Collagen, the secret is officially out. The market for collagen products was estimated at a staggering 9.1 billion USD, or over £7 billion, in 2022 alone, and is projected to grow at a compound annual rate of around 10% each year until 2030. While we may not be economists, this is a good indication of the massive and ever increasing popularity of collagen products. So, with that in mind it begs the questions, what exactly is collagen and how and at what age should you think about starting to take collagen?
What is collagen?
Collagen is a fibrous animal protein, found throughout the human body. Its makeup is relatively large and complicated, three chains of amino acids braided together into a triple helix formation. Collagen is one of the body’s most prevalent proteins, making up around 70 percent of the skin, and also found in hair, nails, teeth, cartilage, connective tissues, bones and organs. From forming a protective layer around organs, to helping anchor teeth to the gums to, most noticeably, ensuring that the skin remains plump, hydrated and youthful looking, collagen has several important functions. It is, then, rather unfortunate that natural levels of collagen synthesis, the process by which the body produces new collagen, peaks around the age of twenty, maintains until around twenty five, and then begins to fall off. The rate of decline generally holds steady at around 1 percent a year, and then speeds up dramatically at around fifty years old.
How can I improve collagen levels?
As our intro suggests, the number of collagen boosting products is increasing all the time, as companies and customers alike develop a better understanding of the benefits of increased supplementation. As with most things health and well-being related there are recommended dietary and lifestyle changes as well as products ranging from topical creams and masks all the way through to pre-mixed drinks and smoothies. Smoking, stress and UV light are all things to avoid if you are looking to avoid collagen degradation, while a diet containing plenty of antioxidants and a regular source of vitamin C is proven to stimulate collagen synthesis and absorption. In terms of specific supplements, due to its slightly smaller molecular makeup, the control offered in terms of dosage and relatively minor environmental impact, we recommend hydrolysed marine collagen.
What age should I start taking collagen?
If you are wondering at what age you should begin taking collagen, there are a few things worth considering. The first is your specific need. If you are seeking out collagen products in order to offset the natural decline in collagen levels that we all experience then you have two main options, whether to begin taking it around the age of twenty-five as a preventative measure, or to begin taking it slightly later into your thirties to halt the early signs of ageing. Ultimately, it’s a personal decision, and it’s important to note that it’s never too late to start, with positive effects having been reported in users up to and within their seventies.
It may well be that you are waiting until the loss of collagen is having a visible effect, in this case look out for the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes and mouth and a loss of definition and increased sagging along the jawline. Sometimes your intention for taking collagen is more specific, for example, it has been proven useful in the healing of wounds and scar tissue, in which case you should consider using collagen as soon as the need arises. Other users and studies have reported that incorporating collagen products into their fitness routines has had a positive effect on everything from the formation of muscle mass to recovery times. In that case, training programmes may be another case in which you could look at collagen on a more specific, use case basis.
How long does it take collagen to work?
As with any dietary change or supplement, patience is advised when it comes to taking collagen. Unfortunately for those of us looking for instant results, there really is no such thing as a miracle product.
In order to give you an idea of how quickly you might expect to see results in different areas, we have summarised the most recent research to provide a timeframe:
- Skin health, hydration and elasticity: 4-12 weeks
- Muscle mass and strength (when combined with a training schedule): 3 months
- Pain relief after exercise: within a few days
- Joint health: 4 to 6 months
- Tendon support (combined with strengthening exercises): 3-6 months
- Bone-density support: 12 months
- Hair: 4-12 weeks
- Nails: 24 weeks
As you can see, while the effectiveness over time is closely related to your own desired results, it will take at least a month before you can expect to see any real benefits.
In summary, we would recommend beginning collagen supplementation around the age of thirty to offset the beginnings of natural collagen decline, although an attempt at prevention rather than cure would mean starting earlier. For other, more specific uses, because of the lack of side-effects, make sure to use collagen products whenever they become necessary, although we would always remind people who are unsure to seek the opinion of a medical professional.
