The Collagen Code: Unlocking Strength, Radiance & Pelvic Power for Women Over 40

The Collagen Code: Unlocking Strength, Radiance & Pelvic Power for Women Over 40

Collagen isn’t just a beauty trend—it’s a must-have in every woman’s self-care routine and diet to maintain vibrant skin, strong joints, and a powerful pelvic floor.

But not all collagen is created equal.

Many collagen supplements lack essential peptides, contain harmful fillers, and aren’t formulated for a woman’s body. 

If you’re taking the wrong one, you could be wasting your money—or worse, causing more harm than good.

That’s why I created this Collagen Special Report, so you can finally separate fact from fiction and choose the best collagen to replenish what’s been lost naturally.

It is a must-have in every woman’s self-care routine and diet.

Have you heard the buzz surrounding collagen? It seems everyone is talking about it and raving about its benefits for your skin, nails, joints, and more. There’s certainly a lot of research regarding collagen supplementation and what it can do for your body…but there’s honestly so much that it can be overwhelming sometimes!

That’s why I’ve compiled this report: to help you sift through all of the information out there and truly understand collagen—what it is, why you need it, how to get more, and what to look for in a supplement… I don’t know about you, but I’m not eating bone marrow or cooking animal carcasses for days. I need something convenient and quick!

 

Why Women Over 40 Need Collagen More Than Ever

Did you know that women lose 1% of collagen every year starting in their 20s? And during menopause, we lose up to 30% of our collagen in just 5 years! (1)

This means:
❌ Weaker pelvic floor muscles → Increased risk of leaks & prolapse
❌ Looser skin & more wrinkles → Loss of skin elasticity
❌ Stiff joints & aching muscles → Reduced mobility & flexibility
❌ Brain fog & slower cognitive function → Collagen supports neurotransmitters
❌ Brittle bones & risk of osteoporosis → Collagen is key to bone strength

The good news? You can replenish what’s been lost—naturally—with the right collagen supplement.

 

What Is Collagen Supplement Powder?

Collagen powders are made by extracting the collagen in animal hides, bones, and cartilage into a fine powder.

Collagen powders are a simple and convenient way to add more collagen to your diet. This is especially important for anyone over the age of 30 — since natural collagen production in the body starts to slow by the time we reach our second decade of life. (1)

As collagen production slows, we start to notice things like drier skin and mucus membranes. We also may experience a reduction in bone density and an increase in joint pain. (2)

 

What Are The Benefits Of Collagen Supplement Powder?

1. A Stronger, Tighter Pelvic Floor – Women with pelvic organ prolapse & incontinence often have lower collagen levels. Supplementing with the right collagen can restore tissue strength and elasticity. (2-6)

2. Glowing, Youthful Skin – 70-80% of your skin is made of collagen! Studies show supplementation improves elasticity & hydration. (7) 

 

 

3. Brain Health & Mental Clarity – Collagen supports neurotransmitters like glutamate, helping reduce brain fog & support memory. (8-9)

4. Less Joint Pain & Stiffness – Collagen reduces joint pain & inflammation—especially in active women. (10-12)

5. Stronger Bones – Collagen supplementation is clinically shown to improve bone density & prevent osteoporosis. (13-15)

 

6. Better Gut Health & Digestion – Collagen contains amino acids like glycine & proline that strengthen the gut lining & reduce bloating. (16-17)

7. Muscle Strength & Recovery – Collagen supports muscle repair & has been shown to enhance strength when paired with exercise. (18-19)

What Most Collagen Brands Get Wrong – They Don’t Have A Complete Protein Profile 

 

What Most Collagen Brands Get Wrong

⚠️ They Aren’t Complete Proteins – Most collagens lack tryptophan, an amino acid crucial for serotonin production. This can lead to increased anxiety & poor sleep. (20-21)


⚠️ They Contain Vitamin C (A Bladder Irritant!) – Many brands add Vitamin C to aid absorption, but for women with bladder sensitivity, this can cause irritation & urgency issues. (22)


⚠️ They May Contain Heavy Metals – A recent study found that 64% of collagen supplements tested contained arsenic, lead, or cadmium. (23)

Choosing a collagen designed specifically for women is the key to seeing real results—without unwanted side effects.Most collagens aren’t complete proteins. This can be problematic since amino acid mixtures that are “incomplete” or missing tryptophan are often used to lower serotonin levels in studies about anxiety and depression. (24,25)

Collagens that do not include the amino acid l-tryptophan could make you feel anxious or even prevent you from sleeping.

 

Most other collagensaa add In Vitamin C  – Vitamin C is what’s called a “cofactor” for collagen synthesis within the body. In other words, vitamin C is necessary for the body to create collagen. However, many manufacturers add vitamin C to their collagen powder formulation to disguise a lower-quality product. What’s worse is that vitamin C is a known bladder irritant, so many women find they can’t take these types of collagen powders without compromising their bladder health. (26) 

Furthermore, it’s unnecessary since natural, non-acidic dietary sources of vitamin C do not irritate the bladder. (27) And normal levels of dietary vitamin C consumption are sufficient for your body to manufacture collagen.  

 

What to Look For In A Collagen Supplement Powder –

As you can see, not all collagens are created the same! Let’s take a look at what makes a great collagen powder.


Types of Collagen – First, it’s important to make sure that your collagen powder includes collagen types:

– Type I
– Type II

– Type III
– Type V
– Type X

While there are nearly 30 different types of collagen in the body — these five are the most well-studied and the most important for your pelvic floor, skin, muscles, joint pain, gut health, and bones. If you find a supplement powder that’s missing one of these types, keep looking.

Source of Collagen – Where the collagen in your supplement powder comes from is just as important as the types of collagen included in the formula. Certain sources of collagen are often sourced from inferior sources — like marine, fowl, or pork collagen. 

The best and highest quality source of collagen is bovine (from cows).

Additional Ingredients – Earlier, I discussed how certain formulators add vitamin C to their collagen powders. What this does is help disguise lower-quality collagen. Be very careful and ensure that your supplement powder is made from collagen (plus tryptophan for a complete protein profile) and isn’t full of fillers or other dangerous irritants.

Quality and Purity – Sadly, many manufacturers cut corners with their collagen powders. Be sure that any collagen supplement you buy contains trademarked and studied raw material ingredients. You also want to ensure that an accredited lab has tested any collagen you use to confirm the absence of:

• Heavy metals: lead, mercury, cadmium, and arsenic
• Micros: plate count, yeast, mold, e.coli, salmonella, and s.aureus
• Oxidative markers
• Pesticides

Who Can’t Use Collagen Powder? – Collagen powders are generally regarded as quite safe and very few side effects are reported. (29)

However, unfortunately for vegans and vegetarians — collagen powders are by definition, animal products.

What Are The Drawbacks Of Collagen? – Here’s the trouble with collagen: once your body stops making it, you’ve got to take a daily supplement with it. In order to really see the benefits, you’ve got to take it regularly.

 

The Only Collagen Made Specifically For Women

Most collagen powders are generic formulas that don’t consider a woman’s unique hormonal, pelvic, and aging needs.

That’s why I created Total Fem Collagen, the only collagen designed exclusively for women’s health.

🔹 5 Peptide Complex – The most complete collagen blend for women’s skin, joints & pelvic health.
🔹 Clinically-Proven Ingredients – Backed by research to restore elasticity & strength.
🔹 No Vitamin C or Bladder Irritants – Protects against bladder flare-ups.
🔹 Third-Party Tested for Purity – Free from heavy metals & contaminants.
🔹 A Complete Protein – Contains tryptophan for balanced mood & relaxation.

💖 Total Fem Collagen is more than a supplement—it’s your key to strength, confidence, and vitality as you age.

➡️ Click here to learn more & start restoring your collagen today!


References:

  1. “Decreased Collagen Production in Chronologically Aged Skin – PMC.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1606623/.
  2. “Collagen Supplements for Aging and Wrinkles: A Paradigm Shift in ….” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8824545/. 
  3.  “Pelvic floor disorders: linking genetic risk factors to biochemical ….” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21883823/.
  4. “Association between pelvic organ prolapse and stress urinary ….” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24940435/. 
  5.  “Collagen content of nonsupport tissue in pelvic organ prolapse and ….” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14710077/.
  6.  “Collagen metabolism and turnover in women with stress urinary ….” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12054187/. 
  7. “Young women with genital prolapse have a low collagen ….” https://obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdfdirect/10.1111/j.0001-6349.2004.00438.x.
  8.  “Collagen changes in pelvic support tissues in women with pelvic ….” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30710765/. 
  9. “Vaginal Fibroblastic Cells from Women with Pelvic Organ … – Nature.” 11 Mar. 2016, https://www.nature.com/articles/srep22971.
  10. “Aging of the skin connective tissue: how to measure the biochemical ….” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8043384/.
  11. “Oral Collagen Supplementation: A Systematic Review of … – PubMed.” 1 Jan. 2019, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30681787/.
  12. “Effect of a Daily Collagen Peptide Supplement on Digestive … – NCBI.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9198822/.
  13. “Collagen peptides ameliorate intestinal epithelial barrier dysfunction ….” 22 Mar. 2017, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28174772/. 
  14. “Biochemistry, Collagen Synthesis – StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf.” 12 Sep. 2022, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507709/. 
  15.  “Collagen peptide supplementation in combination with resistance ….” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4594048/.
  16. “Collagen supplementation as a complementary therapy for … – SciELO.” https://www.scielo.br/j/rbgg/a/fk95TfhxB7mPsmqYRDdHH8K/?format=pdf&lang=en. 
  17. “Effect of collagen supplementation on osteoarthritis symptoms.” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30368550/.
  18. “The effects of collagen peptide supplementation on body … – NCBI.” 7 Sep. 2021, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8521576/. 
  19. “Oral Supplementation of Specific Collagen Peptides Combined with ….” 2 Jan. 2019, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30609761/.
  20. “Osteoporosis – StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf.” 4 Sep. 2022, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK441901/. 
  21. “A calcium-collagen chelate dietary supplement attenuates bone loss ….” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25314004/. 
  22. “Specific Collagen Peptides Improve Bone Mineral Density … – NCBI.” 16 Jan. 2018, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5793325/. 
  23. “Collagen supplementation as a complementary therapy for … – SciELO.” https://www.scielo.br/j/rbgg/a/fk95TfhxB7mPsmqYRDdHH8K/?format=pdf&lang=en.
  24. The effect of acute tryptophan depletion on mood and … – PubMed.” 19 Oct. 2013, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24142202/.
  25. “Pharmacokinetics of acute tryptophan depletion using a … – PubMed.” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18683016/. 
  26. “Dietary Consumption Triggers in Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain ….” https://www.researchgate.net/publication/221978643_Dietary_Consumption_Triggers_in_Interstitial_CystitisBladder_Pain_Syndrome_Patients. 
  27. “IC-Friendly Fruits and Vegetables – Interstitial Cystitis Association.” https://www.ichelp.org/living-with-ic/interstitial-cystitis-and-diet/elimination-diet/ic-friendly-fruits-and-vegetables/.
  28. “Collagen White Paper – Clean Label Project.” https://cleanlabelproject.org/collagen-white-paper/
  29. “A Collagen Supplement Improves Skin Hydration, Elasticity … – NCBI.” 17 Oct. 2019, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6835901/.

Medical Disclaimer:
The information provided on this blog is intended for general knowledge and educational purposes only. It is not intended as medical advice and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your doctor or other qualified healthcare providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you have read on this blog. The author and publisher of this blog are not responsible for any adverse effects or consequences resulting from the use of any suggestions, products, or procedures mentioned in this blog.

About ISA HERRERA, MSPT, CSCS

About ISA HERRERA, MSPT, CSCS

Isa Herrera, MSPT, CSCS is a New York City-based holistic women's pelvic floor specialist, author of 5 books on pelvic health, including the international best seller Female Pelvic Alchemy, and the ground-breaking self-help book, Ending Female Pain, A Woman's Manual. She has dedicated her career to advancing awareness of pelvic floor conditions so that more people can find relief from this silent epidemic that affects over 30 million people in the US alone. Ms. Herrera holds a BA in Psychology and Biology from Fordham University and also a Masters in Physical Therapy from Hunter College.

Click here for a complete bio.
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