Women have been the main focus of the beauty industry for decades. Now, men are quite rightly getting their fair share of attention.
The men’s personal care market has boomed in recent years, taking in everything from hair care and cosmetics to health and wellness.
Experts predict it will be worth a staggering £214 billion by 2030, and among the sea of products being marketed to men is collagen.
Growing numbers of women around the world have seen the benefits a daily dose of collagen can have, so a focus on the advantages for men is long overdue.
In this blog, we will define collagen and what it does. We will also reveal the six major health benefits men could get from taking our plant-based liquid collagen supplement.
What is collagen?
Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body. We produce it naturally by combining a chain of amino acids with vitamin C, zinc, copper and manganese.
Collagen takes the form of a triple helix, and this structural protein can be found in many places in the body, from our bones and connective tissue, to our hair and skin.
As well as providing a sort of scaffolding for our bones, joints and muscles, collagen is also involved in the production of new skin cells, making it important for our skin health.
A natural decline in collagen production
However, after we reach the age of around 30, our natural collagen output starts to slow down by around 1% per year.
The decline accelerates significantly from the age of around 40, when we start to see more visible signs of ageing.
It can include weaker bones and muscles, fine lines or wrinkles in our skin, and duller, thinner hair.
Men traditionally have lower oestrogen levels than women, so the effects of a downturn in collagen production are less pronounced than those going through menopause.
While there is no scientific evidence to suggest taking collagen will increase testosterone levels or sperm count, adding collagen to your routine can still have many benefits for men.
Sources of collagen
There is a wide range of collagen-rich foods that can be introduced to a balanced diet and boost your body’s production.
Bone broth is one of the best ways to increase your body’s collagen intake. If you don’t have time to spend simmering animal bones for hours, you can also find it in chicken and fish, pork skin, egg whites, leafy greens, tomatoes and bell peppers.
Berries, tropical fruits, citrus fruits, garlic and beans and cashew nuts are also great sources of the ingredients needed to make collagen naturally.
Not everyone can eat all the foods listed above. People with intolerances or allergies, as well as personal lifestyle choices can find their options for extra collagen sources are limited.
The health and wellness industry responded by developing lots and lots of collagen supplements.
Collagen supplements
Millions of people around the world take collagen supplements every day, and growing numbers of them are men.
The collagen in most supplements comes from three main sources: animals, fish and plants.
In the first two forms, collagen from cows, pigs and fish are turned into peptides: tiny fragments of collagen that our bodies can more easily absorb.
Bovine and marine collagen peptide supplementation comes in the form of powders, capsules and liquids. While they have many health benefits for men, the industry behind them... not so much.
The production of animal and marine collagen has been linked to unethical practices and serious questions have been raised about its sustainability. Find out more here.
In 2022, VeCollal® was launched, giving consumers science-backed, environmentally friendly collagen supplementation that does not use animal sources.
VeCollal® amino acids vs collagen peptides
VeCollal® isn’t actually collagen at all, it is a biomimetic, specially formulated to 100% match the essential amino acids in human collagen.
Currently, science has identified 28 types of collagen, of which 90% is comprised of Type I. Bovine and marine collagen peptides are similar to Type I, but only VeCollal® is exactly the same.
Alongside those essential amino acids, VeCollal® also contains vitamin C, Asiaticoside and Panax ginseng, three plant-based ingredients that help trigger collagen synthesis in the body.
The VeCollal® formulation is at the core of our plant-based liquid collagen supplement.
Our plant-based liquid supplement
Inspired by the skin-body connection and scientifically formulated, our plant-based liquid collagen supplement has multiple benefits for men.
Each 30ml sachet contains a generous 25 grams of Vecollal® amino acids blend, as well as 30 grams of soluble fibre.
We specifically chose to develop a liquid supplement, as 98% of it is absorbed by the body, compared to just 3% of some capsules.
Unlike flavourless collagen powder or fishy-flavoured marine collagen, our vegan supplement tastes delicious, thanks to an infusion of Japanese plum.
It is robustly packaged and convenient enough to take anywhere. Have a couple in the glovebox, keep them in your work or gym bag so they’re always to hand. Just rip it and sip it!
What are its health benefits for men?
Our plant-based liquid collagen isn’t just convenient and great value for money. It has lots of other health benefits for men too.
Strengthening bones
The drop in our body’s collagen output can also have a significant impact on our bone health, reducing density and leaving them at a greater risk of fracture.
Increasing your intake with supplemental collagen can help restore bone density and strength, as well as boost protections against age-related diseases such as osteoporosis.
Enhancing muscle mass
Studies have also shown that a daily dose of collagen supplementation can lead to increased muscle mass and strength in men of all ages.
This is because collagen delivers the amino acids that contribute to muscle growth.
Researchers found that active men who did resistance training and elderly men with sarcopenia - the age-related loss of muscle mass and strength - both gained more muscle mass after taking daily collagen peptides.
Supporting physical activity
Collagen is key to having healthier joints as it helps keep them flexible.
Increasing our collagen levels can help boost the levels in our knees, hips and elbows, reducing joint pain and enabling men to stay active for longer.
It’s a similar story for men who take part in sport. Collagen supplements can enhance the strength and flexibility of muscle tissue, as well as other connective tissues such as tendons and ligaments.
Taking extra collagen boosts bone and joint health, so it may reduce the risk of injury, as well as muscle soreness after exercise. It can also aid recovery: music to the ears of every man who loves their Sunday morning football.
Enhancing skin elasticity and hydration
If the booming men’s personal care market is anything to go by, it’s not just women who want to improve their skin health.
Taking collagen supplements prompts the body to start producing collagen naturally, and our skin is one of the biggest areas to see the benefits of collagen supplementation.
Collagen helps plump out and add firmness to the layers, while its hydration properties help smooth out fine lines and wrinkles. In just a few weeks, skin can go from being dull to having a youthful, healthy glow.
Supporting hair growth
One of the major collagen benefits for men is enhanced hair growth. The decline in collagen production can lead to an increase in hair loss and potential balding.
Oral collagen supplementation hydrates and plumps out the skin cells everywhere on the body, including on our heads.
Increased hydration means a healthier scalp that can hold more tightly onto hair follicles. Collagen benefits also include hydrating the hair itself, making thinning hair look fuller, and for some people, it can stimulate hair growth.
Improving gut health
One of the best collagen benefits for men is the boost it can give to our digestive health.
That is largely due to the amino acid glycine, one of the key components of collagen, which plays a significant role in keeping our gut lining healthy.
Another collagen component, vitamin C, and the Panax ginseng in our liquid supplement, also have anti-inflammatory properties, helping reduce inflammation in our digestive tract and helping improve gut health.
There’s even more good news for men looking at supplements as a way to encourage the body to produce collagen.
A recent study into how collagen could combat male urinary incontinence has yielded promising results, with many participants seeing improvements in bladder control.
Plus, collagen can reduce artery stiffness, making sure they stay flexible, keeping our blood pressure down and enhancing overall heart health.
How much collagen should men take?
There are obvious differences in the morphology of men and women, which is why experts make recommendations about how much food or alcohol each gender should consume.
It’s not the same when it comes to taking collagen.
How much you take depends on what you are taking it for: a man looking to improve his joint health may need a bigger dose than someone who wants more youthful-looking skin.
Research has demonstrated that adults can safely consume between 2.5 and 40 grams of collagen per day. That makes our sachet and its 25 grams the perfect dose.
Side effects from taking collagen are extremely rare, but can include mild stomach issues or a headache. If you do experience them, it’s best to speak to your doctor.
Try our plant-based liquid collagen supplement
Our plant-based liquid supplement is the perfect introduction to collagen for men.
It’s convenient, tastes great and at only £1.71 per day, you get all the benefits for less than a takeout coffee.
Our offers include a 14-day subscription. Find all the details here.
Questions or queries? Get in touch
If you want to ask us anything about our plant-based liquid collagen supplement, or any of the other products in the Arella range that aren’t covered by our FAQs, drop us a line.
You can email us at info@arella-beauty.co.uk, telephone 03303 209 190, or fill in this contact form and we’ll get back to you straight away.
