A Supplement That Ticks All My Boxes — From Healthy Joints To Glowing Skin

This year, though, a combination of things made me want to give supplementation another go: For starters, I'd been nursing a cold for most of the fall and winter after going years as "the one who never gets sick." My energy levels had also taken a beating: I've never been a morning person, but getting out of bed for early workouts started to feel next to impossible. Aches and stiffness seemed to be staying around for longer. After workouts, my legs would get so tight that even sitting in a chair at my desk for the day was uncomfortable. I'm a runner and am hoping to take on some more challenging races soon, but these little things were adding up to make it tough to progress with my training.

With all that being said, I'm a sustainability editor who spends most of her days researching the challenges that face our planet—and conventional agriculture is a big one. So it was important to me to know where the collagen in my new supplement came from. mindbodygreen's grass-fed collagen+ comes from cows who are pasture-raised on a farm in Brazil. Beyond being responsibly sourced, mbg's collagen+ is also rigorously tested (four times, in fact), so I felt good taking it knowing it didn't have any fillers or weird additives. 

The first time I tried collagen+, I was surprised by how easily it incorporated into my drinks. 

The fact that it tastes great in anything is really big for me: It means that taking it every day is actually enjoyable and easy to keep up with. 

The simple act of taking something with recovery in mind has nudged me to pay more attention to other post-workout best practices too, like stretching, foam rolling, and honoring rest days. I've also (knock on wood) finally beat my winter sniffles, and while I can't thank collagen alone, I wouldn't be surprised if it helped push things along.*

The visible effects of collagen+ have been an unexpected bonus: My skin looks and feels more hydrated, and my good hair days are more frequent.* I have long, thick hair that tends to fall on the dry and dull side. Since taking collagen, I've noticed my locks appear shinier and more nourished even though I haven't changed any other part of my haircare routine.* I also appreciate that the supplement's high antioxidant count helps protect my skin from photoaging (aka sun damage) since I spend so much time running outside.*

2020 will go down as the year I officially became a supplement convert, and I'm happy to have found something that helps ease my aches, soreness, and stiffness; gives me an energy boost; and strengthens my hair, skin, and nails*—all in one delicious scoop.