Fact-checking the booming health and beauty industry claims

The University of Cincinnati's Anne Metzger and Kelly Dobos joined WVXU's Cincinnati Edition to discuss the booming health and beauty market and ways to determine if a product's claims can be backed up by science.

Collagen is one ingredient that is being heavily marketed right now for its purported anti-aging properties on the skin. Dobos said taking collagen supplements have been found to help in joint recovery for athletes like long-distance runners or weight lifters, and there is some evidence oral collagen can also improve skin elasticity.

Its use in topical cosmetic products is a different story, she said.

"Topical collagen isn’t able to penetrate your skin to get down to the deeper layers of your dermis where your collagen naturally is," said Dobos, a cosmetic chemist and adjunct instructor in UC's Cosmetic Science Program in the James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy. "Topical collagen is really, maybe it’ll give you a little bit of moisturization, but it’s not really going to replace the collagen that’s deep in your dermis. So it’s not I would say a very necessary cosmetic ingredient in my opinion."

Metzger, PharmD, associate professor in the James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy, said no matter what a supplement is claiming, there are certain criteria consumers should always look for.

"My thought on all supplements really that you’re going to consume is making sure that you’re getting them from a safe source, a source that does third party testing to make sure what you’re getting is really what’s in there and really working with somebody who is knowledgeable about the supplements to make sure it’s something that’s right for you," she said.

Listen to the Cincinnati Edition discussion.

Featured photo at top of a woman washing her face. Photo/Extreme Photographer/iStock.