisol which is a patented form and the only one with any research by it but it's done financed by the manufacturer so to be taken with a grain of salt. It's also one where you know where they're sourcing it from and that's from within the EU which is a high standard. I've written up my experiences with it after two months over on the fantastic skincare threads, I'll link the exact spot when I'm not on my phone.

Several brands sell Verisol, I'm not in the UK and get it relatively cheaply from a sort of H&B but otherwise I've seen it sold for €40 upwards for a month's supply. You want a dosage of 2500mg (of Verisol, look at the ingredient list carefully sometimes it's mixed with other cheaper forms for a daily dosage) with ideally vitamin C alongside it (most manufacturers seem to pair it up in the powder).

And I'll just repeat it's not a weight loss magic bullet or otherwise. I was impressed because I expected very little from it so was surprised it did anything. I'm also not (peri) menopausal, I have PCOS which is in a sense comparable due to hormones and difficulty with weight loss due to insulin resistance but it's not the same.

www.amazon.co.uk/LINEAVI-Collagen-collagen-hydrolysate-antibiotic/dp/B01HQ0P2UY/ref=sxts_sxwds-bia-wc-p13n1_0?psc=1&crid=XVM0STDPSF15&keywords=collagen+powder&sprefix=collag%2Caps%2C225&pd_rd_i=B01HQ0P2UY&qid=1592582502&cv_ct_cx=collagen+powder&dchild=1&pf_rd_p=e3a968a9-db34-4cb6-962f-ddcde7323cf7&pd_rd_wg=VmMfh&pf_rd_r=JHC28JQJ38FDVXM3P89J&pd_rd_w=sd1Kr&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&pd_rd_r=6582daac-bb82-418f-b24e-b3ca3e70bb05&sr=1-1-91e9aa57-911e-4628-99b3-09163b7d9294

This is my one.

Here's my more detailed experience on the fantastic skincare thread. I don't seem to be able to link to the exact post (I thought that was a thing), I have MN set up to view 100 messages per page so it's on page 6 for me, timestamp: 08/06/2020 09:55.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/style_and_beauty/3907867--Fantastic-Skincare-Vanities-Are-The-New-Shelf-Porn?pg=6

Thank you @JMAngel - I am now £13.99 worse off! I'm a sucker for these things ). Hoping it will improve my skin, not doing it for weight loss.

I am 50, most definitely perimenopausal (had the blood tests) and have been taking hydrolysed collagen for the past year. I haven’t stuck to the same brand, but can’t say I’ve noticed much difference between them. I started taking collagen together with a glucosamine supplement to help with sore, painful joints. I had got to the point where if I sat down for more than 5-10 minutes, I would literally limp for the first several metres when getting up. Quite embarrassing at work when everyone kept asking what I’d done like I’d suffered a sports injury! Anyway, massive improvement after a couple of weeks, and like JMAngel I have also noticed a difference in my skin. It’s not a miracle, but my face is slightly less ‘melted welly’! I can’t say it’s been of any help at all for weight loss though.

I’d read about the benefits of collagen (I’m peri menopausal) and ordered some organic (bovine) collagen powder from Amazon.
It was so disgusting tasting that it went straight in the bin. Very disappointing!

@Maisiecow could you link to the kind/dose you take? That sounds exactly like me. I've been diagnosed with fibromyalgia but can't believe there isn't something that will take away what feel like premature age pains!

@picklemewalnuts I’ve taken various ones over the months including tablets I’ve bought from Holland and Barrett. I’m currently taking these ones www.amazon.co.uk/Bee-natural-Kosher-Hydrolyzed-Collagen-Capsules/dp/B07K815L3L/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&s=drugstore&keywords=bee+natural+collagen&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1592590612&sr=1-3 2-3 Tablets daily, and have also used powder collagen similar to what others have posted. I just make sure I take at least 2000 mg daily (I have tried higher doses, up to 10,000 mg, but this doesn’t seem to make a difference). I think the glucosamine also helps massively with joint pain. Since I’ve been taking a combination of this and collagen, I now only get achy joints in the evening and first thing in morning.

Thanks Maisie. I'm struggling to work out the comparative doses between the powders and the tablets.

Powders tend to come with a 5g (5000mg) scoop, and it is often suggested that it’s safe to take doses as high as 30-40g daily. Tablets/capsules tend to be 1g each, so generally a lower dosage than taking collagen in powder form. As I said, I personally haven’t noticed any benefit from taking higher doses. 2-3g (2-3 tablets) daily seems to relieve my symptoms, and since it’s quite expensive I stick with that.

As above, I bought the powder JMAngel recommended and took the second dose this morning, so obviously I can't comment on how well it works. What I can say is that it isn't tasteless in tea, my preferred cuppa. I couldn't cope with it and threw the tea away and made fresh - minus collagen.

It made it kind of creamy and kind of metallic and it didn't completely dissolve so there were lots of minute gritty bits in it. Coffee may well disguise all of that better, but for me it's back to the drawing board. It says to dissolve it in 100ml of water, and I may just do it that way and down it in one. Yesterday because it didn't arrive until mid afternoon that was how I did it, and again it doesn't taste great but it gets it over with!!!

Oh sorry! It really doesn't taste of anything in my coffee. How about adding it to a smoothie or juice each morning instead? Or do you like coffee?

Ingenious are marine based (also do vegan) and I really feel the difference in my joints and my lips when I take them. They are enteric so not killed by stomach acid and have some “science” behind them - if they’re a placebo they still make a difference!
www.feelingenious.com/

I've been using Absolute Collagen supplements since February to see if it helps my (untreated) extremely thin, fragile, embarrassing hair. I have had an underactive thyroid for over twenty years and whilst my hair used to be one of my best features, it's positively dreadful now probably due to age too and my body getting too used to the meds I take. The supplement is a lemony flavoured gel and tastes lovely. It's really improved my nails (not that they needed improving as they've always been pretty good) - they grow faster and stronger. I think it's really improved the feint lines around my eyes and I also think it's helped my hair. It's actually started to grow (was very very slow to grow before) and looks a bit thicker and healthier.

However, before I started taking AC I didn't really suffer from aches and pains but now I do. I'm sure the two are not linked - I reckon it may be down to working from home (due to lockdown) from my sofa.

By the way, I'm 49.

@trixie1970 I just went to have a look at the Absolute Collagen, and I noticed it has citric acid and vitamin C in it (which I thought were the same thing, so I am confused to begin with!) But anyway, these things play absolute havoc with my knees - acidic and citrussy things - maybe worth switching to a different brand for a little while to see if it helps your aches and pains?