Native Path Collagen Review

There are now more collagen products on the market than ever before. You can find them as powders, gummies, chews, capsules, and even coffee creamer! Native Path Collagen makes a variety of products that I was recently able to try.

While there are all kinds of collagen on the market, they’re not all created equal. I’m picky about ingredient sourcing and want products that aren’t packaged in BPA plastics.

Native Path Collagen checks those boxes (and more) and I was able to try three of their products. In this article, I’ll share my thoughts and how they worked for me.

What is Collagen?

Collagen is the most abundant protein found in the human body. It’s the structural protein that holds us together. This is why it’s primarily found in the skin, cartilage, tendons, and bones. The word comes from the Greek word kolla, which means “glue.”

Collagen isn’t a protein that’s unique to humans. Animals also have collagen holding them together, and some animal proteins are a good source of dietary collagen. In this case, “animal” protein also includes poultry and fish.

Chicken skin and salmon skin are common sources of collagen alongside bovine collagen. There’s also marine (seafood-based) collagen. Other collagen sources include bones (bone broth), tendons, and even hooves. That’s why chicken, calves’, and pig feet have traditionally been delicacies in many cultures.

What Causes Collagen Decline?

Unfortunately, aging causes our collagen production to go down. Chronic stress can mimic the effects of aging, weakening our collagen “glue.” This can cause symptoms like:

• wrinkles
• bags under the eyes
• sagging skin
• brittle nails
• weaker bones
• lower muscle mass

Lack of sleep also sabotages natural collagen production. When we don’t get enough sleep, our bodies don’t make as much human growth hormone for collagen synthesis. In general, anything that increases oxidative stress in the body can lower collagen.

Eating collagen can help lessen some of those symptoms and give the body what it needs to repair tissue. I’ve seen vast improvements in my skin, hair, and nails since I started using collagen in my diet.

Health Benefits of Collagen Peptides

Some health benefits of including collagen peptides in your diet or supplement protocol include:

• More youthful, healthier-looking skin
• Stronger nails
• Decreased appearance of cellulite
• Better sleep
• Improved arthritic pain or joint pain
• Stronger bones
• Help maintain muscle mass as we age
• Improved gut health

Collagen is rich in the amino acid, L-Glycine. Glycine not only helps repair the gut, but it’s anti-inflammatory, supports the immune system, and protects cells.

Researchers studied collagen’s effect in mice to see if it could help ulcerative colitis. The collagen was more effective than the standard medication (mesalamine). The mice had lower inflammation, less damage to the gut lining, and faster healing.

Collagen is also a great, easy-to-use protein source. It’s simple to add some protein to my morning coffee or include a scoop in a smoothie on the go. The user-friendly aspect helps ensure I get my protein in each day.

NativePath Collagen Peptides

I got to try both the Original flavor and the Chocolate flavor. The original flavor is straight-up hydrolyzed bovine collagen from grass-fed cows. Because it’s from cows, it includes both Type I and Type III collagen. These two collagen types are typically found together in the cow and in humans. There are no other ingredients added, making it a very pure product.

Type I Collagen

Type I collagen is known for joint support. A 2017 study looked at athletes with functional knee pain. Over the 12 weeks with daily collagen they had much less activity-related joint pain.

A 2021 follow-up trial of 180 athletes found the same. The type I collagen group had less exercise-induced knee pain than the placebo group. Both studies were over a 12 week period.

Type III Collagen

Type III collagen makes up the skin (including the gut lining). You’ll also find it in some organs, bones, bone marrow, blood vessels, muscles, and other fibers. This type of collagen is also critical in developing teeth (a bone).

Because it’s so involved in inflammation, it can affect many chronic health conditions. Using Type III collagen regularly supports healthy skin and a robust gastrointestinal system. We can also see stronger bones and teeth.

The Native Path collagen chocolate flavor includes:

• Collagen bovine gelatin hydrolysate (grass-fed)
• Natural flavor (chocolate)
• Alkalized cocoa powder
• Pink Himalayan salt
• Enzymatically modified stevia (that’s been fermented)
• Monk fruit extract

The ingredients are simple and high quality. It’s great that they even went to the trouble to seek out pink Himalayan salt for this collagen blend. I also love that there’s no added processed sugar. Monk fruit and stevia provide non-caloric natural sweetness.

NativePath Collagen Creamer

I also got to try NativePath’s Collagen Creamer and was really impressed with it from the get-go. I tried the French Vanilla, which was slightly sweet. It provided a delicious cream substitute for my morning coffee. The ingredients list is again impressive: 

• Medium chain triglycerides powder – Made from MCTs from coconut meat and gum acacia from tree sap.
• Collagen bovine gelatin hydrolysate (grass-fed) – Collagen types I and III.
• Natural flavor (Vanilla)
• Monk fruit extract – Read more about the benefits of monk fruit here.
• Enzymatically modified stevia – Read more about stevia’s benefits here.

It’s a clean list of ingredients, including collagen from grass-fed cows and no added sugar. Monk fruit and stevia provide mild sweetness. And MCT powder naturally promotes ketosis first thing in the morning. Ketosis has its own health benefits, like weight management, less inflammation, and sharper focus.

Native Path Collagen As a Whole: My Opinion

I’m a fan of this line of collagen products. Overall they had a better flavor than others I’ve tried in the past. I like that the collagen comes from properly raised cows and has MCT powder to start the day with both healthy protein and healthy fat.

Interested in trying Native Path Collagen? Wellness Mama readers can get it at a discount with the link below.

Native Path Collagen discount

Have you tried any of NativePath’s products yet? What’s your favorite?

Sources: 

1. Varani, J., Dame, M. K., Rittie, L., et al. (2006). Decreased collagen production in chronologically aged skin: roles of age-dependent alteration in fibroblast function and defective mechanical stimulation. The American journal of pathology, 168(6), 1861–1868.
2. Kahan, V., Andersen, M. L., Tomimori, J., & Tufik, S. (2009). Stress, immunity and skin collagen integrity: evidence from animal models and clinical conditions. Brain, behavior, and immunity, 23(8), 1089–1095.
3. Lyu, X., Wang, G., Pi, Z., & Wu, L. (2020). Acute sleep deprivation leads to growth hormone (GH) resistance in rats. General and comparative endocrinology, 296, 113545.
4. Doessing, S., Heinemeier, K. M., Holm, L., et al. (2010). Growth hormone stimulates the collagen synthesis in human tendon and skeletal muscle without affecting myofibrillar protein synthesis. The Journal of physiology, 588(Pt 2), 341–351.
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6. Hexsel, D., Zague, V., Schunck, M., et al. (2017). Oral supplementation with specific bioactive collagen peptides improves nail growth and reduces symptoms of brittle nails. Journal of cosmetic dermatology, 16(4), 520–526. 
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8. Yamadera, W., Inagawa, K., Chiba, S., et al. (2007), Glycine ingestion improves subjective sleep quality in human volunteers, correlating with polysomnographic changes. Sleep and Biological Rhythms, 5, 126-131.
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10. Zdzieblik, D., Oesser, S., Gollhofer, A., & König, D. (2017). Improvement of activity-related knee joint discomfort following supplementation of specific collagen peptides. Applied physiology, nutrition, and metabolism = Physiologie appliquee, nutrition et metabolisme, 42(6), 588–595.
11.  König, D., Oesser, S., Scharla, S., et al. (2018). Specific Collagen Peptides Improve Bone Mineral Density and Bone Markers in Postmenopausal Women-A Randomized Controlled Study. Nutrients, 10(1), 97.
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16. Zdzieblik, D., Brame, J., Oesser, S., Gollhofer, A., & König, D. (2021). The Influence of Specific Bioactive Collagen Peptides on Knee Joint Discomfort in Young Physically Active Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Nutrients, 13(2), 523. 
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