Alternate title: How I’m going to try to avoid ever using Botox
Every influencer is telling you to make collagen oatmeal, collagen smoothies, collagen chocolates, collagen salads, collagen everything (or is this just my Reels page?) – so let’s do a quick dive on collagen and whether this hype is based in any science.
What is Collagen?
Collagen is a kind of protein. It’s actually the most abundant structural protein in animals (and in humans). Collagen is an important building block in animal tissues – think ligaments, joints, bones, skin, and tendons – every part of your body! That’s why bone broth and organ meats are part of a collagen-rich diet. We mostly eat animal muscle meat these days, but every other part of an organism contains a lot of collagen.
There are different types of collagen, which play different roles in the body. Gelatin is actually cooked collagen – when heated (lightly!) then cooled, it re-binds to itself and creates a gummy texture (see here for a gummy recipe!). Most supplements on the market are hydrolyzed collagen. Hydrolyzed collagen is technically gelatin that has been broken into small bits, so that it dissolves more easily into all the oatmeal, smoothies, and chocolates you want to make.
In the body, collagen provides structural support to your tissues. It also helps in the processes of tissue repair & maintenance. Collagen is rigid and maintains its structure well, so it provides a good scaffolding for important bodily tissues.
Collagen supplements are not necessary – the body produces collagen naturally (notably, it produces less collagen as we age). However, as humans have shifted from eating animals nose-to-tail to eating more lean meat & processed food, we could argue that current humans are taking in less collagen/gelatin than their ancestors.
Does Eating Collagen Work?
The results are mixed, but the balance of the scientific community is shifting towards yes, supplementing collagen works, i.e. you can reap the benefits of collagen in your body by eating it. Anecdotal data is in favor of eating collagen, from this Reddit thread to all of the ancient remedies and traditions that involve bone-based broths and cartilage-heavy animal foods.
It seems like consumption of both types of collagen is good, as well as the peptides (building blocks) that are necessary to produce collagen. The studies were measuring skin elasticity and hydration, but anecdotally, people experience a lot of other benefits from supplementing collagen.
Why Should I Eat More Collagen / Gelatin?
Collagen is important for skin elasticity and hydration, and as we saw in the link above, collagen consumption has been scientifically linked to improving skin. This could also mean improving wrinkle appearance and strengthening the skin barrier generally.
Gelatin-rich foods could also help with gut function. Many people have started recommending bone broth for gut health – your GI tract (from your esophagus to your gut!) is lined with soft tissues, and gelatin/collagen supplementation could help in the maintenance and repair of these tissues.
Anecdotally, collagen and gelatin can help with joint health. Some people have noticed that the “creak” in their joints has gotten better with collagen supplementation. Some runners recommend collagen supplementation to help with recovery and injury prevention.
Personally, since I’ve incorporated gelatin into my diet, I’ve noticed that my nails are much tougher and break less frequently. Hair, skin, and nails are all related, and they all stand to potentially benefit from collagen supplementation.
If you want to go down a whole other nutritional deep-dive, you can take a look at Ray Peat’s argument for gelatin.
Natural Sources of Collagen
Collagen is present in animal foods. Bone broth is made by simmering bones for a very long time, which fills the broth with gelatin. Cartilaginous cuts of meat also contain a lot of collagen, like pig ears or oxtail. These meats really benefit from slow, long cooking. Skin-and-bone sardines are also a great source of marine collagen (as opposed to the cleaned fillets), since most of the fish’s collagen is found in the skin, scales, and bones.
You can also purchase gelatin online to use in & add to recipes, or collagen supplements to mix into anything (even water)!
Sources & More Reading
- What Is Collagen and What Is It Good For? – https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/collagen#what-it-is-and-uses
- Biochemistry, Collagen Synthesis – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507709/#:~:text=Collagen%20is%20protein%20molecules%20made,tendons%2C%20bones%2C%20and%20ligaments.
- Collagen Supplements for Aging and Wrinkles: A Paradigm Shift in the Fields of Dermatology and Cosmetics – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8824545/
- Gelatin, stress, longevity – https://raypeat.com/articles/articles/gelatin.shtml