Collagen Powder

[nickpick]

Has anyone tried collagen powder and had results?
I've bought some marine collagen from Hunter Gather, that's supposed to be unflavoured, but it tastes awful, I just can't stomach it.
I'm trying to help my skin out, it's just so tired at the moment, full if uneven skin and enlarged pores, also my hair is thinning, all probably due to perimenopause, I just feel so totally rubbish.

I get my colleges from Reverse Life... it's in liquid form and I stake a capful in the morning (the bottle comes with its own measured cap). I have found it very good for skin, nails and hair and also very good for joint pain.

Thank you @Inforapenny65 can you taste it? Tye powder really turned my stomach

You're brave. I couldn't face the powder. I get liquid from So Collagen and take a capful each morning. It's a sickly strawberry flavour and remind me a little of nicer tasting cough medecine but it's easy to swallow down. I've only been taking it for a month after it was highly recommended on another thread on MN. I think I see an improvement in my hair (I'm in peri with all the associated issues) but I know it's early days.

I previously tried Absolute Collagen for 8 months and the only difference I noticed was to my bank account. It did nothing for me.

The Vital Proteins collagen peptides is ok. I put it in my coffee. You can buy it on Amazon or from Boots.

@HundredMilesAnHour brave and stupid, researched into powder and went for that one as people said it was unflavoured, I had it in my coffee yesterday and it just made me gag, can't face it again. I'll take a look at the liquid that you.

It has a berry flavour to it.. it's not an unpleasant taste (I have had worse).

I could taste it but found it was OK in something like lemon/ginger, fennel or peppermint tea as it 'goes with' the fishy taste (sorry if that's made you gag again!). Definitely would have ruined my coffee but I've weirdly acquired a taste for it in those!

I got bovine collagen which doesn't taste of much but smells gelatine-y. I'd be interested to see if collagen works for others as I'm not seeing a difference yet although I've only had it 3 weeks. I mask the smell with some bovril!

I've got some collagen powder (marine) from Beauty Pie. It has a "berry" flavour and tastes so rank it makes me gag. I'm determined to get to the end of the tub and see if it's made a difference though, so I hold my nose and neck it, and have a coffee ready to drink immediately afterwards to get rid of the aftertaste.

Honestly OP, from the research I have done on collagen powder it's not going to give you the results you want and is therefore a waste of money.

If you are looking to increase collagen production in your skin, it takes more than just ingesting collagen powder (which is usually just amino acids that are also found in protein, so you could save your money and eat some good quality steak instead). If your diet is lacking in protein that may be beneficial to you generally, but there's no guarantee it will be delivered to the places you want it (your skin).

There are however a few things that have been shown to specifically increase collagen production in the skin (which unfortunately declines a lot as we age).

The main one is using a topically applied retinoid on a regular basis (so tretinoin, retinol, retinaldehyde etc.). This has been shown in studies to increase collagen production over time, along with other skin benefits like improved skin tone and texture. An over the counter retinol is a weaker strength, so it will take longer to see good results.

Another one would be lasers and radiofrequency procedures you can get in salons or dermatologists - these work by causing a controlled injury in the skin, which triggers a healing response and as a result there is a temporary spike in collagen production as part of the repair process.

There is also some research to show that LED light at certain wavelengths (red light specifically) can stimulate the fibroblast cells in the skin - these are the little collagen factories - and the good thing is there is no down time or irritation like you usually get after a laser treatment or similar. Again you can get LED treatments in dermatologists offices or skin salons. Or there are at home devices like LED masks.

All of these things will have mild to moderate results, and would ideally need to be used consistently to maintain results. Unfortunately, from our 30's onwards our collagen production just drops like a stone and there's only so much you can do to claw it back. Also make sure your diet (or vitamin supplements) include vitamin c and zinc as these are necessary for collagen synthesis.

The last thing you could do is use a good sunscreen everyday, as UVA light can destroy your existing collagen so it will help preserve what you have.

Review of Studies

There is actually quite a bit of evidence that Collagen does help with skin and aging. Some think it is to do with amino acids which are found in greater quantities in collagen than in proteins so it’s not just a matter of eating more protein.

For me I’ve been taking it since just before Christmas and within days it helped my knee pain (which had been going on for 8 months or so). Not seen much with my skin as yet, but fingers crossed. My SIL took it when her hair was breaking loads and it sorted her hair out. For me it’s the only supplement that I have taken that I would say has actually worked. It’s costing me about £15 pounds a month. People easily spend more on take out coffee a month, so I’m good with that.
I got California Gold Nutrition Collagen Hydrolysed Marine Collagen Peptides.

Collagen

Oh and it’s got 127,000 5 star reviews on iherb, and tastes of nothing. I have it in decaf coffee in the evening.

Thank you, I'm really not sure I can stomach the collagen powder again, as the one I have says unflavoured and its certainly not.

I have some retinal that I am going to start trying of an evening, not sure the strength of it without looking. I think my problem is I want results now! 😉

@nickpick I use the bovine Hunter & Gather and genuinely can’t taste it in tea or coffee? Jury still out but think my skin is generally improving…

Have a listen to this show
It's all about whether collagen supplements actually work

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001fcy4?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile

I've just listened to it thanks, interesting!
I definitely can't take it as a powder the thought makes me heave! So maybe a liquid if I buy it again.

I've ordered Bovine Collagen - this helps skin, hair, nails AND joints, whereas Marine Collagen won't help with joint pain. I noticed that the dosage varies hugely. Some supplements only give 1 gram. I've ordered one which gives 20 grams. Can't wait to try it.

@nickpick - I have had one that I could taste - Joe Weider I think - but I promise the Vital Proteins one doesn’t taste of anything. In coffee at least.

Evidence suggests that marine collagen is much more effective than bovine collagen.

kollohealth.com/blogs/news/marine-collagen-vs-bovine-collagen#:~:text=Marine%20collagen%20is%20better%20for,are%20essential%20for%20skin%20health.

Late to the thread, but I like Correxiko marine collagen. It's a very light powder and no awful taste

I have the Hunter & Gather bovine powder too and wimped out after being convinced I could feel a funny texture in my yoghurt/ granola (I added it to that rather than a drink). Have ordered the So Collagen stuff a pp recommended! Fingers crossed, I’d like it to help my hair.

I use a liquid one by Swedish Nutra, I have it in a glass with Berocca and can’t taste it at all. Tried it on a whim and saw results very quickly so have stuck with it!

Have any ‘real’ people ever used the collagen that the NuSkin lumispa Huns hawk? The results they post after a weeks usage have to be doctored…