COLLAGEN is a protein, made up of amino acids, found in connective tissue such as cartilage, bones, tendons, ligaments and skin.
As you age, collagen breaks down and it gets harder to produce more.
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Most experts recommend consuming between 15 and 30g a day.
There are different types – marine collagen, from fish, is great for skin and bone, while bovine collagen from cows is for joint health.
Here Jane Atkinson looks at ways to get collagen . . .
MEAL-REPLACEMENT SHAKE
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COLLASLIM from So Body Co is a great idea.
It is a meal-replacement shake powder that contains 5g of peptan marine collagen (high-quality produced from sustainable, wild-caught fish).
It also contains whey protein, skimmed milk powder, oat flour and a lot of ingredients with long names that are amino acids and vitamins.
I tried the vanilla flavour.
A 40g serving has 146 calories, 23.8g of protein with about a third of your recommended daily intake of vitamins A, D3, E, K1 and C, plus minerals including selenium, copper and zinc.
A great multitasking idea. The only downside for me is the sweetness – it is sickly.
It says to add 400ml of almond milk, but I used water as I don’t have a sweet tooth.
From £29.91 for 800g, £1.50 per meal. sobody.co.
EFFERVESCENT TABLET
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THIS is a great new product from trusted vitamin company Vitl – Collagen & Vitamin C Effervescent tablets.
These peach-flavoured pills are sugar-free and can be taken daily by simply dissolving two in a glass of water.
That only gives 1g of hydrolysed, or easily digested, marine collagen, but it is mixed with a big 80mg of vitamin C.
They work together brilliantly because vitamin C is essential for collagen synthesis and acts as an antioxidant to improve skin, hair and nails.
It also promotes joint health and immunity.
The peachy taste is delicious – think bellini without the alcohol – and each tablet has just 9 calories.
Quite expensive for not the biggest dose of collagen, but convenient to use.
£9.95 for a one-off purchase of 20 tablets or subscribe to get £1 off, vitl.com.
SUGAR-FREE GUMMIES
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NO marine or bovine in this one.
Novomins Vegan Collagen Gummies are part of its new sugar-free range.
These contain BCAAs, which are a crucial component of collagen, but are not the completed form.
But you have to sacrifice something for it to be vegan.
They do contain L-tryptophan, L-histidine and L-phenylalanine amino acids, as well as vitamins C, D2 and E, which all promote collagen formation.
I love that they contain hyaluronic acid, which retains moisture in the skin leading to a plumper appearance.
These fab vegan, teddy-bear gummies taste great and are super cute, too.
From £15.29 for a month’s supply, novomins.com.