Are Collagen Drinks Safe?

A daily dose of collagen to plump lines and stop sagging sounds a little too good to be true – yet sales are soaring and anecdotal approval abounds.

While there a few studies that support the skin-boosting benefits of consuming collagen drinks, these studies can't ascertain whether it's the collagen itself that is causing the aesthetic improvements, or something else in the formula (such as hyaluronic acid or vitamins).

The key issue at play is absorption – the jury is really still out on how much, if any, collagen peptides are actually absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract. Many believe that hydrolysed (or 'broken down') collagen is the solution, as these molecules are small enough to make it unscathed through our systems, ending up where we really want them.

As Griggs explains: 'Many of these drinks contain collagen which has been hydrolysed in order to break down the protein structure – this means it can be more easily absorbed and the collagen peptides become more bioavailable,' says Griggs.