Discover the “Holy Grail” collagen I use to quickly achieve glowing & youthful skin in just 27 days without using any special essences, serums or toners.
For many years now, collagen products have been gaining popularity all over the world. Items from topical products to oral supplements infused with this wonder protein have been occupying shelves in the skin care section of health stores and even supermarkets.
What Is Collagen?
First thing’s first: Collagen is a protein in our bodies that plays a significant role in nourishing and maintaining healthy skin, hair, and nails. This substance is found naturally in your body and plays a crucial role in protecting, smoothing and hydrating your skin to ensure that it remains elastic and firm.
To explain further, allow me to talk a little bit more scientifically:
Collagen has a lot of specific functions in our body:
It provides foundation and structure all throughout the body.
Supports and regulates the formation of healthy cells in our dermis and replaces dead skin cells
Maintaining the skin’s elasticity and keeping wrinkles and other skin problems away
Protects our internal organs by providing a layer of covering
Two of its most important roles are 1. It provides the body’s foundation for the formation of collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid, and 2. it holds together the skin’s connective tissues to support said formation of the aforementioned natural substances.
As we age, our body’s ability to produce collagen naturally declines, and around our mid-20’s, early signs of aging such as dry skin, fine lines, and light wrinkles begin manifesting. These are some symptoms showing that your natural collagen production is slowing down.
Here’s Why Your Body Needs Collagen
In our early years, the body produces all the collagen it needs from amino acids in foods like fish, meat, and protein-rich plant sources such as seeds. However, studies show that as you get older your natural collagen levels start to drop drastically from around 25 onwards.
Collagen Deficiency
The depletion of collagen formation in our bodies starts out at a rate of 1.5% per year - and as much as 80% of the body’s natural collagen production may be GONE by the age of 60.
Collagen deficiency may lead to early loss of the skin’s elasticity and will affect the appearance with formation of wrinkles and dehydrated skin. Furthermore, collagen decline may also be related to one’s gut health - this is because loss of protein may lead to digestive problems like ulcers.
Not going to lie, as a woman who’s nearing her 30’s, learning this information really got me worried about whether I have been taking good care of my skin and not just relying on its natural collagen formation.
I can already see the little wrinkles forming over my forehead and fine lines around the edges of my eyes. Although I have combination-type skin and have never given much thought to my skin aging, I started seeing changes when I started taking collagen every day.
Improving Collagen Production
There are plenty of ways to increase your body’s collagen levels. Natural collagen may be found in the connective tissue of animal-based diets. You could improve your collagen levels by eating products like chicken and pork skin, bone broth, and gelatin.
While I have been regularly including these collagen-rich proteins into my diet, I found that collagen supplements play a significant role in boosting my natural collagen production.
Benefits of Taking Collagen: The Results
Weeks 1 & 2: Shinier, Brighter Skin
I started drinking a collagen supplement every morning with my breakfast, as suggested by the brand that I took a chance upon. After only a few days of taking the collagen supplement, I could already notice visible changes in my facial complexion.
The fine, happy lines around my eyes have begun to smoothen and the skin underneath my eyes have lightened. I even received compliments from family and colleagues who regularly see me, saying that my skin have somewhat started to ‘glow’ and that there’s a barely-there sheen on my cheeks.
Weeks 3 & 4: Better Bones & Joints Condition
As they say; Consistency is key. So I stuck to my daily collagen intake routine of taking it in the morning before I start my day, and by the later weeks of the month, I can tell that my bones and joints’ health has improved.
I do a lot of exercising via cycling and I enjoy walking habitually (whether I’m going for a coffee run in the middle of work or taking a stroll with my partner in the evening), so my joints, especially my legs, may feel a bit sore after a while. But during this period of taking collagen supplements, I noticed that my leg action and overall mobility has improved and that I don’t get frequent pains from being tired anymore. To add, my nails and hair have also looked and felt better after taking collagen supplements.
The effects of collagen supplements may vary from a person to another, but there’s no doubt that it has improved some aspects of my life and especially my physical and overall health.
What Are Supplements?
Supplements can be any kind of vitamin, minerals, herbs, botanicals, and amino acids that you can eat or drink. You can buy supplements that come in various forms like pills, powders, liquids, and capsules to name a few.
Supplementing one's existing nutrition is the main goal of supplements. While supplements like vitamins and pills might be beneficial to health, they shouldn't be used in place of a balanced diet and active lifestyle.
Why I Prefer Liquid Supplements
As I briefly mentioned earlier, supplements can be bought in multiple forms including powders, pills, and liquids. These 3 formats are widely used specifically by collagen brands in the market today. Personally, I prefer liquid supplements. I find that this form offers convenient and enjoyable consumption, as well as a budget-friendly form of nourishment.
Through my research and reading customer feedback from multiple collagen supplement brands online, I have concluded that liquid supplements have better absorption rates over pills and capsules. This is because pills and capsules take some time to break down and dissolve in the stomach before your body can assimilate nutrients. Simply put, you can easily drink a bottled collagen supplement and get all the health benefits without the whole breaking down process. Pills can also be unpleasant to take for two reasons: they have a sticky outer layer that gives a bad mouth feel, and pills can be difficult to swallow for some people.
I have also tried out powdered collagen supplements, and while they can be cost-efficient, they aren’t the most convenient choice for people always on-the-go. The time it takes to prepare and measure scoops was not very practical versus the way that I can easily carry a sachet of collagen supplement and be on my way. Additionally, not all powdered collagen supplements taste good, and having to mix it into my drinks like coffee and juice was not enjoyable for me.
What’s The Best Collagen Supplement To Take?
I tried and have come to compile the list of top 3 collagen supplements based on their qualities and components after doing a thorough search for the best supplements. My testing method included examining a range of dietary supplements in a number of different form factors, including softgels, capsules, foods, and beverages.
In my opinion, the Collagen Glow Berries supplement from The Purest Co., is the market's top collagen supplement as it really worked wonders for me after trying it for a month. Each sachet contains 5,500mg of premium grade Japan Nitta Wellenex marine collagen peptides and 250mg of Vitamin C that can help repair your skin from within. Additionally, it contains bilberries, which are abundant in antioxidants that aid in safeguarding against potential harm caused by free radicals.
The criteria is as follows:
1. The Purest Co Collagen Glow Berries
Key differentiators: Superior ingredients, large amount of collagen
Pros:
Hydrolyzed collagen peptides from Japan
Contains complementary ingredients
Made in an FDA-approved facility
The Purest Co’s Collagen Glow Berries contains a potent dose (5500mg) of marine collagen sourced from Japan in each sachet, and follows it up with supporting ingredients like vitamin C (250mg), bilberry extract, and mixed berries concentrate juice.
Collagen Glow Berries uses a patented technology to extract their collagen peptides, ensuring faster and more effective absorption of collagen into the body.
With its mixed berries concentrate juice, the taste is a hit amongst consumers and feedback is that it is just right in terms of sweetness. Not only does this make for a delicious supplement, but the Vitamin C in these berries provide added antioxidant support and improve your body’s rate of absorption.
2. Pure Collagen Powder by Dose & Co.
Key differentiators: Popular, well-known Australian brand
Pros:
10 grams of type 1-3 collagen per serving
Popular brand in Australia
Dairy and gluten free
No sugars and sweeteners
Keto-friendly
Good reviews
Pure Collagen Powder by Dose and Co is a well-known collagen brand in Australia. This type of collagen is soluble and can be incorporated into your diet, whether to hot or cold liquids including coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and smoothies, and can also be added to your morning oats and baking.
The supplement from Dose and Co is free from dairy, gluten, sweeteners, sugars, and GMO. Each serving comes with 10g of type 1-3 collagen and is also keto-friendly. However, Dose and Co does not use branded collagen, and is not clinically tested or has research backing it. There is no information whether their collagen is hydrolyzed, which may affect the efficacy if it is not.
In addition to that, consumption can also be quite inconvenient as it needs to be mixed with cold or hot drinks and the taste may not be exactly pleasant.
3. Marine Collagen Powder by Vida Glow
Key differentiators: Greatly reduces wrinkles
Pros:
Marine collagen peptides
Heat stable
Sustainably sourced
No unnecessary ingredients or additives
Widely available online
Positive feedback from readers
Vida Glow's marine collagen powder is a premium brand of powdered collagen supplement. This is a good option with a good amount of collagen per 2 servings, and can be a go-to daily collagen supplement. As its powder is tasteless and just comprises marine collagen, it can easily be mixed into your everyday beverages, making regular use quite practical. However, liquid supplements are thought to be a preferable format since research has shown that liquids often have a greater absorption rate than powders.
While Vida Glow does have a subscription option that allows you to save some money per order, their absolute price of 140 AUD may be a barrier for some customers.
4. Collagen Peptides by Vital Proteins
Key differentiators: Widely available online
Pros:
20g of Collagen per serving
Popular brand
No sugars and artificial flavorings
Widely available online
Contains Vitamin C & Hyaluronic Acid
Collagen Peptides by Vital Proteins is a high-quality powdered collagen supplement and is one of the more well-known brands in the market.
This type of collagen is soluble in hot or cold liquids, making it easy to mix in beverages like water, smoothies, and some even to their morning coffee.
The supplement from Vital Proteins contains grass-fed, pasture-raised bovine collagen that helps support healthy hair, skin, bones and joints. A scooper is included to measure 2 scoops of powder per serving - which contains 20g of Collagen Powder. The collagen powder is flavorless and free of gluten, dairy, and cholesterol.
It is also stated to contain high levels of Vitamin C and Hyaluronic Acid. However, some reviews have shown that the inclusions of these two are inconsistent.
This soluble collagen supplement is a good option that offers a good amount of collagen if you want your daily collagen intake to be mixed into your daily drinks or food.
5. Deep Collagen by The Beauty Chef
Key differentiator: Sustainable collagen supplement
Pros:
Contains certified sustainable marine collagen peptides
Delicious taste
Deep Collagen is one of the more popular brands in the market. According to the website, it is recommended to be mixed into "150mL of water, your favourite drink or a smoothie" and that it has to be consumed immediately. Additionally, this fine collagen powder hydrolysed marine collagen that is sourced from wild-caught, deep-sea North Atlantic cod, exclusively and sustainably sourced in accordance with stringent Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) standards.
However, they don't specifically say how much collagen one serving takes, and they recommend taking it at least 3 times per day. This collagen supplement is also not recommended for pregnant women and those who are under 15.
Conclusion
When I first came across collagen, I thought to myself: Does it really live up to the hype? Well, after 1 month of taking Collagen Glow Berries, and based on the visible results, the verdict is:
It does!!!
Apart from visible changes, my strength and stamina has shown improvements. I feel so much better after taking collagen supplements paired with the balanced, nutritious diet. Regular intake of these may lead to significantly great effects not only on your skin’s health, but also your bones, joints, nails, and hair.
Disclaimer: Please note that the effectiveness of the provided information or suggestions may differ for each individual due to varying personal circumstances and other influencing factors.
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