Healthful Pursuit Podcast · Leanne Vogel

Collagen Scams, Science, and What Actually Works

·58 min·5 clips

Leanne exposes how a $175 collagen product doesn't even list its collagen content, calling most brands overpriced scams.

Leanne Vogel, a functional medicine practitioner and nutritionist, hosts this solo episode to address the sudden disappearance of her previously recommended collagen brand, Modere. She details her extensive research into the collagen market following this event, aiming to provide listeners with clear, science-backed alternatives. The episode serves as both a consumer guide and a deeper exploration of skin and hair health. Vogel explains that Modere, the company behind her favored Biocell liquid collagen, unexpectedly ceased operations while she was on a family trip. She immediately began researching replacement products, analyzing over a dozen popular brands like Vital Proteins, True Science, Spoiled Child, and I66. Her investigation focused on product types, clinical data, ingredient transparency, and cost-effectiveness. She distinguishes between standard hydrolyzed collagen peptides and a newer category called bioactive collagen peptides, such as Verisol. A key finding is that most collagen products are fundamentally similar hydrolyzed peptides from bovine or marine sources, often marketed with added vitamins or hyaluronic acid. Vogel states the efficacy dose for standard hydrolyzed collagen is 10 grams daily, but many products provide less without clear labeling. She criticizes brands for using vague terms like "proprietary blend" or making generic claims about fibroblast activity common to all collagen. Vogel identifies bioactive collagen peptides like Verisol as a superior category, with targeted efficacy at a lower dose of 2.5 grams daily and a more reasonable cost of around $35 per month. She maintains that Biocell remains the best product she has encountered due to its intact matrix of collagen, hyaluronic acid, and chondroitin sulfate. Vogel argues the obsession with finding a product containing all 28 collagen types is misguided, as Type I constitutes 90% of the body's collagen. She connects poor results from collagen supplements to underlying issues like gut health, inflammation, or nutrient deficiencies. The episode concludes by introducing a broader "cellular protocol" using plant-based bioactive peptides from a company called Make Wellness, which she believes addresses root causes by signaling cellular repair. The tone is passionate, conversational, and educational, blending personal anecdote with detailed product analysis. Vogel expresses clear frustration with marketing hype in the wellness industry and positions herself as a trustworthy guide cutting through the noise. Listeners interested in skincare, anti-aging, or supplement science will find this episode highly valuable for its specific brand comparisons and explanations of collagen biochemistry. Those seeking a simple product recommendation or who are uncomfortable with a host promoting specific brands and her own guide may prefer to skip it.

As heard by us

A sharp collagen reality check on dose, absorption, and the science brands leave out.

Leanne takes a hard look at collagen marketing that can sound scientific until she presses on dose, molecular weight, and absorption. The point stays simple: what seems to work, and what is mostly presentation.

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Why you'd press play

You want collagen advice that cuts through wellness noise.

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