Established in 1989, Designs for Health is a company based out of Connecticut, US. Designs for Health produce a large range of specific health supplements, including one of their most popular products, Whole Body Collagen. According to their website they are a ‘research backed, practitioner only’ nutrition company, who values clinical education. Founded by Jonathan and Linda Lizotte, RD, CDN, Designs for Health was born out of nutrition counseling services for the treatment of a variety of health conditions.
Designs for Health produce a very large range of specific products such as specific formulations B- supreme, 5HTP, creams and other specialized powders and tablets.
Their collagen formulation is a popular one on the market containing three proprietary collagen formulations, Fortigel, Fortibone and Verisol.
Let’s see if the research stacks up for this collagen formulation.
What Is Whole Body Collagen ?
Whole Body Collagen is a formulation designed to benefit the health of bones, joints, and skin.
It contains collagen peptide blends Verisol®, Fortigel®, and Fortibone®. We will break down the research behind these ingredients shortly.
According to the Designs for health website, the Whole Body Collagen helps support collagen production, bone strength, joint health and skin elasticity. The formulation is fairly simple with no additional ingredients such as probiotics or vitamin C included.
Whole body collagen comes in an unflavoured powder to be taken once a day.
What Are The Ingredients In Whole Body Collagen?
The main ingredients, according to the nutritional information on the Designs for Health website are below. All three of the ingredients are manufactured by a German company called Gelita.
Verisol
Verisol is a patented collagen formulation sourced from bovine (cow) collagen with claims that the mixture of collagen type III and I and includes biotin. The claims from the manufacturer are supported by a bunch of scientific studies, most of which are double-blind. When we say double blind studies, this means that neither the participants or those administering the product or placebo know which one the participants are taking, this helps to reduce issues of bias and is the standard practice for testing products.
When we take a deeper look at the studies, we can see that some of the benefits that are claimed by both Designs for Health and Gelita websites are supported, such as having a positive impact on nails and skin structure and skin elasticity. However, many of the results from these studies were not statistically significant. Simply put, they did not meet the requirements to be considered to support a particular benefit. For instance, in their study looking into skin wrinkles, they failed to meet a statistically significant mark for increases in markers relating to collagen production. This also occurs in their skin physiology study, and their cellulite study.
It is a good reminder that just because a product cites scientific papers doesn’t necessarily back up the claims they make.
Fortigel
Fortigel is another ingredient produced by Gelita. It is more focused on collagen types found in joints and cartilage. Similar to the Verisol, some research supports the claims made by Gelita and Deisgns for Health. For instance, a study published in Nutrients looked at the benefits of Fortigel on activity-related joint pain.
Fortibone
Fortibone, another ingredient produced by Gelita, is a collagen based ingredient, designed to support the strength and integrity of bones. A Study published in the Journal of Bone Metabolism, looked at the long term benefits of taking Fortibone or Bioactive Collagen Peptides for bone strength and stability with some benefits being supported.
What Are The Benefits of The Grass Fed Collagen Peptides Powder?
Generally speaking, the science and research doesn’t seem to indicate that collagen supplementation is beneficial or that the collagen peptide gets absorbed or utilized by the body. This makes any claims of benefits such as ‘stronger hair, skin and nails’ hard to validate. Some of the common claims made in regards to collagen supplements are (keep in mind that these claims aren’t completely supported by the research):
- May positively impacting bone density
- May improve skin elasticity and hydration
- May improve the strength of hair, skin and nails,
- May help support gut health
- May help reduce joint pain
If we are to compare these more general benefits with those that the Designs for Health website claims for the Whole Body Collagen you can see that they are very similar.
- Supports healthy bones
- Supports healthy skin appearance and integrity
- Supports healthy joints
Are There Any Side Effects of Whole Body Collagen?
While collagen supplements are generally considered safe for most people, there can be some potential side effects, especially when consumed in high doses or for extended periods. Here are some potential side effects of collagen supplementation:
- Digestive upset such as gas, bloating and diarrhea can occur for some people, particularly if they have existing digestive issues or conditions.
- You can have an allergic reaction to collagen supplements. Although rare, some of the animal-based ingredients may causes reactions of sensitivities for some people
- Risk of contaminants is something to keep in mind when considering whether to introduce a collagen supplement in your routine. Some studies have shown that collagen supplements may carry contaminants such as lead.
- Speak with your doctor before introducing any new supplementation into your routine. For example, collagen supplements contain high levels of calcium which may interfere with some medications.
How To Use Whole Body Collagen?
According to the Designs for Health website, you should mix one of the provided scoops (13 grams) into water once per day. They also suggest adding the powder before adding water or other liquid.
Where To Buy Whole Body Collagen?
You can purchase Whole Body Collagen from the Designs for Health website and on Amazon. You can pick up the Whole Body Collagen for $69.99 USD for a 30 serve supply. Designs for Health also offers a 5% discount on subscription purchases.
What Is Their Returns Policy?
According to their website, Designs for Health offer a 30 day return policy. You must return the product in an unused condition. You can read their Returns Policy here.
Our Verdict
Due to the lack of science that backs the use of collagen supplements it is hard to recommend any collagen supplement. However, this formulation is slightly more complex than others on the market with the three different forms of collagen.
Pros
- Customer reviews indicate that they are enjoying the product and suggest some benefits.
- Overall score of 4.5/5 indicates that customers are generally satisfied by the product.
- Three different forms of collagen
Cons
- Low amounts of probiotics and only one strain in the formulation.
- Limited research around collagen supplementation being useful or beneficial
- Potential risk of contaminants
- Expensive compared to other collagen supplements on the market
Alternatives
- WelleCo’s Collagen Elixir is an alternative to the Ancient Nutrition Multi Collagen Protein. On top of the ingredients in Ancient Nutrition’s formula it also has added ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, digestive enzymes and beetroot extract (you can read about beetroot products here). The WelleCo Collagen Elixir also contains marine collagen for those who would prefer to go a pescaterian route.
- Dose & Co’s Collagen Protein Powder with the same amount of collagen per serve is another good alternative. It also uses whey protein to boost the amount of protein in each serving, bringing it up to 20 grams.
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