Does collagen actually help your skin

Does taking collagen help skin?

A question certainly on my mind- “will taking this pink sparkly potion targeted-advertised to me make my skin glow like Edward Cullen in the sun?” 

I mean, collagen, so hot right now. But does it actually help your skin as much as it promises? Like how Edward promises to turn Bella!?

First- collagen is made from certain amino acids (protein). You also need lots of other nutrients to help the separate amino acids to form collagen (like vit C, iron and zinc to name a few). 

Aight- lets get nerd. 

Studies do actually show that taking a collagen supplement does help to improve skin hydration, (but is this due to the collagen itself or the study group drinking more water-mixed with collagen)?? Not sure, but an interesting thought. 

They also show that the benefit comes from consistency in taking a supplement for at least 8 weeks and the dose ranged from 0.6 to 12 grams per day. 

Some other benefits were an increase in skin ‘elasticity’. What does that mean? It means a ‘plumpness, suppleness, that Edward Cullen sparkle if you will. 

BUT importantly- the body is very very smart. When you take a supplement, you don’t have control over where the body will use it. We cannot say to the body ‘hey body, drink this and make the skin on my face (espesh my lips) plump like a juicy juicy mango’.

Maybe your joints need a little more spring in their step, maybe it will use the collagen for a different bodily process? 

The bottom line is- does Collagen make you sparkle? Maybe, but it also has other great benefits like joint, tendon and cartilage health. A closing thought is that collagen reduces as we age. So getting it through our diet first is most important, then if you choose you need a supplement, hydrolysed form is best ;)

Stay hydrated & plump,

Gabs