For some of you out there, this might be of interest. I have very thin skin and bruise very easily because I take Blood Thinners, so I started to take a Collagen supplement. A capsule a day as written. After about a year, I realised that it wasn't making much of a difference. So I went on the net to check. What they put on the canister is rubbish. To have any effect, you need to take a minimum of 5000 mg per day or 6 times what I'm taking now. It also said that at this dose it would take anywhere between 8 and 12 weeks to start having an effect. So I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

41 minutes ago, roger101 said:

FTo have any effect, you need to take a minimum of 5000 mg per day or 6 times what I'm taking now. It also said that at this dose it would take anywhere between 8 and 12 weeks to start having an effect.

You are right about your collagen dosing; and to get this much Collagen into you, taking capsules will be a drudgery, powders would be the right and cost-effective way -- or eating foods rich in collagen, of which there are many (bone broth, chicken skin -- you can buy this by the kilo in Thailand, and it is very yummy, at least I think so, pot roast, short ribs, fish with skin, etc).

To make collagen work, add Vitamin C: Collagen synthesis requires Vitamin C to convert proline and lysine into stable collagen fibers. Without adequate Vitamin C, extra collagen powder is largely wasted. Sun exposure actively degrades dermal collagen, so suncreme is a must (at least on arms and hands where bruising is worst).

But even before that, you need to think about what you want to achieve.

Even if your skin becomes significantly thicker and healthier, collagen will not stop blood thinner bruising, as they are slowing down your body's clotting mechanism. When micro-capillaries in the skin break, blood pools under the skin, this is the bruising.

You are better advised to take -- additionally to your collagen? -- blood-thinner-safe supplements that support capillary wall strength. In many cremes or medication against venal weakness, for example, there are bioflavonoids like Hesperidin and Rutin, helping to stabilize the microscopic walls of the capillaries, then there are topical Vitamin K cremes, and cremes with Retinol. Maybe any such a creme would be helping best.

Blood thinners are a very dangerous thing -- I guess you are forced to use them -- so before taking any (!) supplement, research it well, because they will interact all too often (examples: Ginkgo, garlic, oral Vitamin K, Vitamin E, fish oil, the list goes on).