Collagen tablets - miracle drug???

[Puffin]

Has anyone here used hydrolized collagen tablets before?
I've always suffered from easy bruising and taking up mountain biking with spds made me look like I was living with a brute who regularly took a baseball bat to my legs. My poor husband despaired but I eventually went back to flats and I tend not to hurt myself so much. However, I thought I might try collagen to help strengthen my veins and it does seem to help. I've also always had weak hair and nails and, after a few months, it seems to be helping them as well. I think I might be reaping the benefits on other fronts as well. My facial wrinkles are less visible and quite embarrassingly my boobs are bigger and firmer!!! (Maybe i've just gained weight?) On the down side, I seem to be getting lots of spots on my forehead - dunno if that's in a way related. Could be due to all sorts, I guess - change of washing powder, new shampoo... I'll be cutting all these out until I can find out if it is the collagen causing it or not.

Just thought I'd share my findings!

[KnottedYet]

It sounds more like a hormonal issue than just collagen. We all eat copious amounts of collagen every time we eat meat.

I'd be very concerned about what ELSE is in your collagen pills. If the zits and enlarging boobs get worse, maybe ask your doctor for help?

[Puffin]

"Hydrolized Collagen, Bulking Agents( Dicalcium Phosphate, Microcrystalline Cellulose), Sodium Carboxymethycellullose, Anti-Caking Agents (Sillicon Dioxide, Stearic Acid, Magnesium Stearate) Vitacmin C (as Ascorbyl Palmitate), L-Ornithine, Glazing Agents (Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Glycerine)."

Yummy!

[ehirsch83]

Try taking Arnica!

You can get the homeopathic tablets that you let dissolve in your mouth and also a gel that you can put on bruises, I feel it works really well.(I bruise super easily! if I turn a corner to tight and bump into it, I will have a bruise on my side)

[Puffin]

Huh! Another Emily H that bruises easily! :D
Will leave off the collagen for a few weeks and see if anything changes. Will try and get hold of arnica tabs.
Thanks

[OakLeaf]

Maybe try vitamin C (Ester-C)? All vit. C does in the body is to build collagen.

[KnottedYet]

<very quietly> the hormone issue I was thinking of is pregnancy... what you describe is pretty much exactly how things went the first month or two I was preggers. strong hair and nails, face filling out, zits, big boobs. as long as there's nothing in those pills that might damage a kiddo, you're probably fine. </very quietly>

[Tuckervill]

+1 for Knotted.

Boob swellage was the flag for me.

Karen

[Puffin]

Well pregnancy would be a miracle, but I agree if I didn't know that the symptoms would sound so much like it! If symptoms don't go away after a couple of weeks of stopping these tablets I will get it checked out. My mum went through really early menopause and maybe I've got hormonal changes coming up...
Could just be the onset of a bit of winter weight as i'm being lazy right now :p