Collagen

Cure-all or just clever marketing?

My first attempt at collagen goes back to early 2015. That’s when I had just started worrying about preserving youthfulness, and some “in-the-know” people suggested I read the blog of a lady who wrote about supplements. I was impressed — especially by one phrase:

“…our women would rather grow old than take pills.”

Not me! I was ready to swallow anything if it meant seeing “me” in the mirror again.

So I started with a combo of collagen + hyaluronic acid. Stocked my kitchen with bottles, followed the plan religiously for at least three months, kept ordering more… until it hit me: this looked suspiciously like a money trap for beauty-obsessed ladies like me. The effect? Zero. And yet I was afraid to quit — what if I instantly aged five years overnight?

Spoiler: I didn’t. With or without them, I looked exactly the same. The only difference was that I stopped wasting money and waiting for packages.

The conclusion back then

iHerb’s referral system works brilliantly — and judging by how actively that blogger promoted her code, it probably brought in far more profit than collagen ever did for the women taking it. I don’t play those games. I forgot about collagen for a long time.

Funny thing: years later I checked her profile — and her photos hadn’t changed one bit. The internet is a marvelous place for creating very convincing illusions.

Fast forward to 2018

I came across a Russian beauty coach whose looks at 60 were impressive. She had a whole “supplements” section, where I learned about connective tissue dysplasia. Among the long list of symptoms, she stressed the very thing I had — overly flexible, cracking joints.

The idea of “falling apart” in the near future scared me, so I gave collagen another try — this time in a different combo (with biotin) and with a different goal.

I studied her buying tips carefully. Turned out my first mistake was choosing plain capsule collagen instead of peptide collagen in powder form. Determined not to waste money again, I picked a big jar from her recommended list.

The powder was fine — almost tasteless, dissolved easily, no problem. Perfect! Except… the story repeated itself. No effect whatsoever.

Then it dawned on me: my flexible, crackly joints were a family trait. They never kept my parents from living their lives, and my kids also amuse classmates with their “superpowers” — just like I once did. Somehow I hadn’t thought of that earlier. I relaxed.

The beauty coach didn’t push referral codes, so in her case it’s probably a matter of faith. She believes in collagen. In the end, I chose to believe in plain protein — which, as a meat-eater, I already get plenty of.

By the way, did you know excess protein — collagen included — can cause side effects like puffiness, dryness, and loss of skin elasticity? Surprise! But it’s all highly individual — every body is unique.

Conclusion

Over the years, my attitude toward supplements shifted from the emotional “Wow, this is it!” to the clear conviction: money down the drain.

And you? Have you tried collagen yourself? Share your experience in the comments!

The original Russian version of this article was published on December 21, 2018.