Collagen-based protein was all the rage over the past couple of years because of its claimed properties of improving your skin. Collagen protein is derived from animal connective tissues, cow hides, and fish scales. It is an incomplete protein. Can it help improve your skin and connective tissue? Most likely it can but it’s likely not any better than a complete protein at sufficient quantities on that score. The claim is that supplies “unique build blocks for structural tissues.” Unique doesn’t necessarily mean “superior.”
Collagen’s goal is skin elasticity, joint, tendon, and bone support. It is fantastic that collagen-based protein has a goal. Does that really mean anything in terms of its effectiveness. I would venture to say no. If you want to grind up cow hides and fish scales, it may actually deliver you some protein that will to some extent achieve collagen-based protein’s lofty skin elasticity goal. However, that may have simply been a clever way of selling you a lower quality and (should be) lower priced protein. From my perspective, I will happily make that choice but only if it is well informed and intentional. I am not a fan of false promises. I don’t have an industry supported brand funded study. I am just using basic logic and reason.
There is a universal desire to look young and healthy and elasticity of your skin may be a big part of that. No question you can make similar skin elasticity claims about whey or egg proteins. I would wager that a legitimate study might prove that whey and egg actually perform better on that score. Motivations are interesting. I have a client who had little interest in any of the diet supplements I recommended but she was hell-bent on having collagen-based protein. Fine, that is better than nothing.
My best estimation is that, collagen is an inferior and incomplete protein vs. the superior complete whey and egg proteins. Can you use it? Sure you can. If their marketing pitch gets you to consume more and better protein than before, then I am all for it. If it is indeed inferior and from a lower cost source, It should just be priced accordingly. Maybe it also tells us that we should pay closer attention to a client’s motivations. In some cases we could emphasize what real high-quality complete proteins can do for skin elasticity as well as lean muscle mass and help them on both fronts.
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