If you’re looking for a ‘one size fits all’ beauty supplement. Here’s how collagen can help support your skin, hair, nails and joints
Choosing the right beauty supplement can feel like a minefield when there are so many options on the market. With new ingredients and game-changing discoveries being made, it can feel impossible to know where to begin.
Cutting through the noise, we spoke with Irish beauty experts and medical professionals Doctor Doireann O’Leary and Professor Caitriona Ryan, who share the one beauty supplement most effective in supporting skin, hair, nails and joints.
That supplement, is collagen. You may have noticed the supplement has a buzz about it on social media, but more than just a fleeting viral trend, it can serve as an important pillar in our wider wellness routine.
The body’s most abundant protein, our natural collagen levels decrease as we age. Needed to provide structure, strength and elasticity to the skin, muscles and bones, collagen is an essential protein within the body. While our reserves begin to decline by 1% from the age of around 25, we can help to restore the balance via supplementation. Doctor Doireann O’Leary and Professor Caitriona Ryan explain why.
The benefits of collagen
“Diet, sun protection and sleep are the foundation of healthy skin,” begins Prof Ryan. “However, targeted supplements can play a helpful role, particularly as we age and experience natural declines in key skin-supporting nutrients. There’s growing evidence that carefully formulated oral supplements can offer an added boost, particularly for hydration, elasticity, collagen production and overall radiance.”
“Collagen peptides are a popular first step because they’re foundational to skin structure and elasticity,” she adds.
What type of collagen should I take?
There are a number of different types of collagen supplements available on the market, but Dr O’Leary recommends sticking with Type 1 marine collagen for skin and Type 3 for joints.
“There’s an abundance of evidence now that shows that hydrolysed marine collagen supplements increase hydration and elasticity of the skin. They reduce the appearance of pores, fine lines and wrinkles. They also help with wound healing.”
When choosing a collagen supplement, it’s important to take it in powder or liquid form for best absorption, says Dr O’Leary: “I see collagen gummies and tablets advertised all the time. Collagen is quite a large molecule. So, for it to be absorbed from your gut and into your bloodstream and go to your skin to actually work, it has to be in a highly absorbable form. Powder and liquid form are absorbable.”
If you opt for powder, it can be easily adapted to your routine by adding a portion to your morning porridge, yoghurt or beverage of your choice.
Collagen not only supports skin health, among other health benefits, it also contributes to stronger and healthier hair and nails too. Providing the body with amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins like keratin, this makes your hair and nails less prone to breakage and facilitates their growth.
Collagen Supplements we recommend:
Supplements Made Simple, Marine Collagen with Vitamin C – Lemon & Strawberry
Revive Active, Collagen Complex
Key For Her, Key Collagen
