Following the birth of her first child, Jenni Mortimer experienced hair loss and post-pregnancy joint pain. Could collagen creamer help?
The promise
Call me naive, but I had no idea that after I had my baby my hair would fall out in giant, terrifying clumps and that washing it would fill me with more terror than giving birth.
I was also unlucky enough during pregnancy to get carpal tunnel and an oversupply of relaxin (a hormone that does what it sounds like does) which caused my sacroiliac joint (it's in the pelvis and helps support the spine) to impinge on my nerves. And the impact of carrying a baby that weighed a whopping but deliciously chunky 4.5kg at birth gave me horrific knee pain.
I found taking bovine collagen during pregnancy - approved by my midwife - really helped my skin stretch and combatted the dryness associated with a ballooning belly.
So when I heard nutritionist and naturopath Libby Matthews had developed a collagen creamer that can be added directly to a cup of coffee to improve joint pain, hair growth and combat ageing skin, I was keen to give it a go.
Founder of Dose & Co, Libby Matthews. Photo / Supplied
The history
Researchers from the International Journal for Molecular Sciences have confirmed collagen can work wonders for our hair and skin, and help reduce the signs of ageing, increase skin moisture, and skin elasticity.
Collagen was first marketed in the cosmetic industry, with a focus on enhancing the appearance of skin.
It was initially presented in tablet form, usually on an infomercial, with a retiree swearing that the nifty pills had helped her "turn back the clock" on her sun-damaged dial.
Though it sounded wonderful, it didn't really appeal to a younger sun-safe audience.
But collagen's benefits haven't stopped there: the pharmaceutical, wider healthcare and food and beverage industries are all driving the growth of collagen use worldwide.
According to the International Journal for Molecular Sciences, the global market for collagen products is estimated at $5.85 billion and set to almost double by 2025.
These days it's hard to find a magazine without celebrities such as Jennifer Aniston and Gwyneth Paltrow raving about its benefits.
The science
A study in the Journal of Medical Nutrition and Nutraceuticals explains that collagen makes up a whopping 80 per cent of our skin and is a building block for our joints, bones and muscles.
It's the primary component of cartilage, the protective tissue that surrounds the ends of bones and helps joints move smoothly.
According to a paper by a physician at the University of Pennsylvania, Louise Vlachos, "Collagen may have the ability to keep muscles and tendons together and even rebuild your cartilage. In turn, it may help fight the symptoms of osteoarthritis in the knee."
According to Vlachos, studies have also shown that taking collagen may help ease lower back pain.
And Matthews, who markets her creamer through her company, Dose & Co, says it's a fundamental component of triggering postpartum hair growth.
"Bovine collagen contains proline, a building block for keratin and hair. Consuming this through your diet, and collagen products, can increase the levels in your body to provide an ample supply for hair growth."
The reality
I suffer from chronic impatience and have not read an instruction since 1995 when I learnt how to Duraseal my schoolbooks. Needless to say I did not read the back of the Dose & Co tin and tossed a couple of scoops of collagen creamer into a black coffee and took a sip.
Dose & Co collagen creamer. Photo / Supplied
Had I bothered to read up, I would have known that a flat white-lover like myself should add milk as usual, THEN two heaped scoops of the collagen creamer.
I'd definitely recommend adding the creamer as an extra rather than a milk alternative. The most dreamy combo I've discovered is vanilla Dose & Co, my usual Nespresso pod and soy milk. I even converted my husband.
Within two weeks of a daily cup, my knee pain had reduced significantly and bending down to pick things up no longer sent shooting pains into my kneecaps. I felt stronger, more stable and showed off with some poorly executed squats while holding my now 11kg baby.
After four weeks I'd begun sprouting baby hairs - a very welcome bonus. My husband noted I was no longer clogging the shower drain either - both disgusting and wonderful news.
The verdict
I'm hooked on including bovine collagen in my diet. Being able to mix it into my coffee is a bonus. My morning brew feels like a wonder drink - making up for sleepless nights and helping me reclaim parts of myself I felt were falling apart.
It seems ridiculous that one small beverage has made that much difference, but it has. As a mum, I spend my life taking care of everyone else. Being able to have a tiny ritual in the morning that pampers my body and helps it cope with the demands of motherhood makes me feel human again. To me that's priceless.
