Supplement Myths: The Truth About Collagen
Let’s talk collagen.
You can’t walk into a vitamin store, a grocery store, or even a gas station these days without tripping over some jar, packet, or “on-the-go” collagen shot. It’s in coffee creamers. It’s in protein bars. It’s in gummy form now — because if adults won’t take their medicine, maybe they’ll eat it like candy. The labels scream things like “Anti-Aging!” “Joint Savior!” “Glowing Skin in a Bottle!” and people scoop it into their morning lattes like they’ve found the fountain of youth hiding in aisle six of Costco.
And of course, celebrities are on it. Instagram influencers, wellness gurus, and even a few “biohackers” with podcasts longer than most marriages — they’ll all tell you collagen is the thing. Forget exercise, forget sleep, forget sunscreen. Just drop a scoop of this powdered cow hide into your cold brew and suddenly your knees won’t sound like Velcro being ripped apart every time you stand up.
It’s marketed like magic.
And look, I get it. As Boomers, we’re all fighting that same battle: our joints ache when we roll out of bed, our skin looks like it’s been left out in the sun too long, and our backs are writing checks our spines can’t cash. If there were truly a magic powder that fixed all that? We’d all be shoveling it into our mouths with soup spoons.
But here’s the problem: it’s not magic. It’s protein. And protein doesn’t work like a miracle. It works like… protein.
What Collagen Actually Is
Let’s start with the basics. Collagen is a protein. Not a mystical one, not some rare compound harvested by monks in Tibet. It’s just protein — the most abundant protein in the human body, in fact. It’s the glue (literally — the word comes from the Greek “kolla,” meaning glue) that holds us together.
Type I collagen: This is the stuff in your skin, bones, tendons, and ligaments.
Type II collagen: This one’s mostly in cartilage, the cushioning between your bones.
Type III collagen: Found in skin, muscles, and blood vessels.
Together, these types make up the scaffolding of your body. Skin elasticity? Collagen. Strong tendons? Collagen. The cushion in your knees? Collagen again.
But — and here’s where the fear marketing sneaks in — as we age, collagen production drops. Your skin loses bounce. Your joints creak. The brick wall that used to be your 40-year-old body now has mortar crumbling out of it.
So the supplement industry shows up and says, “Don’t worry, we’ll just give you more of it!”
Sounds logical, right? You’re low on collagen, so you eat collagen, and boom — fixed. But biology doesn’t work like that.
The Myth Factory
Collagen didn’t start out as a powder. Back in the day, it was in creams and lotions. Remember those commercials where someone would slather on a “collagen-rich” face cream, and suddenly their wrinkles disappeared? Total nonsense. Collagen molecules are too big to absorb through skin. That stuff just sat there on the surface like fancy Vaseline.
Then came the pivot. “If we can’t smear it on, maybe we can drink it.” Powders, pills, shots, and beauty elixirs. Toss some hydrolyzed cow hide into a blender, give it a fancy name, and charge fifty bucks a jar.
The industry rolled it out with the kind of marketing muscle usually reserved for Super Bowl ads. Celebrity endorsements. Instagram “before and after” shots. Wellness coaches swearing their crow’s feet were gone after two weeks. And boom — a $4 billion market was born.
This isn’t the first time, either. Supplements go through cycles: shark cartilage was going to cure cancer. Royal jelly from bees was going to keep you young. Deer antler spray was supposed to make you stronger. Hell, I remember when oat bran was on the cover of Time Magazine.
If we actually got what we were promised from these miracle fixes, we’d all be immortal by now — skin like porcelain, joints like titanium, and abs sharp enough to cut glass. But here we are, still limping around, still looking our age, and still reaching for the next powder.
What the Science Actually Says
Here’s the part people don’t want to hear: when you eat collagen, your body doesn’t say, “Oh good, let’s ship this straight to John’s left knee and fill in the cracks.”
Your digestive system breaks collagen down into amino acids — just like it does with chicken, steak, eggs, or beans. Those amino acids then go into the bloodstream and get used wherever the body needs them. They might help build skin. They might help repair muscle. They might just get used as fuel.
Now, there are a few studies — mostly small, often funded by the supplement companies themselves — that show some benefit from collagen peptides. A handful suggest improved skin elasticity, a little boost in hydration, maybe slightly less joint pain.
But we’re not talking miracles. We’re talking small effects, often in specific groups (like postmenopausal women or athletes with joint injuries). And here’s the kicker: even in the studies that show benefit, the effect size is about as exciting as finding an extra fry at the bottom of the McDonald’s bag. Nice? Sure. Life-changing? Not so much.
Also — placebo effect is strong. If you believe your $60 tub of powder is helping, chances are you’ll feel better. There’s nothing wrong with that, but let’s not pretend it’s the second coming of penicillin.
The Boomer Reality Check
So what does this mean for us?
If you’re already eating enough protein — say 100–150 grams a day depending on your size — collagen isn’t going to do anything magical. Your body already has the amino acids it needs. And if you’re protein deficient, sure, collagen might help. But so would literally any protein source.
Want healthier joints? Build muscle around those joints with strength training. Drop some extra weight if you’re carrying it. Motion is lotion — you’ve heard that before because it’s true.
Want younger-looking skin? Stop frying yourself in the sun. Drink water. Sleep. Manage stress. Use sunscreen.
Collagen is fine, but it’s not special. It’s not better than whey protein. It’s not better than steak. It’s not better than Greek yogurt. In fact, it’s worse in some ways, because collagen lacks certain amino acids your body needs, like tryptophan. You can’t live on collagen alone — though if Instagram had its way, you’d be doing just that.
And here’s the other thing nobody wants to admit: aging happens. Your knees are going to creak. Your skin’s going to wrinkle. You don’t get to out-supplement time.
Practical Advice
If you like collagen, fine. It’s not dangerous. It’s not toxic. If stirring a scoop into your coffee makes you feel like you’re taking care of yourself, go ahead. But don’t buy it thinking it’s a miracle cure. Think of it as expensive protein powder with good PR.
And if you want to save some cash? Eat more actual protein. Lift some weights. Go for a walk. Sleep. Drink some water. And for the love of God, stop believing that every powdered animal part in a jar is going to make you 25 again.
The Punchline
Collagen doesn’t make you younger. Nothing does.
You know what does keep you young? Laughing at the absurdity of all this. Taking care of your body in ways that actually work — moving, eating real food, getting rest. And maybe, just maybe, learning to appreciate the wrinkles. They’re not flaws. They’re receipts. They’re proof that you’ve been here, that you’ve lived, that you’ve laughed and cried and yelled at traffic and survived disco.
Collagen is fine if you like it, but if you’re counting on it to turn back the clock, here’s the truth: the only thing it’s guaranteed to make younger is your bank account.
