Why I Don't Take Collagen Supplements

Every week, someone asks me: "What collagen do you take?"

Short answer: none.

It's not because I think collagen is bad. It's because I understand how the body actually works—and most powders don't.

Collagen Hype vs. Human Biology

Collagen supplements promise better skin, hair, nails, joints, even gut health. The marketing is compelling. The testimonials are everywhere. But here's what's missing from the conversation:

Your body doesn't absorb collagen whole. It breaks it down into amino acids, the same way it breaks down steak or eggs. From there, your liver and tissues decide what to do with those amino acids—and rebuilding collagen isn't always the priority.

The Lego Brick Problem

It's like mailing your body loose Lego bricks and hoping it builds the castle you saw on the box.

If your body is stressed, inflamed, or missing key cofactors like vitamin C, copper, zinc, and glycine, those amino acids are just burned for energy. They become fuel, not structure.

So that $60 tub on your counter? It's just expensive protein powder.

Real Food Collagen Works Differently

When collagen comes from whole food, it arrives accompanied with everything your body needs to actually use it. Bone broth provides minerals, gelatin, and electrolytes. Skin-on meats contain healthy fats and amino acids in natural balance. Shellfish supply copper and zinc, both required for collagen formation. Egg yolks and organ meats deliver vitamin A and B vitamins that turn those amino acids into structure.

Real food is metabolically complete and speaks the body's native language. Supplements are a broken translation.

The Hidden Cost of "Convenience"

Most collagen powders are made in massive facilities using acid hydrolysis or enzymatic extraction. Even if they start with "grass-fed" hides, the process strips out nutrients and can introduce residues you'd never find in food.

Your body doesn't just use that powder—it has to detox it. That means spending antioxidants, minerals, and glutathione to neutralize whatever came with it.

You end up supplement-rich and nutrient-poor.

My Approach

I'd rather eat the foods God designed to nourish connective tissue—broth, organs, fish, meat, eggs, and regenerative produce—than chase purity labels from industrial tubs.

It's slower, sure. It's not flashy or vanilla-flavored. But it actually works, and it honors the design.

What this looks like on my plate: A simple bowl of homemade chicken soup with bone broth, shredded dark meat, carrots cooked in the fat, and a squeeze of lemon for vitamin C. That one meal delivers collagen, minerals, cofactors, and the metabolic context to actually use them all. No powder required.

"But I Don't Have Time for Bone Broth"

I hear you. Not everyone can simmer bones for 24 hours or afford grass-fed organ meats every week.

Here's the truth: you don't have to be perfect. You just have to be intentional.

Buy bone broth from a local farm or a quality brand like Kettle & Fire. Eat canned sardines with the bones. Choose chicken thighs with the skin on instead of breasts. Add gelatin to your morning coffee if that's what fits your life right now. Even eating an orange with your eggs gives your body the vitamin C it needs to build collagen from the protein you're already eating.

Real food doesn't have to be expensive or time-consuming. It just has to be real.

The Bigger Lesson

Health isn't found in isolated supplementation… It’s found in obedience to the natural order. Our metabolism thrives when we eat what was created for us, not what was manufactured for convenience.

So, no—I don't take collagen supplements. Not because I'm anti-collagen, but because I trust God's design more than modern-day factories.

The question isn't whether collagen works. It's whether you trust a factory or a farm. A lab or a lamb. A patent or a plan that's been nourishing bodies for thousands of years.

Which one are you choosing?

👉 Want help with your health journey? Schedule a free discovery call with me today.