Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body and is responsible for creating and sustaining the tissues that form it. Despite this, it is often believed that its supplementation is necessary, to the point that it has become one of the most popular supplements in pharmacies. They are usually sold in the form of collagen peptides or hydrolyzed collagen, which are easier to absorb, and some of the benefits that are given are that it improves the appearance of the skin, promotes heart health, treats muscle pain, prevents loss of bone or increases sports performance.
But scientific evidence has not confirmed these benefits (at least for the moment). In the EU, the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) is the body in charge of validating the properties of products and foods. In the case of collagen, he has shared a couple of reviews: the first, from 2011, answers whether this protein favors joint maintenance; and the second, published in 2013, refers to the contribution of elasticity to the skin. In both, the answer is that there is no cause-effect relationship to prove it.
For dietitian-nutritionist Beatriz Robles, “collagen is a poor quality protein, because the amino acids it contains (glycine and proline) are not essential.” This means that they are amino acids that it is not necessary to incorporate through the diet, since our body already produces them. “It is not a complete protein either, since it does not contain the nine essential amino acids,” says the expert, who adds that both in eggs and meat, as well as in some legumes, we do find complete protein.
Dr. Judit Sánchez Raya, Head of the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Service at Hospital Vall d’Hebron in Barcelona, ​​has a similar, although not identical, vision. “It is not necessary to take more collagen, the one we get through food is enough,” says the specialist. “We have other, higher-quality proteins, such as albumin. Collagen is not even detected in the blood, that is, it is not usually examined in tests.” Ingesting more collagen is justified when suffering from a pathology that decreases its presence in the body. “An example is joint hypermobility. Patients with this condition are much more elastic precisely because of the lack of collagen.”
Sánchez goes on to say that although there is no scientific evidence to support the supposed benefits of collagen, there have been some studies that have observed that the supplements reduce joint pain in young and adolescent athletes and that it improves the elasticity and hydration of the skin in old people. “But these are studies with few samples and financed by the industry with limited results,” replies the doctor. An aspect that the Harvard School of Public Health also warns about on its website. “Research on collagen supplements is fully or partially funded by related industries that could benefit from a positive result of the study,” says the prestigious university.
Sánchez also explains that believing that these supplements are going to go directly to calm the pain of a specific joint is a mistake. “Collagen is a very large protein that, when it reaches the stomach, is digested and fragmented into amino acids. These are the ones that are absorbed, not the collagen as a whole,” adds Robles. This applies both in supplements and in foods rich in this protein, such as those from animals and chicken feet, red meat, eggs, fish or nuts.
However, the doctor explains that in some circumstances she does prescribe collagen supplements. “We prescribe it to young patients with pre-osteoarthritis, but the supplements we work with also have glucosamine, chondroitin and vitamin C, not just collagen.” In this sense, Beatriz Robles recalls that if we come across a collagen supplement in the pharmacy that indicates that it helps the normal maintenance of bones, it is most likely that it contains another nutrient such as magnesium. “There’s a trick there: that property is not authorized in the case of collagen, but it is for magnesium, that’s why they put it.”
At this point, doubts may arise: if this protein does not have any of the properties attributed to it, why are so many people thinking that it has these advantages? Robles believes that it is due to the intense marketing that has occurred around collagen “due to supplements that have been heavily promoted or different articles and news.” It may also have influenced the fact that celebrities such as Jennifer Aniston, Cameron DÃaz, Cara Delevingne or Madonna have publicly reported that they take these supplements to rejuvenate the skin.
For the maintenance of bones, nutrients such as calcium and vitamin D have been seen to be more effective, says Judith Raya, which are found in milk, nuts, vegetables, protein and sesame. “But it is key that when consuming vitamins in the form of supplements we always do so with the approval of an expert, because if we do not need them they can cause us hypervitaminosis, which is more harmful than having a vitamin deficiency or hypovitaminosis.”
Regarding the improvement of muscle pain, Sánchez points out that some diets and, specifically, certain proteins such as gluten, fructose and lactose can reduce it. However, he insists that it is “a world that is yet to be discovered.”
