September 2019/Fairlady 47She cautions, however, that
collagen supplements aren’t a
quick fix. ‘There’s no magic bullet.
The benefits of collagen come with
time and regular use.’The critics
Though some studies have looked
promising for the collagen sup-
plements market, Mark Moyad,
author of The Supplement Handbook:
A Trusted Expert’s Guide to What
Works and What’s Worthless for More
Than 100 Conditions, pointed out
that many of the studies done on
collagen are small and at least
partially funded by the industry.
Some medical experts also add
that just because a supplement
contains something doesn’t mean
our body will actually absorb
it. Despite popular belief that
collagen supplements can help
strengthen our skin, we have
little data to truly support
this,’ says New York-based
dermatologist Dr Joshua Zeichner.
‘Collagen is a large molecule
that is digested by our intestines
into smaller pieces when taken by
mouth, so when we ingest powders
or supplements our skin is not
seeing the full collagen molecule,
but rather protein fragments or
individual amino acids.’ As amino
acids serve as the building blocks
for healthy skin cell functioning,
ingestible collagen may provide,
at best, ‘an indirect benefit to the
skin’ agrees fellow New York der-
matologist Dr Dendy Engelman.
If you’re planning on trying it
out, Moyad suggests starting with
avoiding those poor lifestyle habits
that damage the collagen you have.
‘If you’re taking these supple-
ments but not making lifestyle
changes, that’s kind of like putting
premium gas in your car but not
changing the engine oil or doing
anything else to maintain it.’ ✤Jennifer Aniston adds it to
her morning smoothie
‘There’s a collagen peptide that I’ve been
loving – I’ve been seeing a difference! My
nails are stronger and there’s a healthier –
how do you explain it – a glow... It’s sort
of that working-from-the-inside-out thing.’Kourtney Kardashian starts
her day by mixing collagen
into her first glass of water
‘I’ve been drinking collagen every morning
for years, and it’s made such a difference
in my body: I notice a glow in my skin, my
hair is healthy and my nails are so much
stronger. It also helps my body recover
more quickly from my intense workouts by
supporting my bones and joints.’Bone broth is Halle Berry’s
secret to staying youthful
‘You can make it; you can go to the butcher
and get all the bones they’re going to
throw away and they'll give them to you
for free. Take the bones, boil them up for 24
hours... and you drink the broth. It’s so full
of collagen that it’s crazy.’Busy Philipps gives her
Bulletproof coffee an extra
kick by adding collagen
‘I wake up between 6 and 7 in the morning
and make Bulletproof coffee, which I’m
obsessed with. I use the Bulletproof brand
coffee, grass-fed butter, collagen, protein
powder and MCT oil, plus a little vanilla
bean if I’m feeling sassy.’Kate Hudson swears by
collagen smoothies
‘You can put it into any kind of
smoothie. I absolutely love it.’PHOTOGRAPHS: LIZA VAN DEVENTER, ANÈL VAN DER MERWE, GALLO IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES