Collagen

[TheLadyWithoutTheLamp]

Morning all.

I'm thinking of starting to take collagen. Mainly for joint pain but also to (hopefully) help skin have more elasticity. Does anyone have any suggestions about which brand and what type is best, please?

Thanks

Let's do that! ❤️

Happy to talk about creatine on here if you'd like to!

I see it online, dont understand it, so don't take it🙄

I wonder, too, about taking protein powder (I simply can't eat enough protein from my diet) but I have zero clue which protein powder to take

Should I have whey or plant......or is there a bovine/fish protein powder? 😳

Wow! Congratulations! I keep telling myself that I'll give up sugar and then I don't. How did you tackle it @BretonStripe?

There’s an episode of ‘sliced bread’ on bbc sounds about collagen supplements. Highly recommend listening to it.

I can’t prove it, but I took it whilst recovering surgery from post shoulder recovery. My shoulder whilst quite normal after six months post op has healed reasonable quickly. As I say I can prove it’s the collagen, but I think it might have helped. Obviously I had daily physio exercises to do

There has been research on this - it's all online if you google.
There is no evidence that swallowing collagen takes that collagen into your skin or anywhere else.
There was a programme on bbc radio 4 about it last year looking at the science behind it.

It's a scam.

I’ve had awful skin and spots recently and haven’t been able to work out why. I’m in my late 50s. However I’ve been taking Biotin for a couple of months. It never occurred to me it might be something I’m taking rather than something I’m putting on my skin. This is really interesting. I might stop taking it for a while and see if it makes a difference.

thanks

There are other threads on Mumsnet about Collagen.
I took it for about six months, marine collagen initially and then tried the bovine one and noticed no difference.
In my case I wanted my nails to improve and they didn’t. I was told Biotin would help too. It didn’t ☹️

Just FYI - Collagen is a specific structural fibre made from proteins (which are made from individual amino acids). When you drink collagen the body does what it does to all protein… breaks it down into its amino acids. Then it rebuilds different things all over the body using those amino acids, not necessarily collagen.

You may as well just eat protein (long molecules of amino acids) because that’s all these supplements are providing - amino acids. Your body knows how much elasticity (through collagen) it wants to make. It won’t make more just because you give it more ingredients.

Unless your body is deficient in biotin or amino acids it’s already making all of the nails (keratin) it wants to make. Improved overall health may cause better nails but just taking more ingredients won’t make a difference for most people.

Also Biotin is Vitamin B7 so if you’re taking B Complex supplements you’re doubling up.

Before taking anything that says it will work wonders, and is not a prescribed drug that's been through trials, it's worth doing an online search.
There are several scientific papers on collagen and also biotin.
None show any real change.

I get very cross at women being duped by companies into buying stuff that has no proper science behind it at all.

Sorry for the delay in replying. I haven't given up sugar! I have been on the NHS Diabetes Prevention programme since last spring, and it has supported me on changing things over the long-term. I know these are cliche's but here's what's helped:

• Consistency over intensity. Micro changes. For example, I've gone from having 1/2 a teaspoon of sugar in my tea to 1/4, or sometimes none. Swapped half the cups of proper tea (I have milk, too) to fruit/herbal teas that have no caffeine, sugar or milk.
• Staying well hydrated. I've pretty much stopped drinking alcohol. Only have it occasionally now during holidays/celebrations. This has helped massively as I used to drink white wine and cider; full of sugar.
• Choosing whole foods over processed foods. Aim for 80/20 whole/processed.
• Drastically reduced starchy/refined carbohydrates; increased protein (the collagen powder helps with this).
• Being mindful and making conscious decisions. Avoiding eating when stressed or anxious (I've spent my life comfort eating). Being very kind to myself - there is no "failing" or "naughty food" etc.
• Enjoying food! All of it. No restrictions, just smaller portions (gradually) and better food.
• Reducing stress; cortisol will mean your body holds on to fat more. So increasing yoga, walking, meditation, weight training etc

For those saying collagen is a marketing gimmick and not a magic bullet. I think most of us are aware of that. It is a supplement - it needs to be taken alongside a healthy diet and active lifestyle. Like I said, I add it to healthy smoothies, porridge or yoghurt with fruit, so it reminds me to eat healthily (habit stacking).

Let's hope stopping the biotin helps us both. I've been to the GP twice since last summer as the cystic acne was so sore and leaving horrendous scars; they prescribed erythromicin and then some sort of peroxide (the latter made my skin illuminous pink/red so I stopped using it) but never thought to ask me about my diet or supplements. I'm not sure it's widely known that an over-dose of biotin/B supplements can cause acne.

Don’t want to be a Debbie Downer, but I was taking industrial strength biotin and it didn’t help my nails or my hair. I do understand that people absorb things differently and also have different deficiencies, so I still wouldn’t discount it.

I tried the nutrition geeks one in fruit tea, I can't taste it in that at all. Might be worth a try 🙂

I had really bad cystic acne too when I was taking biotin and have never gone back to it. It was horrendous. I’ve just started taking marine collagen with HA and Vit C and I’m really hoping for improvement in my skin but mainly hair as I’ve had a lot of hair loss. I’ve supplemented at the moment up to my eyeballs as a recent blood test showed deficiencies but I’m hoping this helps too.

@Akitamum I've been using Nutrition Geeks since last summer, and could taste it in tea for sure - I've got a really strong sense of smell and it was gross!

My Willpowders arrived on Saturday. Love the packaging; made me smile. Added it to Greek yoghurt and it dissolved so much better than the NG one, no clumps or crystalisation, and no smell at all.

Not reading any more of this thread as it's setting off my diet paranoia, so apologies if I'm repeating PPs.

Peak Supps and Bulk do bovine protein powder (dried beef, basically). I use it because it provides everything beef does - amino acids, etc - except the fat. It's an easy way to increase dietary protein. Since I'm only using it to top up a normal diet, a kg lasts a long time so it's economical.

It comes in sweet flavours, but I use the neutral one to mix in with food or make soup bases, etc. Make sure you don't order the bovine collagen if you want the complete protein product, they're listed together.

For arthritis, Glucosamine & Chondroitin has longer research behind it and does help a lot of achey people, including me. It comes as a combined capsule/tablet, which you can buy almost anywhere.

I don't know what to think about collagen - I understand it doesn't seem to make sense metabolically but people have been using gelatine and bone broth for centuries to support healthy hair, skin and connective tissue. Maybe it's all been bullshit for that long, maybe not?!

Question for you all. Has anyone had any side effects from taking bovine collagen?

If you are expecting miracles collagen isn’t the answer, of those I know who are taking it joint pain hasn’t improve nor has their skin.

Thanks @Skybluepinky

I'm definitely not expecting miracles although my joint pains have decreased after 10 days of taking the bovine collagen

However I have experienced some side effects and I wondered what others have experienced

Nope, none. I’ve been taking it for two months. I can’t say I’ve really seen any positives either though.

I'm coming to the end of my 2nd month of Nutrition Geeks collagen. I have it mixed in with a flavoured coffee or drink it in a travel mug so I don't notice any taste / smell issues.

I can't say I've noticed any effects on skin / hair or aching joints. I have found it a useful, low calorie protein source and fairly cheap compared to some other proteins (Huel I'm looking at you!) so I will finish up my last bag but I won't be ordering it again.

I've been taking Healthspan marine collagen for almost six months to support hair growth. I'm not shedding as much (noticed last week) and my eyelashes have regained much of their former splendour!