It’s hard to turn on the TV these days without seeing an advertisement for collagen supplements, most of them endorsed by seemingly ageless celebrities with gorgeous hair.
In our rational minds, we know that’s not the case Truly the powders, gummies, pills or potions that keep them so perfectly preserved. But that doesn’t make us any less curious!
We asked dermatologist Shilpi Khetarpal, MD, about the science behind and the benefits of collagen supplementation. What he told us may surprise you.
What is Collagen?
Collagen is a protein that strengthens, supports and provides structure to everything from bones and muscles to blood vessels and organs. As you can imagine, we have loads of them. Collagen accounts for 30% of the protein in your body.
It is especially important to maintain your mane. Collagen is the main structural protein found in cartilage, skin and hair, explains Dr. Khetarpal.
The food we eat gives us everything we need to make collagen naturally, but we lose collagen as we age, which can cause our skin and hair to lose vitality. Collagen supplements aim to increase the collagen in your body, on the assumption that it will give you and especially your hair, skin and nails an extra boost.
While there are some plant-based options, most collagen comes from animal sources. To make these supplements, manufacturers use all the collagen-rich tissue that is set aside by meat processors, explains Dr. Khetarpal. So, they use skin, bones, fish scales all this. And then, they denature it to form a gelatin that’s put into powder, gummies, or capsules.
Do Collagen Supplements Help Hair Growth?
The most honest possible answer to this question is: we don’t know yet. And Dr. Khetarpal doesn’t suggest her patients take supplements unless she can provide compelling evidence that they’re helpful.
There are many supplements out there that claim to help hair, skin and nails, she says. However, there isn’t much clinical data to really prove it. This is because when you take these collagen supplements, they are digested by the gastrointestinal tract. And that’s really not enough collagen to be absorbed into the bloodstream and delivered back to hair, skin, nails, and so on.
Dr. Khetarpal continues, There are some very small studies that have shown some improvements for collagen supplements for skin. However, they are all sponsored by the companies that make these supplements. So, it’s hard to say that they actually work.
The other problem with collagen supplementation is that it’s based on the assumption that the source of the collagen doesn’t matter. The theory is that animal collagen is close enough to what’s in our human tissue to be useful, notes Dr. Khetarpal. And, again, we don’t know that’s true. And when it comes to vegan or plant-based versions, we don’t know if that collagen is uniform similar to the collagen that we produce in our bodies.
Risk of collagen supplements
We don’t have any definitive proof that collagen supplements work, but we do Do know they have the potential to cause harm. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers collagen a food, not a pharmaceutical product. This means they are not subject to the same level of testing and regulation as drugs.
Because it is important? All collagen supplements contain additives, explains Dr. Khetarpal. So, you may have an allergy or intolerance to something else in the supplement. These companies may put things in their collagen that you might not normally see whether it’s different flavors, food colors or dyes because these supplements aren’t well regulated. And there have been problems in the past with inaccurate labeling, contamination and other safety issues.
Dr. Khetarpal also notes that while generally well tolerated, some people experience gastrointestinal (GI) side effects when taking collagen supplements.
More ways to improve hair health
Sad but true: Collagen isn’t your one-way ticket to commercial shampoo hair. If it’s any consolation, those models don’t even have commercial shampoo hair. It’s all smoke and mirrors.
As frustrating as it can be, getting and keeping your locks looking their best is a little more involved than popping a pill or chewing gum. The good news? It AND possible!
If you want to improve the health of your hair and stimulate its growth:
- Minimize heat styling. Curl hair. Hot rollers and combs. Hairdryer. Irons. There are amount of hot tools in our multipurpose styling belts. Whether you love a silk press or hate walking around with wet hair, anything that sizzles is bound to cause damage. Avoid heat styling as often as possible. When you Do decide to do your job, be sure to use a heat protectant to create a barrier between your hair and the hot tool.
- Follow a healthy, protein-rich diet. The single best thing you can do to keep your hair healthy is to eat a diet that is high in protein and an adequate amount of healthy fats. Your hair is Done of protein, so if you don’t get enough, your hair can become dry, weak, brittle or even fall out.
Whether you choose to get your protein from plant sources or a combination of plants AND animal sources don’t particularly matter. Your mane won’t complain in any case! - Consider other supplements. It’s worth talking to a doctor about the merits of other supplements. There is a wide variety of vitamins and minerals that impact hair health. For example, vitamin D stimulates hair growth and Very some people are lacking. If your blood tests reveal your levels aren’t where they should be, a supplement might be a good idea. But keep in mind that there AND such a thing as too much vitamin D. So, be sure to talk to your doctor before you start taking anything.
If you still want to try collagen
Are you still passionate about collagen? All right. Dr. Khetarpal suggests doing the following to minimize the risk of unpleasant side effects:
- Examine the ingredients carefully. The collagen product is just one of many things in that supplement, Dr. Khetarpal reminds us. It is always important to know what you are putting into your body. And doubly so if you have known food allergies or other dietary restrictions. So, make sure you read the ingredients carefully. If you’re looking to avoid all those extra ingredients, keep in mind that you can also get the collagen you need by making good food choices.
- Try it once, then wait a bit. Not all side effects occur immediately, so Dr. Khetarpal recommends slowly increasing how often you take the supplement. You’re more likely to experience serious side effects if you jump right into making collagen a part of your daily routine.
- Choose traditional products. There are some companies, bigger companies, who have done their own research and studies on their products says Dr. Khetarpal. That’s why, when it comes to deciding which products to buy, he recommends buying more traditional supplements. The more commercially available products are likely to be safer and more extensively studied.
Even if you follow all of Dr. Khetarpal’s suggestions, it is still important to proceed with caution. You need to know that there may not be many benefits of taking a collagen supplement. And there may be some harm, especially if you have an allergic reaction.
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