Dear ,
If your joints feel stiff in the morning… your knees protest each step… or your skin is losing its youthful bounce—collagen loss may be the quiet culprit behind it all.
You see, collagen is the most abundant protein in your body. It gives structure to your skin, elasticity to your ligaments, and shock-absorbing strength to your joints.
And while it’s normal for collagen production to decline with age, certain environmental, dietary, and lifestyle factors can quietly accelerate the
breakdown.
7 Common Collagen Killers
- Too much sugar – forms compounds (AGEs) that damage collagen and trigger inflammation
- Plant-based diets – often lack the amino acids needed to
build and repair collagen
- Too much sun – breaks down collagen fibers—making them weaker and less elastic.
- Smoking – floods the body with toxins that degrade collagen and impair repair
- Alcohol – activates enzymes that break down collagen and dehydrates
tissue
- Excess caffeine – raises stress hormones which interfere with collagen production
- Dehydration – causes collagen fibers to dry out, weaken, and break down more quickly
The good news?
Understanding what breaks collagen down is the first step in protecting it—and helping your body restore what’s been lost.
The best part is, you don’t need a complete lifestyle overhaul. Small, consistent changes can make a meaningful difference over time.
Start by avoiding added sugars, staying well hydrated, limiting caffeine and alcohol, eating more high-quality animal protein, and adding collagen-rich foods like bone broth to your diet.
But for added support, many people turn to collagen supplements to help fill nutritional gaps.
The problem? Not all collagen supplements are created equal.
How to Instantly Tell If Your Collagen Supplement Is Low Quality
If you have a collagen supplement, take a scoop out and sniff it.
Yes, really! Give it a sniff.
If your collagen smells like beef jerky … fish … or a wet dog, that's a huge red flag.
You see, high-quality collagen has no smell. No smell at
all.
And here's why this matters: Poor-quality collagen often contains oxidized peptides or offcuts that don’t absorb well in the body.
If your cells can’t absorb and utilize those amino acids, you won’t see the benefits. No difference in your joints, skin, or hair.
But there’s an even more important factor most people overlook…
It’s what determines whether your collagen will actually help rebuild your tissues—or just pass through you, unused.
👉 Click here now to make sure your collagen works effectively.
To your health,
Healing Gourmet
PS. Did you know there are nearly
30 types of collagen—but most supplements only contain two?
The most important for your body are just a few. A high-quality multi-type collagen supplement typically includes:
- Types I and III from grass-fed bovine collagen - Supports healthy skin and
hair
- Type II from pasture-raised chicken collagen - Supports joint health
- Type V from wild-caught marine collagen - Supports nail strength and growth
- Type X from organic eggshell membrane - Supports joint health and flexibility
If your collagen doesn’t include a range of these, you might be missing out on full-body benefits.
👉 Click here to make sure yours delivers what your body truly needs.
References
Danby FW. Nutrition and aging skin: sugar and glycation. Clin Dermatol. 2010 Jul-Aug;28(4):409-11. doi: 10.1016/j.clindermatol.2010.03.018. PMID: 20620757.
Gill V, Kumar V, Singh K, Kumar A, Kim JJ. Advanced Glycation End
Products (AGEs) May Be a Striking Link Between Modern Diet and Health. Biomolecules. 2019 Dec 17;9(12):888. doi: 10.3390/biom9120888. (PubMed).
Russell L. The importance of patients’ nutritional status in wound healing. Br J Nurs. 2001 Mar;10(6 Suppl):S42, S44-9. doi: 10.12968/bjon.2001.10.Sup1.5336.
Baumann L. Skin ageing and its treatment. J Pathol. 2007 Jan;211(2):241-51. doi:
10.1002/path.2098. PMID: 17200942.
Overbeek SA, Braber S, Koelink PJ, et al. Cigarette smoke-induced collagen destruction; key to chronic neutrophilic airway inflammation? PLoS One. 2013;8(1):e55612.
Seabra O, Pereira VG, Espindula AP, et al. Even without changing the bone mineral density, alcohol consumption decreases the percentage of collagen, the thickness of bone
trabeculae, and increases bone fragility. An Acad Bras Cienc. 2022 Oct 3;94(suppl 3):e20210661. doi: 10.1590/0001-3765202220210661.
Beaven CM, Hopkins WG, Hansen KT, et al. Dose effect of caffeine on testosterone and cortisol responses to resistance exercise. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2008 Apr;18(2):131-41. doi: 10.1123/ijsnem.18.2.131.
Jéquier E, Constant F. Water as an
essential nutrient: the physiological basis of hydration. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2010 Feb;64(2):115-23. doi: 10.1038/ejcn.2009.111. Epub 2009 Sep 2.
Kang MC, Yumnam S, Kim SY. Oral Intake of Collagen Peptide Attenuates Ultraviolet B Irradiation-Induced Skin Dehydration In Vivo by Regulating Hyaluronic Acid Synthesis. Int J Mol Sci. 2018 Nov 11;19(11):3551. doi:
10.3390/ijms19113551.
