Do Collagen Supplements Help?

Another foray into the wide world of SUPPLEMENTS, friends! Let's talk COLLAGEN this time.

What IS collagen? Well, in short, it's, uh... us. Collagen is the most abundant protein in your body. It accounts for about 30% of your body’s total protein. 

It is the primary building block of your body’s connective tissues: skin, muscles, bones, tendons, ligaments, etc.

So.. does consuming it (as marketed by supplement companies) actually IMPROVE any of those parts of you?? Or is this just another trick by the "wellness" industry to freak us out (even more) about bodily changes that the majority of human beings will experience, to some degree, in the normal course of aging?

This week Jeremy presents a detailed dissertation on collagen consumption!

Your Doctor Friends aim to answer all your collagen questions! What does the research suggest? Can we even absorb collagen by eating it in supplement form? Can it improve your skin? What about your joints? Does it make arthritis better? Is there a particular TYPE of collagen that has potential positive impact on our health? Is it crazy expensive?? Am I eating BONES??

(listen in to find out ;)

Resources for today's episode include:

The Cleveland Clinic's informational page about collagen.

An article/lit review/meta-analysis from the American Journal of Translational Research evaluating the efficacy of undenatured collagen in knee osteoarthritis.

An International Journal of Dermatology systematic review/meta-analysis on the effects of hydrolyzed collagen supplementation on skin aging.

A systematic review/meta-analysis in Nutrients on the effects of oral collagen for skin anti-aging.

A 2023 Cureus meta-analysis on hydrolyzed oral collagen supplementation on skin rejuvenation.

A Nutrients study on type-2 chicken hydrolyzed collagen supplements to alleviate joint discomfort.

A Washington Post article from 1/29/24 titled "Should I be taking collagen supplements? Here's what the science says."

An Elle News article from Feb 2024 all about collagen drinks.

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