Is 'collagen banking' fact or fad?

Collagen is having a moment again, thanks to TikTok influencers and wellness gurus jumping online to promote the idea that you should be building collagen levels while you're young – in a similar way people are encouraged to save money through an ISA or pension.

But, is it another internet fad to encourage 20-somethings to spend money on supplements they don't need – or are they onto something?

For the blissfully unaware, collagen banking is a concept that encourages the stimulation of collagen production at a prime collagen-producing age. The idea is that it can be stored for when collagen levels naturally start to decline.

General treatments shared online by experts and the beauty community are microneedling, light therapy, chemical peels, retinoids, SPF and, now, collagen supplements.

Sarah Carolides, one of the UK’s top functional medicine and health specialists and head of nutrition at Zooki, lifted the lid on the truth.

According to Sarah, we produce all the collagen we need until the age of around 25. After that, levels start to decline at the rate of about one to two per cent, per year.

"This decline speeds up massively past the age of about 40 and into the menopausal years," Sarah said.

"We also know we need collagen to support almost all of our body structures - so as well as helping to keep our skin hydrated, elastic and plumped up; collagen is also essential to maintain healthy tendons, ligaments, bones, digestive tract and even your gum health and teeth."

Is 'collagen banking' fact or fad? iStock

So, is there any truth to the online claims that we should all start collagen banking in our 20s?

Sarah acknowledged that there is "absolutely no evidence that overly stimulating collagen production or taking more collagen supplements than you need when you’re young will stave off any future decline in collagen levels."

She also delved into the issue of TikTokers suggesting extortionate, costly treatments including microneedlining and radiofrequency devices that are often in the hundreds of pounds.

"Rather than comparing building up collagen levels to topping up a savings account that can be spent at a later date, it’s better to look at it like a Round Up account that adds a small amount of what you’ve spent to your savings day to day," Sarah explained. "Like when you spend £2.87 on a coffee and your bank rounds it up to £3.00 and puts 13 pence into a separate savings account.

"In other words, supporting your collagen production when it starts to decline can be a good thing to do for your structural health. But over-doing before it starts to decline is not going to help."

Sarah encourages people to "start off small and be consistent".

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