Hello, I'm Monica Reinagle, and you're listening to the Nutrition Diva

podcast, a show where we take a closer look at nutrition headlines,

trends, and research so that you can feel more confident

about your food and nutrition choices.

Collagen supplements are writing an influencer-driven wave of popularity.

They're being touted as a panacea for everything from smoother skin to stronger joints to better workouts.

In 2024, the collagen supplement market is projected to reach

nearly six billion dollars and every week I get emails from

listeners asking whether or not various collagen supplements live up to the hype.

And you know what? This is the right question to ask.

In the highly profitable and very loosely regulated world of dietary supplements,

the claims often outrun the science.

So in this episode, we're going to evaluate the evidence to support the various claims so that you can

you can decide whether collagen supplements are worth your

hard-earned cash.

Collagen is the most abundant protein in our bodies. It's found in our bones, skin, muscles, tendons, and ligaments, and it provides structure, strength, but also elasticity. So think of collagen as the scaffolding

that sort of holds your body together. And most of the collagen in your body is synthesized by your body.

It's a process known as endogenous production.

We also take in collagen from foods or increasingly these days from supplements, but the collagen that we get from foods isn't deposited directly

into our tissues as collagen.

Collagen molecules are way too big to be absorbed into the bloodstream intact.

Instead, they get broken down into smaller components during the digestive process.

...