Unless you grocery shop with a blindfold on you have no doubt seen something on the shelves of your local store called “Collagen Peptides”, “Collagen Protein”, or just “Collagen”.  The packages are usually pretty slick, well designed and made to appeal to people trying to improve their health and/or their fitness.  Typically the benefits of these supplements are marketed as “improves hair, skin and nail health”.  Along with “helps with joint pain and connective tissue health”.  And last but not least “builds muscle, helps burn fat and improves gut health”.  Well who the heck doesn’t want all of those things?!  Well before we jump in our cars and hit the ATM to clear the shelves for all of the collagen peptides that we can fit in our pantry, let’s pump the brakes and look at the facts.

We need to start by defining what collagen is in our bodies.