Collagen is a key component in bones, skin, muscles, and other body parts. People often take collagen supplement to support skin health, among other things, but does it really help?
Here are 6 science-backed health benefits of taking collagen.
To read the full article, click here.
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Hey, this is Stephanie. I’m one of the editors that researches and curates TheTinySpoonCo content.
I’m not a beauty-and-fashion connoisseur. Don’t get me wrong – I love me a good pair (or ten) of shoes. I know the power of a good makeup brush. I am far more likely to invest in the perfect pair of jeans than a killer dress.
Regardless of the type of product, I will spend money on a product that produces the outcome I’m looking for, but that’s exactly it. I’m looking for an outcome, not just using a product because I saw it in a magazine, or because a celebrity uses it, or because the packaging is pretty. Although, come to think about it, almost all of my “regret” purchases came in very pretty packaging.
Generally, I’m pretty pragmatic about the outcomes I’m looking for. I’m not looking for a pair of shoes that will make my legs look miles long. I’m realistic. I’m 5’ 0”. That’s not going to happen even if that was the aesthetic I wanted.
I ran across the idea of collagen several years ago. It didn’t catch my attention. I have “good skin”, according to the various aestheticians and makeup artists I’ve had in my professional and social circles.
But in the last several months, I’ve been burning the candle at all the ends between multiple client projects, a serious, ongoing family health issues, and well, just life. TheTinySpoonCo likes to test products they promote, so when collagen was being reviewed, I got the opportunity to try it out.
I’m usually a researcher. What is this stuff? What is it supposed to do? How long should it take? But this time, I had too many other things going on. I don’t think I even googled what exactly collagen was supposed to do. What I knew is that I was supposed to dump one packet of powder into 8 ounces of water and drink it once a day.
I did it. I missed a packet on the second day. New habit. Other than that, I finished the box of fifteen packets as I was supposed to take them (and I’ve started on the next box of packets.)
I decided that the flavor of this particular product wasn’t my personal favorite. So I started mixing the powder into less water and chugging it and then using the rest of the 8 ounces to wash it down with. It isn’t a bad flavor, I’m just not much of a flavored drinks kinda person. Unless it’s coffee – daily. Or Dr. Pepper – occasionally.
What’s interesting is what else was happening at the time I did this test.
#1 – I was just finishing an intense, months-long client project that had me working lots of extra hours and sleeping far fewer hours than is healthy.
#2 – Covid laid my household flat.
#3 – I’m juggling several extra projects at the moment and trying to find free moments to get them wrapped up.
#4 – I ended up making an unscheduled two week visit to help my mother who is going through chemo and to give my dad a break from some of the caretaking. Between spending as much time as I could visiting with mom, helping dad, and keeping up with work projects, I averaged 5 hours of sleep a night for about 2 weeks.
Does this collagen do anything? Simple answer? Yes.
I can see the difference. My mom can see the difference.
Toward the end of the visit home, my mom and I were at the hospital, waiting on a procedure, and she asked, “Your skin looks good. What are you doing? I know it isn’t “getting your beauty rest!” That was the first time I’d thought about it in two weeks. I’d planned to take notes and pictures of what was happening, but that hadn’t happened in the middle of everything else.
When I got home, I looked in the mirror. She was right. My skin is looking better, healthier, plumper, and way less droopy. And that’s with nearly two weeks of skipping my skincare routine and very little skin care at all. My skin hasn’t looked this good with this little effort in more than ten years!
On top of that, I do notice that my joints have less tendency to be stiff when I’ve been sitting for a long time, or after I’ve slept in on the rare occasion. Right now, that isn’t as obvious for me as the very visible difference in my skin, but it’s actually the benefit I appreciate the most. I’m glad my skin looks great, but I love not being sore and stiff even more.
At this point, I haven’t particularly noticed any difference for my hair or nails.
I have plans to continue testing the collagen to see how these results continue, but I’ve already bought a box to share with my dad who has difficulties with joint pain. I’ll write an update in the future as I learn more.
Here’s a link to the Collagen I’m trying.
