Boots Collagen

Collagen is a compound naturally synthesised by your body that plays an essential role in the structure of connective tissues, such as skin, tendons, ligaments and cartilage. It can be extracted from animal sources and placed in oral supplement capsules for their reported health benefits. One such supplement is Boots Collagen.

Here are the reported benefits of such collagen supplements

Health Benefits of Collagen

Reduction of Skin Wrinkles - As people age, their skin's natural elasticity lessens because of the decrease in collagen production. When the skin loses its elasticity, wrinkles and fine lines start to appear and skin will seem less firm and look loose. Wrinkle reduction and skin repair can be achieved by using moisturisers, eating a balanced diet, getting enough rest and sleep, smoking cessation and possibly by taking collagen supplements.

Arthritis - Taking oral collagen supplements helps alleviate some of the symptoms of arthritis, particularly rheumatoid arthritis, a type of chronic inflammatory condition that causes inflammation of your joints and surrounding tissues. People who suffer from chronic arthritis have lower levels of collagen in their joints due to the destruction of collagen caused by inflammation. Oral collagen supplementation helps prevent your immune system from destroying your body's natural collagen. By having enough collagen in your body, you can alleviate joint pain and stiffness associated with arthritis.

Heart Health - Collagen is essential in maintaining the health and maintenance of cardiac tissue, and may be an important indicator of overall heart health. A loss of collagen in cardiac tissue may lead to transformations in your heart that cause a weakening of your cardiac muscles, leaving you more susceptible to a heart attack or stroke.

Skin Conditions - Oral collagen supplements help clear up your skin, reducing the appearance of acne, eczema, and even minor cuts and scars. Collagen is needed by your skin for the normal regeneration of healthy skin tissues, and taking collagen supplements can increase your body's ability to build new skin cells. According to a 2002 article published in the "Journal of Paediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism," short-term oral collagen supplementation is effective and safe for the treatment of severe acne in teenagers and adolescents.

Faster Wound Healing - According to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, one of the benefits of taking collagen supplements is faster wound healing. Skin repair and wound healing after an injury usually happens on its own, but collagen supplements may speed up the process by stimulating tissue formation and wound contraction.

Our view

There’s no doubt that collagen plays an important part in the body, both are an ant-arthritis and cardio supplement. However as to whether it is effective as an anti-wrinkle supplement is debatable. If your reasons for buying this are to reduce joint stiffness, or protect your heart, then by all means spend the €20-25 on a month’s supply, but if anti-aging and youthfulness are your goal we would be sceptical. In our view this is definitely a ‘luxury supplement’ and not one which will act as the elixir of life.