Collagen Hydrolysate

[lkendl]

Hi all! I'm new to this forum and love reading the advice and experiences. I'm excited to grow long, healthy hair!

I was wondering... do any of you take Collagen Hydrolysate? I have been taking it for the benefits of healthy skin, but it has so many other benefits, including hair.

Here's what it says:

Helps regulate the body's metabolism
Builds connective tissue in hair, skin, and nails
Bio-active product containing 90% protein (6 grams protein per tablespoon serving)


More of the description:
"The body's natural ability to repair supporting connective tissue (bone, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, skin, hair, and nails) diminishes after the age of 25.
Collagen provides the source in supplying additional amounts of amino acids like glycine, lysine, and proline, which are specifically needed by the body to build connective tissue structure and to regulate the functions of the cells. Hydrolyzed collagen is the same collagen found naturally in bones, skin, and cartilage. It is a bioactive product containing 90% protein easily assimilated by the human body. It promotes rapid Cell growth producing synovial fluids to first lubricate joints, then build tissue."

Anyway I'm so excited to know that this is good for your hair. I'm taking Great Lakes Gelatin Collagen Hydrolysate (green can, bought from Amazon). It's tasteless and dissolves in any liquid. I put it in everything from tea to mac and cheese. I just put some in my yogurt and didn't even notice it was in there! Just wondering if anyone else uses it? And if so, what have your results been like? I'm excited to hear if it does make any difference!

[truepeacenik]

That's more commonly known as gelatin.

[Siowiel]

My take on supplements: If you're not lacking anything in your diet, it doesn't help.
Collagen/gelatin/protein/amino acids... if you're not deficient in certain amino acids, it's unlikely you'll see any benefits from supplements with these names, and a deficiency in amino acids is not very common in developed countries.

That is, I do take a great deal of supplements (no protein supplements, though) myself and have seen benefits from it - because my diet is crap, but if I regulate my diet too much and eat healthier etc. I feel restricted and plunge back into habits of my eating disorder, so supplements it is for me!

[MungoMania]

I take biosil daily and it's the only thing that stopped my excessive hair shedding so I've been taking it for almost 5 years now and plan to continue. I'm collagen deficient anyway and that's probably why it helps sp much.

[Panth]

It's just gelatin.

90% of what you've just quoted is mis-quoted statements about how collagen works as part of the body's structures. That's a very, very different thing to saying that eating gelatin causes any of that stuff.

All proteins that go through your digestive tract get broken down into their constitutent amino acids before they can be absorbed by the body. So, gelatin is not going to do any more benefit than simply eating any other foodstuff containing protein. The vast majority of Westerners either meet or exceed their daily protein intake requirements (quite often exceeding it to the point that there are negative consequences).

In short, it's pseudo-scientific rubbish. Just eat a good diet.

[Nimia]

I use the Great Lakes stuff daily, and continue to do so because within the first week or two I saw an improvement in my facial skin's color and texture. I have atopic skin (prone to eczema), and was having trouble with reddish, flakey dry patches to either side of my nose, on my cheeks, and on my chin. The collagen supplement has made a difference: the redness and all but one small spot of occasional flakiness are gone. No difference in fine lines and such, though, sigh. And no difference in my hair or nails.

My understanding of the "collagen/gelatin in the diet" question is that we get plenty of muscle meat protein, but that we're missing the stuff we would have gotten from eating all the animal -- cartilage, sinews, skin, organs, bone broths. Is it misinformation? Heck if I know. I probably spend too much time reading Paleo blogs.

[Panth]

My understanding of the "collagen/gelatin in the diet" question is that we get plenty of muscle meat protein, but that we're missing the stuff we would have gotten from eating all the animal -- cartilage, sinews, skin, organs, bone broths. Is it misinformation? Heck if I know. I probably spend too much time reading Paleo blogs.

Protein is protein is protein is protein. Once it's digested, it's just amino acids. Yes, different proteins have different ratios of which amino acids are there, but unless you're on a super-restrictive diet (or have a malabsorption condition or a rare genetic condition that prevents you from processing certain amino acids) there's absolutely no reason to suggest that anyone on a Western diet would have a lack of any amino acids.

Tbh, whilst the actual food recommendations for paleo-type diets are often reasonably sensible (e.g. less highly processed food, less fatty meats), the rationale for why is almost always little more than a Just So Story with ... very little basis in reality. E.g. this (http://hells-ditch.com/2012/08/archaeologists-officially-declare-collective-sigh-over-paleo-diet/).

[Anje]

I've heard anecdotally that some people get good results from taking gelatin, but I don't think the evidence is strong that it benefits most people.

It's worth mentioning that though it is listed as having protein, DO NOT count it as protein for nutrition purposes. There are relatively few amino acids in collagen and in funny ratios. (Absurd amounts of proline, for example.) It shouldn't count as high quality protein you body needs to maintain itself.

[MiamiPineapple]

I take collagen powder and it has really helped with the pain in my knee due to knee surgery. I put it in my shake every morning. I don't think it will hurt anything. My hair and nails also grow pretty fast.

[Sterlyn]

I've been taking the Great Lakes collagen (green can) but I take because it helps with joint pain. It does seem to help a lot and I notice it when I haven't taken it for a few days. If it gives my hair growth a boost that is just an added bonus. :)

[Fufu]

I take Meiji Collagen (powder) mixed with hot beverage daily.. not sure how it aids on hair growth, but I do see it helps to heal my pimple faster.

[maskedrose]

I take Great Lakes Collagen Hydrolysate every day. I mix a tbsp in with my coffee in the morning, and sometimes another in with my tea at night. I haven't noticed a difference in my hair, but like others have mentioned it really does make a difference in my joints. My jaw used to crack a lot and be quite painful at times (early TMJ, I'm assuming), but if I take the collagen supplement every day I don't have any issues with it at all.

[Joyful Mystery]

I purchased the same collagen (https://www.amazon.com/Great-Lakes-Gelatin-Collagen-Hydrolysate/dp/B005KG7EDU/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1521651645&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=great%2Blakes%2Bcollagen%2Bhydrolysate&smid=A2YD1L68H2K7UN&th=1) as OP yesterday. I don't normally take supplements but I've been curious about this for a few years and have heard great things about it.

It should arrive Friday. I'll post my updates here.

[lottiealice]

I can't eat a normal diet and have chronic pain, I'm thinking of trying collagen for that as well as hair growth and skin benefits.

[Joyful Mystery]

lottiealice, I'm with you on the diet thing. I have celiac. I'm so ridiculously sensitive to gluten it's unbelievable.

I also have some weirdness going on with my left knee. I use to run and tried a few years ago to pick it up again and ever since then my knee bothers me sometimes. I quickly decided running wasn't going to work for me anymore.

[ladycatpurrs]

I have used the green can of Great Lakes for a couple of years as well. I have had absorption issues so I actually could tell the difference. I toss that into my morning smoothie with all of my other hopes and dreams. :)

[Reyesuela]

Gelatin is fine. Won’t hurt. Won’t be magically transported as collagen where you want it—the essential amino acids are what matters. You can get it from food. Take it near bed. Glycine makes you sleepy.

[Reyesuela]

lottiealice, I'm with you on the diet thing. I have celiac. I'm so ridiculously sensitive to gluten it's unbelievable.

I also have some weirdness going on with my left knee. I use to run and tried a few years ago to pick it up again and ever since then my knee bothers me sometimes. I quickly decided running wasn't going to work for me anymore.
If it’s iliotibital band syndrome, I healed mine.

[LittleHealthy]

Fish oils can also aid with joints, if that’s your thing. I haven’t been taking mine since being pregnant because I get bad reflux and they make me nauseous, but I have taken them daily on and off for years, since some netball injuries from when I was a bit younger. My knees behave far more appropriately when I take fish oil. And it keeps my excema from flaring up. I do remember the naturopath who prescribed them mentioning they’d improve the strength of my fingernails and hair. I haven’t paid particular attention to my hair until the past year though. And my hair grows slower during pregnancy... maybe that’s because I stop the fish oil? Who knows. My nails grow like mad when I take 3000-4000mg of fish oil a day.
But anyway, for joints, fish oils are a cheap alternative to collagen!

[Joyful Mystery]

I purchased the same collagen (https://www.amazon.com/Great-Lakes-Gelatin-Collagen-Hydrolysate/dp/B005KG7EDU/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1521651645&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=great%2Blakes%2Bcollagen%2Bhydrolysate&smid=A2YD1L68H2K7UN&th=1) as OP yesterday. I don't normally take supplements but I've been curious about this for a few years and have heard great things about it.

It should arrive Friday. I'll post my updates here.

I forgot about this!

I gave it a try for a few days but stopped when my face started to breakout.

[elfynity]

My homeopath said that gelatine is collagen, just a different form of it and that collagen is easier for the body to absorb than gelatine. He said that both collagen and gelatine will help my hair to grow as the hair needs collagen to produce more hair.

I am taking 1 spoon of gelatine everyday with my breakfast yoghurt. I am not taking alot of gelatine, but that is because I also take bone broth, which I buy ready made from my organics shop and use that in my food and I also make my own stews using bones and have at least 3 or more servings per week. PS, bone broth has alot of gelatine in it.