Required for skin elasticity, plus healthy hair, nails and joints, collagen makes up roughly 30% of all the proteins within your body. Unfortunately, ageing and collagen production don’t go hand in hand, so a supplement can help, swerving the need to rely on shellfish, chicken and gallons of bone broth. These are a good starting place:
Imedeen Collagen Shots 10 X 15ml
£35, boots.com
You might not reap quite as many benefits due to ‘small amounts of collagen and vitamin C’, says Madalena. On the plus side, it’s sugar-free, tastes nice and is easy to take.
Good for: A smoothie boost
Colnatur Complex Natural Flavour
‘Hydrolysed collagen is easy for the body to absorb,’ says nutritional therapist Gail Madalena. Vitamin C and magnesium aid post-exercise recovery, too.
Good for: Your porridge £26.99, colnatur.co.uk
Collagen Zooki
£27.99, yourzooki.com
Here the collagen is coated in natural lipids (fats), ‘which could improve absorption by our bodies’ cells’, says Madalena. However, at £1.75 a pouch, there are cheaper options, she adds. Good for:
People on the go