Best Collagen Supplements UK
25th Jun 2020 Wellbeing
6 min read
Collagen is the most abundant protein in your body. It’s found in your skin, bones and connective tissues, like tendons and ligaments. Once you pass the age of 20, the amount your body produces decreases by 1% every year. This decrease results in many of the recognisable signs of ageing, such as wrinkles and sagging skin.
Supplements are one way to boost the amount of collagen in your body and slow its age-related decrease in production. There are many different types of collagen available, each suited to different situations. This list has been carefully compiled to help you quickly identify which collagen supplement is best for you.
Why do people use collagen?
Collagen has numerous essential roles in your body. Studies have shown that supplements are likely to boost the amount your body produces, which provides several useful effects:
It can improve skin health and reduce wrinkles
Skin with less collagen loses elasticity, gets thinner and develops lines. Collagen supplements taken orally produce a decrease in wrinkles and fuller, more hydrated skin.
It may reduce joint pain
One particular study in 2005, examined nearly 73 athletes who were physically active but suffered from joint pain. The results showed a significant improvement in the pain symptoms of those who received the collagen. Another similar study was also able to demonstrate a substantial decrease in osteoarthritis-related symptoms after ingesting collagen.
It could boost muscle mass
Some studies also indicate that collagen combined with resistance training could support muscle recovery and growth. Currently, most of the research has focused on boosting the muscle mass of older people with accelerated muscle deterioration.
Stronger hair and nails
There are several other potential benefits of taking collagen, one is increased strength/ faster growth of your hair and nails. They are both made from a protein called keratin, which contains many of the same amino acids found in collagen.
It's thought that supplements that can provide these building blocks could lead to strong, healthy hair and nails.
What is the difference between premium and low-cost brands?
The main differences between premium and low-cost collagen brands are the quality of the product and the source of the collagen.
Premium brands are often able to use collagen that they source sustainably from wild or well treated animals and fish sources. This can include wild-caught fish used in marine collagen or grass-fed cows used in bovine collagen. Some low-cost brands use farmed fish and inexpensive products that often don't contain the same quality of ingredients.
However, you will often see claims such as 'sustainably sourced' or 'grass-fed' written on collagen packets, but you shouldn't take them at face value. It’s a good idea to get into the habit of checking for evidence to back up claims like these. Start by getting your collagen from companies with lots of customer reviews, a good reputation and lots of verifiable details about their products.
The best collagen supplements available in the UK
Best Overall Collagen Product – Planet Paleo Marine Collagen Powder
Marine collagen powder from Planet Paleo provides easy to absorb, hydrolysed collagen, which includes the amino acids glycine and proline. To ensure the quality of the collagen, Planet Paleo use wild fish caught off the coast of France. The fishermen work in line with EU quotas and use responsible, sustainable methods.
One tub contains 195g of marine collagen and delivers 26 servings of 7.5g. You can add one or two servings per day to any drink or smoothie for a nourishing collagen top-up. A small battery-powered whisk is a great way to help it blend with the liquid effectively, but it will still blend well without one.
Marine collagen contains type 1 collagen peptides which are known to have the most significant effect on your hair skin, nails and bones. Planet Paleo's powder is entirely natural, with no binders, fillers or additives. They are also free from gluten and dairy but are not suitable for vegans or vegetarians.
Pros
- Hydrolysed collagen peptides
- Made from sustainably sourced wild caught fish
- No binders, fillers or additives
- Can be added to water, drinks, smoothies or food
- One serving provides 7.5g of collagen
Cons
- Not as easy to use on the go, as some other forms
Best Collagen Drink – Absolute Collagen Beauty Box for Women
Absolute Collagen provides premixed sachets of marine collagen as a ready to drink liquid. The Beauty box for women contains 14 sachets, each with 10mls of liquid inside. One serving is your daily amount and contains 8g of high-quality marine collagen.
These sachets are the ultimate in convenience, you can simply chuck a sachet in your bag, and then drink it on the go whenever you're ready. The collagen liquid inside is also blended with vitamin C, sweeteners and natural lemon flavouring. The result is a potent blend with a pleasant flavour of sweet lemon.
Absolute Collagen is free from lactose, gluten, dairy, artificial flavours and soy. It is suitable for those who have diabetes, and each sachet contains only 32 calories.
Pros
- Hydrolysed collagen peptides
- Made from freshwater fish
- Combined with vitamin C, sweeteners and natural flavourings
- Convenient to take with you in a bag or pocket
- One serving provides 8g of collagen
Cons
- The sweetener and flavouring means that it’s not always suited to being added to other drinks.
Best Collagen Capsule – Birch & Wilde Marine Collagen Capsules
Birch & Wilde's collagen capsules each contain 600mg (0.6g) of sustainably sourced marine collagen. In a bottle, you get 120 capsules, and they recommend you take two daily. They come in a well-designed lightweight bottle that's ideal for carrying in a small bag or pocket.
Discreet and convenient, these can be taken anywhere and swallowed with a small amount of water.
These high-quality capsules contain hydrolysed peptides, made from type 1 collagen. The result is an easily absorbed supplement that will support your body's own collagen production. They are manufactured to the strict standards of good manufacturing practice (GMP) and free from GMO, gluten and preservatives.
Pros
- Hydrolysed collagen peptides
- Made from sustainably sourced fish
- Lightweight bottle, easy to carry with you
- Capsules are discreet and convenient to take anywhere
- One serving provides 1.2g of collagen
- Free from GMO, gluten and preservatives
Cons
- Capsules provide a much smaller daily serving of collagen
Best Budget Collagen – G&G collagen capsules
The best collagen you can get on a budget are these incredibly well priced marine collagen capsules from G & G vitamins. One bottle holds 60 capsules each with 400mg (0.4g) of hydrolysed marine collagen. Only sustainable wild fish and natural ingredients are used to produce these affordable capsules.
They are encased in a vegetable cellulose shell which breaks down quickly in your gut allowing the peptides to disperse and be rapidly absorbed into your blood. They are free from GMO, gluten, lactose, soy and sugar. G&G never use artificial fillers, binders or excipients, but instead, opt for rice flour as a natural filler in the capsules.
Pros
- Hydrolysed collagen peptides
- Made from sustainably sourced wild fish
- Capsules are discreet and convenient to take anywhere
- No artificial fillers, binders or excipients
- One serving provides 0.4g of collagen
Cons
- A smaller serving than other the other products on this list
How should it be taken and how long until I notice a difference?
While there is little difference in the effect of each method, powders are the most versatile and can provide you with the broadest range of options. You can make high-quality collagen powder into a drink, add it to liquids, smoothies or even mix it into food.
The time it takes for you to notice visible results from taking a collagen supplement varies based on several factors. Different types and brands of supplements may take different times to take effect; your health and internal body chemistry is also a factor.
However, based on the results seen in studies, it's likely that you could see small improvements after four weeks. In one particular study, participants had seen a reduction in wrinkles of up to 31.2% within 12 weeks of a daily oral amount of collagen peptides.
How does Collagen work?
Collagen proteins are long chains of amino acids. Your body usually builds them from the protein in your diet.
Most collagen supplements work by giving your body an easily absorbed source of amino acids. Manufacturers usually harvest them from animal, fish or plant proteins. Most modern supplements are hydrolysed to make them more efficient for your body to use. Hydrolysis is a process that breaks the long chains of amino acids, in collagen, into single amino acids or smaller chains called peptides.
These new molecules are smaller, so it's more likely that your gut will absorb them. It's thought that by providing your body with an easy to use source of the right amino acids, it will increase your overall collagen production.
Conclusion
Many collagen products are getting rave reviews, and more and more people are trying them for the first time. However, getting the right product is essential; how they are sourced and prepared affects if they will provide the effect you're looking for.
Take some time to find a product that suits your needs and check for high-quality natural ingredients. The best supplement manufacturers keep to high-safety standards with relevant checks and have an excellent reputation demonstrate by reviews from customers.
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