How To Get the Most Out of Your Collagen Supplements
There’s a supplement out there for absolutely every ailment, from joint pain to thinning hair and prematurely aging skin. And they all come in different forms, with hard-to-pronounce ingredients and promises that seem too lofty to be true. But there’s one secret weapon supplement that packs all of that punch in one sip: collagen.
Collagen is the body’s naturally occurring protein that provides the main structural support for skin, ligaments, bones, and cartilage, but starts to taper off as we age—that’s where taking a collagen supplement, like Gold Collagen Forte, comes in—to help improve your overall health and quality of life as you age. The clinically tested and peer-reviewed gold standard of collagen is proven to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and pigmentation, support skin hydration and elasticity, protect against oxidative damage, as well as support the immune system and hormonal activity.
Collagen supplements are championed as ingestible skincare and the healthy alternative to Botox, but it goes beyond skin deep, says Minerva Research Labs’ consultant and nutrition expert Dr. Vidhi Patel. Here’s how to get the most out of your collagen supplements, from how to choose the best one for every lifestyle and what ingredients to look for on the label.
What kind of collagen supplement should you take?
The most common formats of collagen supplements are powder, pill, and liquid, but not all of them are created equally, Patel says. With non-liquid forms, there’s no guarantee that the body will absorb any of the nutrients at all. But with liquid collagen, Patel says, the body “will start absorbing the collagen peptide as soon as it touches the mouth.” It’s more bioavailable, meaning the body can absorb and digest it easily without working overtime, unlike powders or pills. “By the time it reaches the stomach, half of the job is already done,” she adds.
Now whether you choose bovine or marine collagen depends on the issues you’re looking to address, Patel says. Bovine can be better suited for joint, muscle, and bone health, while marine collagen closely resembles the collagen found in human skin, hair, and nails. Collagen is the main structural protein in these tissues and provides strength, elasticity, and support. Marine collagen has a similar amino acid profile and molecular structure to human collagen, making it highly compatible and easily absorbed by the body.
Gold Collagen Forte is made from marine collagen and contains 19 additional vitamins and minerals on top of the hydrolyzed collagen all individually selected for their ability to work in synergy within your body, providing the ultimate balance of essential vitamins and minerals to restore your health. Forte is also formulated specifically for individuals over the age of 40 in mind who are looking to not only support their physical features as they age but also their immune system and overall health.
What should you look for in your collagen supplement?
Our grandparents were geniuses, Patel says of their tendencies to put pepper on everything. They did this for a reason—it helps better absorb the food’s nutrients. The same goes for supplements. Collagen works best in conjunction with other ingredients that help it work to its fullest potential in the body, like Vitamin C. “They’re best friends,” she says, noting that many cheap collagen supplement brands don’t have a supportive absorption aid, unlike Gold Collagen Forte which has a whopping 20 active ingredients—like Vitamin C, Hyaluronic Acid, Biotin, and Hydrolyzed Collagen, and black pepper—that work together for maximum absorption, making sure you get 100 per cent of the benefits. It's also important to look for a formula that contains antioxidants such as Vitamin C because it boosts the effectiveness of the collagens itself, while also helping promote good health, including organ aging, according to Patel. (One glass bottle has 5.3 grams of protein and 100 per cent of your daily Vitamin C needs, by the way.) Adopting a Vitamin C-rich diet while taking Forte will also help in that department.
Be also wary of what additives you shouldn’t be seeing in your ingredients like colourants, sweeteners, fillers, preservatives, gluten and stabilizers.
Finally, when picking out your supplement, be sure to go with a brand you trust with formal clinical trial processes. Trials are essential to understanding the safety and efficacy of any supplement, including collagen. Minerva runs extensive trials on all of their final formulas, not just their primary collagen ingredient, which is essential to be able to truly evaluate whether the supplement is efficacious.
When should you take collagen supplements?
Consistency is everything. Patel recommends drinking one bottle of Gold Collagen Forte a day on an empty stomach in the morning or right before bed, but if you forget, don’t worry. “It's not the end of the world,” she says. “Regular intake is the key to getting the cellular regeneration that we aim for at a good pace.” It’s not like an antibiotic medication. Taking a collagen supplement doesn’t have to be taken at the same time every day, and nothing bad will happen if you skip a day or double up.
How long should you take collagen supplements?
Just like skincare cycling has incredible benefits, so does cycling through collagen intake. Using the three-month cycle method is recommended to get the most out of the supplement, while also giving your body time off to produce its own collagen, too. That’s three months on, three months off and repeat, Patel suggests. Going through this cycle twice a year will help you achieve consistent and long-term results.
In terms of benefits and how long they take to appear, Gold Collagen Forte is clinically proven to boost skin radiance and hydration in just three weeks, decrease wrinkles in six weeks, and improve skin elasticity after nine weeks.
Can collagen help with gut health?
Gut health is one of the buzziest topics in the health and beauty world right now and for a good reason. We know for sure it’s important to have a balance of healthy bacteria in the gut to ward off infections, and Gold Collagen Forte helps bacteria grow in the gut. Think of the supplement as a prebiotic, Patel says. “It makes the gut flora grow,” she says, “and consuming it on a regular basis improves your gut health because it’s food for the gut bacteria.”