If you’ve spent any time on Facebook or Instagram recently, there’s a good chance you’ve seen an advert for collagen.
Or 400 of them 😂
You know what it’s like. You watch ONE video for five seconds and suddenly the algorithm decides collagen is the answer to all of your problems.
Better skin! Healthier joints! Stronger hair! Stronger nails! Look younger! Feel amazing!
My Facebook feed is absolutely full of them at the moment, which got me thinking about a question I’m asked quite a lot:
Do collagen supplements actually work?
The short answer is… possibly!
There is some promising research around collagen, particularly for skin and joints.
BUT (you knew there was going to be a but 😂), the evidence isn’t anywhere near as miraculous as some of the adverts would have you believe.
So, let’s look at what we actually know.
What actually is collagen?
Collagen is a protein that we naturally have in our bodies. It’s found in our skin, bones, tendons, ligaments and cartilage.
As we get older, our bodies naturally produce less of it.
So you can see why collagen supplements sound like they make perfect sense.
Collagen declines as we age → take more collagen → replace what we’ve lost.
Easy!
Except our bodies don’t quite work like that.
What happens when you take a collagen supplement?
This is the bit I think is really important to understand.
When you drink a collagen supplement, it doesn’t travel straight to your face and make your skin look younger. It also can’t find your achey knee and decide that’s where it’s needed 😂
Your digestive system breaks collagen down into smaller peptides and amino acids.
Your body can then use those building blocks where they’re needed.
So you might be drinking your collagen every morning thinking, “Come on then, sort these wrinkles out!” but unfortunately you don’t get to tell your body exactly where to send it!
That doesn’t mean collagen supplements don’t do anything.
There is evidence that some collagen peptides may have effects beyond simply providing amino acids, which is one of the reasons researchers are interested in them.
It just isn’t as simple as eating collagen = immediately making more collagen in whichever bit of your body you’d like to improve.
So, do collagen supplements work?
This is where it gets interesting because there is some promising research.
Some studies have found improvements in things like skin hydration and elasticity after taking collagen consistently.
There is also some evidence that collagen supplementation may help with joint pain and function in certain groups of people.
So I definitely wouldn’t sit here and tell you collagen is completely pointless.
But there are a few things we need to bear in mind.
Studies use different types of collagen, different doses and run for different lengths of time, which makes it difficult to say exactly how much somebody should take or whether everyone will get the same results.
A lot of the research also has links to the companies making or selling collagen products, so I’d like to see more high-quality independent research too.
Basically, the evidence is interesting and quite promising.
It’s just not “take this scoop every morning and transform your skin and joints” promising.
Collagen isn’t the same as your normal protein
This is another really important one, particularly for women as we get older.
Collagen is not a complete protein.
So please don’t swap your normal protein shake, eggs, yoghurt, fish, meat, soya or other protein-rich foods for collagen because you’ve heard collagen is better for you.
They’re doing different jobs.
Maintaining our muscle becomes increasingly important as we get older, which is why getting enough good-quality protein alongside regular strength training is something I’d prioritise way before worrying about a collagen supplement.
And you absolutely don’t need to spend hours in the gym to do that.
Short, regular strength workouts at home can be a really realistic way to get stronger, particularly if you’re trying to fit exercise around work, children, caring responsibilities and everything else life throws at us!
That’s actually a huge part of the reason my online fitness classes for women are mostly just 20 minutes long.
I’d rather you do 20 minutes consistently than keep telling yourself you’ll do an hour-long workout when life calms down.
Because when does that actually happen?! 😂
What would I focus on before collagen?
Before spending £30, £40 or £50 every month on collagen, I’d look at the things you’re already doing.
1. Are you strength training regularly?
This would be really high on my list, especially as we get older.
Regular strength training helps us maintain our muscle and supports strong bones. Building stronger muscles can also help support the joints around them.
And please don’t think this means you suddenly need to become a gym person!
You can strength train at home with dumbbells, resistance bands or even your own bodyweight.
It’s one of the reasons strength training is such a big part of our online fitness classes in the Lorna Marie Fitness Squad.
Our workouts are short, realistic and designed to fit around normal life.
2. Are you eating enough protein?
Before immediately adding another supplement, have a look at how much protein you’re getting from your normal food.
Things like eggs, yoghurt, fish, meat, tofu, soya and protein powders can all help you get enough good-quality protein across your day.
You don’t need every meal to be perfect. Just look at your day as a whole and think about where you could add a little more.
3. Are you eating a varied diet?
Your body needs more than collagen to make and maintain healthy tissues.
Vitamin C, for example, plays an important role in collagen production, so fruit and vegetables still matter too.
Again, this isn’t about eating a “perfect” diet.
I’m much more interested in helping women make small changes they can actually keep doing than giving you another enormous list of things you’re apparently not allowed to eat!
4. Are you looking after your skin in other ways?
If younger-looking skin is the reason you’re considering collagen, don’t forget the less exciting stuff like protecting your skin from the sun.
It’s not quite as exciting as opening a beautiful new tub of supplements, I know 😂
5. How’s your sleep and recovery?
I know, I know.
It’s much easier to buy a tub of powder than magically find another two hours of sleep!
And sometimes there genuinely isn’t much you can do about your sleep. Babies, menopause, stress, work and life in general can all get in the way.
But recovery still matters, so do what you realistically can rather than feeling like you need to get everything perfect.
Would I take collagen?
I see collagen as a nice extra rather than something you need.
If you’re already strength training, eating enough protein, eating a varied diet and generally looking after yourself, and you’d like to try collagen too, then absolutely.
Give it a go!
I’d probably use it consistently for a couple of months rather than expecting to notice something after a week.
You could even take a photo beforehand if you’re taking it for your skin, or keep a little note of how your joints feel if that’s your reason for trying it.
Then ask yourself:
Have I actually noticed a difference?
If yes, brilliant. You can decide whether that difference is worth the cost to you.
If you’ve noticed absolutely nothing, perhaps that money would be better spent elsewhere.
That’s really how I feel about a lot of supplements.
They’re called supplements for a reason.
They’re there to supplement everything else you’re doing, not replace it.
And unfortunately, no matter how convincing the advert is, there isn’t a magic powder that’s going to replace regular movement, strength training, good nutrition, sleep and generally looking after yourself.
Although if somebody invents one, please let me know 😂
Looking for online fitness classes you can actually stick to?
If you’ve got to the strength training bit of this blog and thought…
“Yep. I know I should probably be doing that, but I have absolutely no idea where to start.”
That’s exactly what I help women with.
Lorna Marie Fitness is all about making exercise work around your life, rather than expecting your whole life to revolve around exercise.
You don’t need to be super fit.
You don’t need to know what you’re doing already.
And you definitely don’t need to find an hour every day to exercise.
Most of our online fitness classes are just 20 minutes, so you can get them done at home before work, in your lunch break, after the school run or whenever you can squeeze them in.
And there are two ways you can get started.
Join Lorna’s Online Squad
If you want ongoing support, our Online Squad gives you access to live and On Demand online fitness classes that you can do from home.
We do Strength, Pilates, Aerobics, Combat, HIIT, mobility, stretching and plenty more, so there’s lots of variety.
You also get our weekly Q&A, which is actually where the conversation behind this blog originally came from!
We talk about everything from strength training and nutrition to menopause, motivation, aches and pains and all of the confusing health advice we see online.
Plus, you have our community alongside you, which I genuinely think is one of the loveliest parts of the Squad.
Or start with our 6 Week Reboot
If joining an ongoing fitness membership feels like a big step, our 6 Week Reboot might be a better place to start.
It’s designed for women who feel like they’ve got out of the habit of exercising and want some structure and support to get going again.
Over six weeks, we’ll help you get back into regular exercise, build your strength and work on realistic habits that you can actually keep going afterwards.
There are no extreme diets.
No exercising for hours every day.
And absolutely no waiting for Monday because you’ve eaten a biscuit and decided you’ve “ruined” the week 😂
Just realistic workouts, support and a plan to help you feel stronger, fitter and more like yourself again.
Ready to get started?
If you’d like online fitness classes that fit around a busy life, rather than taking it over, have a look at Lorna’s Online Squad or our 6 Week Reboot.
You can find all the details on our Get Started page.
And if you’re not quite ready to join us yet, that’s absolutely fine too!
Have a nosey around the rest of the blog, or come and find me on YouTube and Spotify where I share more realistic advice around exercise, nutrition, women’s health and getting stronger as we get older.
