Elevate Your Glow: A Guide to Collagen Powder and Healthy, Clear Skin

Collagen. Have you heard of it?

It seems to be cropping up everywhere with claims around skin health, joint health, hair and nail growth and gut health. But what exactly is it and how effective is it in supporting clear skin?

A Quick Overview of Collagen

Collagen is the glue that holds our bodies together. It strengthens the tendons which connect our muscles to our bones and ligaments that connect our bones together. It is a huge part of our bodies and is found everywhere! It also makes up between 25-35% of the body’s total protein as it contains 8 of the 9 essential amino acids. 

But what about Collagen Peptides?

Collagen peptides (also known as hydrolyzed) include the collagen I mentioned above from sources such as cow or fish which are referred to as bovine or marine collagen respectively. The peptides or hydrolyzed version simply means that the collagen has been broken down into an easily absorbable form.

You may also see gelatin at the store and although they are both sources of protein, gelatin has a gelling ability (eg. to make jellies or pudding) as it is processed into slightly larger pieces.

Types of Collagen

What most people are unaware of is that there are 3 different types of collagen and this depends on the original source – either marine, bovine or chicken. These different types also have specific benefits.

1. Type 1 – best for clear skin and supporting skin elasticity and anti-aging. It’s found in bovine and marine collagen.

2. Type 2 – best for supporting the joints, ligaments and cartilage (great for arthritis). It is found in chicken collagen. 

3. Type 3 – supports skin elasticity, healthy hair, nails and gut health. It is found in bovine collagen.

The type of collagen that you choose will depends on what you would like to address. When it comes to clear skin, opt for grass-fed bovine collagen. 

Benefits & Supporting Studies

Several studies on collagen peptides show positive effects around many areas including: 

• Joint health specifically rheumatoid arthritis as seen in this double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

• Nail health with positive effects around growth and brittleness. In this study, 64% of participants saw improvement in brittle nails, and 80% of participants saw an improvement in nail appearance.

• Skin health specifically elasticity. In this double blind, placebo-controlled study, women saw a statistically significant change in their skin elasticity after 4 weeks.

• Gut health as the amino acid, glycine found in collagen shows positive effects around strengthening the intestinal walls of our gut and protecting against ulcers. Read the study here.

• Some evidence around hair growth as shown in the study here which notes the role of amino acids. Specifically L-lysine (found in collagen) which can play a role in reducing hair thinning or loss.

Uses & Effectiveness

Collagen peptides can be used as a protein boost in smoothies, coffee/tea or overnight oats to name a few. It is easily mixed in and undetectable once dissolved. As mentioned above, when having collagen peptides keep in mind that they aren’t quite a complete protein source – although it does contain 8 of the 9 essential amino acids, the exception is tryptophan. 

When it comes to effectiveness, I’ll let the studies speak for themselves. In my personal experience, over the span of about 3 months, I have found that regularly adding collagen powder to my morning drink has resulted in longer and fuller eyelashes and clearer skin! Especially on my bottom lids which are quite sparse. This is my personal experience though and keep in mind that every body is different.

If you want to try it for yourself, I’m currently loving the Organika brand of collagen powder and use code HAPPYHEALTHCC25 for 25% off at Organika!