Collagen has been the talk of the town since 5 years back . Raising in popularity, everyone that i know starts to ask me about this beauty supplement , they'll be like: So , which one to take? Are they good and effective ? How many 'mg' do we need actually ? Side Effects? Which brand ?????
I will break down each and component to consider and explain them clearly .
Price
If money is no problem i believe injection is always the best way to go . There are beauty clinics and certified doctors around to provide such services. The injection is usually in an intravenous form and probably takes about 2 hours to be completed . Don't worry , i am going to say things you want to hear which is *drumroll* it will not cause any pain, the doctors or nurses will give you some form of anesthesia , either local or systemic to help reduce discomfort during the process and trust me you can demand for more if you find your pain threshold is lower than most people (customer is always right so make sure u are paying for the right kind of service), all you need to do is just ask nicely. Now the stories goes on and you should always pay attention to the second half of the story , that is if you are well prepared with a huge amount of savings in your bank account , i don't think injections are your best options , the reason being the wanted results are very much instant and you would look waayyyyyyy younger the next few weeks after the treatment , but collagen is easily breakdown in daily wear and tear , so the next thing you realize is you are on your way to your next injection , all because the vanity devil is ringing in your head telling you i need to look amazing in the up coming dinner etc etc etc . So if you are not well prepared , don't go for such option, as we all know we need to save for rainy days.And one last thing , if you opt for this option , do make sure you go to certified doctors or medical personnel for such treatment.
Absorption
The collagen a substance with a big molecular size , chemical component somewhat similar to a protein molecule. Absorption can be tricky with the size of the molecule is so huge , so little actions such as to take it on an empty stomach first thing in the morning and in separate dosing would make a difference. And in the market there are variation of 5000mg to 15000mg per dose, well the answer here is the body can only absorb a certain amount of 'mg' at a given time, so don't make assumptions thinking the larger the 'mg' the better it is. Make comparison on the price and taste of different brands in the market, some are better tasting and some are simply not palatable , the point here is if the product is not palatable , and your are not going to drink it (yuckkkk and spit), let it be sitting at the corner and make your pill cupboard younger looking LOL LOL LOL
These supplements are not expensive comparing to injections so don't expect results to be instant . Supplements taking requires compliance and to be build up in the body over time to give results, but the advantage is even if you stop taking them they will not make a drastic difference to your looks . Always seek advice from your pharmacist and nutritionist before commencing these supplements if you are taking long term prescription medications or undergoing chemo/laser therapy.
Source
Marine sources are the most common source in most collagen supplements, Avalon, Kinohimitsu and Miracol just to name a few. The good side of it they are usually inexpensive and well tolerated as in giving very few hypersensitivity cases, but the marine collagen are not suitable for acne(hormonal type) prone skin this is because they consist high content of amino acids causing hormonal changes, instabilities here causing more serious BREAK OUT during the beginning go the intake, but it will usually settle down after continual taking. The Colla-plus is synthetic collagen , which are suitable for vegetarian and frutarian and also for those acne prone skin ladies which needs to look good in the time frame of 2-3 months ( for example your wedding day is coming up ) and probably switch to marine later (because already married LOL). The down side of such collagen is they tend to be more expensive and the supply in the market can be temperamental ( manufacture out of stock all the time !!!! ) and the intake can be disrupted.
Word of advice here is choose one formulation that is easy for you to follow and adhere to , take into account the cost (as in long term ), the taste, the regimen and lastly give 3 months of continual taking to see the difference, if it does not show any difference, stop taking and try other means.
Weight Gain
So many of them said the collagen makes them FAT!!!! Weight fluctuation is possible during the beginning phase , as i just mentioned high content of amino acids gives hormonal change, and hormonal change cause increase in appetite, water retention, pimples etc etc etc but these things should all settle down after continual taking and after you make adjustment accordingly over time. The problem here is awareness and making necessary steps to accommodate the collagen drink ( sounds like going into a relationship right? ) , well it is in this case , every time you start a nutritional supplement is like going into a long-term relationship with it , nothing comes free and good , everything requires compromise , so if you want to look good and young , there is a price to pay . Cut back on other fatty food and sugary drinks, many of these collagen drink uses high content of fruit extract to give good taste and some uses sugar *shock*. Some formulations has really high sugar content such as 15g per bottle, that is half a can of COKE *super shock* !! Take home note here is , watch your diet, and learn to read the labels.
Boost up on Vitamin C, retinol and stop smoking
Diamonds are no longer girls best friend, Vitamin C is. Vitamin C is really the most important ingredient in everything to do with beauty and staying young. If you have been following my blog you would know it is link with boosting glutathione level and now crucial in the formation of collagen . Skincare that contains vitamin C encourages collagen repair . Retinoids or say retinol on the other hand slows down the breakdown of collagen in skin . The stronger creams are use for acne, do opt for milder version for anti-aging purposes. Smoking is not only bad for your lungs, also for your beautiful skin by accelerating your aging process. Go on google and search " smoking and skin" there are heaps of information on how bad it is and how it will ruin your looks.
i'll say snow white does not smoke , so you shouldn't.
