Are Collagen Supplements Worth It for Improving Your Skin?

Do collagen supplements work? Well, in theory they should give your body that extra boost of collagen to help your skin rebuild itself. The ideal result - firmer, smoother, younger-looking skin. Is this possible from a little pill?

Collagen is a type of protein that is used to form connective tissue. It is helpful for restoring skin, as well as for keeping your joints healthy. Collagen along with another protein, elastin, work together to keep your skin supple, full, and beautiful. The good news is that the body produces collagen and elastin naturally. The bad news is that we produce less collagen as we get older and collagen breaks down as part of the aging process.

Taking collagen supplements is a way to give your body more collagen. If your body needs this nutrient for other things besides reducing and preventing wrinkles, for example to support your bones, then there still may not be that much left over to help improve skin elasticity.

My theory is that taking collagen supplements could help, as part of a dynamic approach to improving your skin. If they were a miracle pill, however, I'm sure marketing teams for nutritional supplement companies would make us well aware of it. My guess is that there won't be a remarkable difference.

My dynamic approach is collagen supplements along with at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise a day to keep my circulation going. Better blood circulation means more nutrients pumping through your body to nourish your skin. A diet that is high in fresh fruits and veggies, green tea, white tea, and herbal teas, is the other piece of my anti-wrinkle puzzle. This way I will have enough vitamin C for cell repair, antioxidants for cell protection, and other nutrients to keep my skin in shape. And finally, water for better skin. I will aim for 2 liters a day.

With all of this combined, I'm willing to bet my skin will improve. I'm using NeoCell collagen supplements. I am in no way affiliated with this company, just felt comfortable with them after reading the bottle and picking them up at Whole Foods. I will let you know how my adventure with collagen supplements (and exercise, more fruits, veggies, and tea, and better hydration) goes over the next few weeks. With that, off to make a cup of white tea!