At the source

Confusion is also rife regarding the source of collagen on offer. Both bovine collagen (predominantly Types I and III) and marine collagen (mainly Type I) have demonstrated potential benefits for skin health, but despite manufacturer claims, Dr Aslam says there is currently little convincing evidence that one source is consistently superior to the other.

“The choice is more likely to depend on the consumer’s attitudes to sustainability, dietary preferences, allergen considerations and product quality rather than efficacy alone,” she says.

Another area of confusion is ‘vegan collagen’. “Strictly speaking, currently there is no truly vegan source of collagen because collagen is a protein derived from animals,” Dr Aslam explains.

“So, products marketed in this way do not contain collagen itself. Instead, they typically provide ingredients such as vitamin C, amino acids and plant extracts that might support the body’s own collagen synthesis.

As such, they should not be considered equivalent to hydrolysed collagen peptides, which currently have the strongest clinical evidence for improving skin hydration and elasticity.”

Nisa adds that a useful way to explain this to customers is that “vegan products can support the body’s own collagen production, but they don’t replace collagen in the same way as oral collagen peptides”.

Finally, what about injectable collagen: can this act as a dermal filler? Nisa says that while it can improve wrinkles immediately, it is not a nutritional supplement and should not be confused with oral collagen products.