Collagen: what it actually does (and what it doesn't)
Collagen is the most abundant protein in your body, and a collagen supplement can help to give those protein goals a bit of a leg up.
Protein 101 - the science stuff
We now know that protein contributes to the maintenance of muscle mass and to the maintenance of normal bones, which is a hefty job list for one nutrient, and it earns its place at every age and stage. Men and women alike need it every day, whether you're in your twenties and getting into strength training, in your forties running on coffee and school-run logistics, or in your sixties and busier than ever - despite what retirement promises.
It also seems to be at the forefront of women's wellness when perimenopause hits. That's because hormonal and lifestyle changes bring shifts in muscle mass and strength. Research suggests women after menopause should get at least 0.8g of protein per kilogram of body weight a day.
As a general guide, the UK reference for adults is 0.75g of protein per kilogram of body weight a day, which is about 45g for a 60kg woman and 55g for a 75kg man. Most of it should come from your plate, and meat, fish, dairy, eggs, nuts, beans, lentils and wholegrains all count.
Why can hitting your protein number feel like a full-time job?
Hitting a protein number can feel like an event you'd need to train for. There's the planning, the portioning and the Tupperware, plus the moment at 4pm when you're doing long division on a yoghurt pot to work out how many grams you've got left. Somewhere between the third egg and the second chicken breast, you start to feel like a very small, very tired catering company. And if you're a woman in perimenopause with a mental load as long as your arm (the school forms, the diary, the work deadlines, the hormonal rollercoasters, and not to mention being the only person in the house who knows where the scissors live), protein can slide right down the to-do list.
How does your body use a collagen supplement?
A collagen supplement is digested like any other protein, so what it adds is a little more protein to your day. Your body breaks collagen down into amino acids and short peptides, then decides where they're needed. The old bod is clever clogs like that. Hydrolysed Collagen, the type in OQO’s formulation, has a head start because it's already been broken into small peptides before it reaches your cup.
Vitamin C plays a part in your body's collagen story too: it contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of skin. You'll find it in citrus fruit, peppers, kiwi and if you’re looking to keep those energy levels in check, in OQO’s Energy Plus drinks.
Why marine collagen?
Marine collagen comes from fish, and it's typically made from skins, scales and other parts left over from fish processing. We’re a big fan of using the whole animal and scales alone are produced in huge quantities during descaling - finding good uses for them adds value and reduces waste.
It's also a natural fit for a supplement built around structure. Studies of collagen from fish scales have identified it as type I, which is also the most abundant type of collagen in your own body.
Then there's the bit that matters for a powder you stir into a mug. Marine collagens are more easily broken down by enzymes than collagen from mammals, which makes them well suited to being turned into the small peptides in a hydrolysed collagen like ours. And if beef isn't your thing, it's an option that doesn't rely on it.
That's the whole journey: from the sea to your mug, and the only thing you have to catch is the kettle.
Where does collagen coffee fit in?
OQO’s Marine Collagen Coffee Powder combines 5g of hydrolysed marine collagen with 100% Arabica coffee in one 8g sachet, giving you 4.9g of protein just like that. No arduous calculations required. There's no weighing, no cooking and no logging it in an app. Consider it one small item on the to-do list that takes care of itself.
And the maths is friendly. 4.9g is around a tenth of the 45g to 55g UK reference amount for adults, so your morning cup gives you a tidy head start on the day's number before you've opened your inbox.
Protein goals are a long game, and the long game rewards habits you can keep. A small number you never have to think about tends to beat a big plan you abandon by Wednesday, and a sachet in your morning coffee is about as keep-able as it gets. It adds up quietly over a week, a month and a year. It travels well, too: sachets slip into a bag, a desk drawer or a suitcase, so anywhere there's a kettle, there's collagen.
What's in each sachet (8g)
Per serving:
- Hydrolysed marine collagen: 5g
- Caffeine (from Arabica coffee): 50mg
- Protein: 4.9g
- Energy: 19.8 kcal
- Sugars: 0.g
What does a protein-rich OQOLife routine look like?
It's important to know that one drink or one meal won't change the landscape of your gut health overnight, so put the miracle smoothie down. It's the accumulation of everyday habits that gives your gut-brain connection something to actually work with.
More probiotics don't automatically mean a healthier gut either, whatever the label promises. Live cultures need fibre to feed on, so the two only really work well as a pair in equal measure.
Breakfast
Two eggs on wholegrain toast, or Greek yoghurt with nuts and seeds, so the day starts with a proper protein portion.
Roughly 15-20g of protein
Your morning coffee
1 sachet of OQO’s Marine Collagen Coffee Powder in 200ml of hot water. It's the coffee you were making anyway, now with 4.9g of protein in it.
4.9g of protein
Your mid-morning can
A can of OQO’s Energy Plus, made with 200mg of natural caffeine from coffee bean extract.
Lunch
A protein portion that fits in the palm of your hand: chicken, fish, beans, lentils or tofu, with plenty of colour alongside.
Roughly 20-30g of protein
Afternoon pause
A protein snack such as 200g of plain yoghurt or a handful of nuts, or something caffeine-free from the Gut Health range, like Kefir Water or Fibre Iced Tea.
Roughly 10g of protein
Dinner
A palm-sized portion of salmon, chicken or tofu with vegetables and wholegrains
Roughly 25-30g of protein
That's roughly 75 - 95g of protein in a day
Your coffee was already doing a lot. Now it's doing 4.9g of protein too.
Your Life, Your OQOLife
Nutritionists call this pairing a synbiotic: a prebiotic and a probiotic working together. Fibre and live cultures work as a team, not as alternatives sitting at opposite ends of a table sizing each other up. Add probiotics to your gut with no prebiotic fibre to back them up, and you've essentially invited guests round for tea with nothing in. They might hang about out of politeness, but they'll soon about turn and head off.
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