Davina McCall's Menopausing Supplements: Where Does Collagen Come In?
Davina McCall's Menopausing: Where Does Collagen Come In?
Davina McCall has been a familiar face on our TV screens for more than two decades. Whether you know her as a presenter, model, outspoken feminist voice or all of the above, the fact is you know her. And as she journeys through midlife, she has been very keen to share. Her ups and downs, challenges, victories - the whole experience of being a woman in midlife. And now, she has teamed up with expert Dr Naomi Potter to publish Davina McCall's 'Menopausing'.
It's a revealing and empowering account of perimenopause and menopause. One key principle it upholds is that there is no such thing as 'TMI'. This enables Davina to share the utter truth, no holds barred. That's important because there is nothing we should feel like we can't talk about when it comes to menopause. As Davina says, "it is absolutely 100% going to happen to 51% of the people in this country". So let's start talking about it!
In this post, we will look at some of the major talking points of the book. Davina briefly mentions collagen supplements but we want to discuss how they could help with a number of the issues discussed. So, without further ado, let's get into it.
Davina McCall's 'Menopausing' makes it personal
If you are a woman, you are undoubtedly aware of the terms 'menopause' and 'perimenopause'. For younger women, they might seem like some distant concern that you don't need to worry about for years. Women in their thirties and beyond may be becoming increasingly conscious of it as a looming threat. It is our lack of understanding that makes us think of it as some sword of Damocles hanging over our heads. Davina wants to address that knowledge gap.
- Perimenopause: The transitional time that ends in menopause. Ovaries begin to produce less oestrogen as your body prepares to enter the phase where you are no longer able to get pregnant.
- Menopause: The point when your periods have ended. When you go 12 full months with no menstrual cycle, you have reached menopause.
These are the cold, hard facts of menopause, but they don't tell the full story. Every woman has a slightly different story, but the same basic thing is happening. As oestrogen levels fluctuate and reduce, it causes a raft of changes to the body. And it is without understanding of what is happening that these changes can become extremely trying.
What changes does Davina McCall describe in 'Menopausing'?
With it being her own account, Davina talks at length about the things she experienced. She speaks about ongoing things like "suddenly feeling old...groaning when I put on my socks". She also mentions "feeling tired" and "mood swings". Many might assume these are symptoms of ageing, but perimenopause can make them abruptly feel far worse.
Davina goes into far more detail about things that frightened her. The "brain fog" made her so forgetful that she feared she may be getting Alzheimer's disease. Night sweats brought her right back to the days when she was a recovering heroin addict. Vaginal dryness and irregular periods caused her some substantial discomfort. And persistent low mood made her feel like she was no longer the type of mother she wanted to be.
These changes to your body affect both mental and physical health. With no understanding of what to expect, they can be alarming and terrifying. Even with some knowledge of perimenopause, these changes are happening. They alter a woman's experience of life. Without acting to ease the symptoms, it can feel like the quality of life is forever lowered.
But it doesn't have to be this way.
What does 'Menopausing' suggest to help?
Davina and Dr Naomi Potter have gone to great lengths to share their insights throughout Davina McCall's 'Menopausing'. The most important thing they recommend is Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). So strong is their advocacy for HRT that they are literally trying to campaign to make it more accessible. Davina says "I had disappeared and now I'm back. HRT helped me rediscover myself."
We strongly recommend reading the book to get a good understanding of this. It is not our place to give advice on the medicinal value of this kind of treatment. But the authors make a very strong case and it could be extremely valuable to many. There is no doubt that it made a huge difference in Davina's journey, so it could for you too.
The book also talks about the importance of things like:
- The right diet
- Exercise
- Talking about your experiences
- Maintaining a healthy sex life
It is a well of information. And there is a moment where collagen supplements come up. In talking about a healthy diet, we hear about the importance of protein. Here, it says "collagen supplements containing amino acids are great for hair, nails and skin". Well, we are here to tell you that collagen supplements can go far beyond this in helping with perimenopause.
What does the book mention that collagen can help with?
'Menopausing' has a chapter that lays out a full spectrum of symptoms that a woman might experience. Perimenopause is not the same for all women, but there are certain symptoms that are pretty common.
The book lists them, and among them are the following:
- Hair loss
- Fatigue
- Mood swings
- Brain fog
- Weight gain
- Dry, itchy skin
- Aching joints and muscles
Many women also report issues like wrinkles and sagging of the skin. Brittle nails is another common concern our customers have spoken about. What if we told you Kollo could potentially help with all of these things? Would that not make it the perfect complement to HRT and any other efforts you are making?
Let's look at how Kollo could help:
Hair loss
In 'Menopausing', Davina McCall mentions hair loss and thinning several times. Collagen supplements like Kollo help support skin health, and that includes the scalp. During perimenopause, the loss of oestrogen affects your collagen levels too. As collagen declines, so does the condition of your skin. Hair follicles are in the skin, so your hair suffers when they are no longer nourished. By helping to support your collagen levels, Kollo may help with hair loss. Moreover, the protein it supplies could help fuel the growth of new hairs.
Learn more here.
Fatigue
Our customers at Kollo often report feeling more energised after taking our supplement. Early research is exploring potential benefits for sleep quality, gut integrity, and cardiovascular health too, which may indirectly support energy levels. Moreover, Kollo supplies vitamin C and vitamins B6 and B12, all of which are helpful for metabolism and energy levels.
Mood swings
One of the most abundant amino acids in Kollo is glycine. This powerful nutrient can help increase serotonin and raise dopamine levels to support mood. This is something many of our customers have reported, so it could be useful for you.
Learn more here.
Brain fog
Studies have shown collagen may help with cognitive functioning. Again, the key to this is glycine. However, there is also evidence that the versatility of the collagen protein can also help. It may have a positive effect on brain structure that can support healthy brain function. This could yield benefits with regards to perimenopausal brain fog.
Weight gain
Adequate protein intake helps with satiety and fullness. Including enough protein in your diet - which can include a collagen supplement - may support healthy weight maintenance during perimenopause when metabolic changes can make weight management more challenging.
Dry, itchy skin
This is the bread and butter of collagen supplements. By supporting your body's collagen levels, Kollo helps your skin remain healthier. This means it stays well-hydrated, elastic, plump and firm. Not only will this help with dryness and itchiness, it can also reduce the formation of fine lines and wrinkles.
Learn more here.
Aching joints and muscles
Our tendons, ligaments and cartilage require a lot of collagen to stay healthy. As perimenopause accelerates the decline in collagen levels - driven by reduced oestrogen rather than simple ageing - your joints can suffer. This causes stiffness, swelling and general discomfort, quickly making you feel older. Collagen is a key structural protein in joint tissues, and emerging research suggests that supplementation may support joint comfort and mobility. By helping to support your collagen levels, Kollo could help you feel more mobile and able to keep active.
Learn more here.
Kollo: The perfect complement to the advice in Davina McCall's 'Menopausing'
We think that Davina McCall and Dr Naomi Potter have done something incredible with 'Menopausing'. We need to normalise conversations about menopause and there is nothing people should feel unable to say. Davina and Dr Naomi have taken this idea and run with it and the book is truly amazing.
If you haven't read it yet, you should. Man, woman or any other gender, you need to know about menopause. It will affect you or someone you love and understanding it better will help. What's more, it is a gold mine of information that will set you on the right track to finding your way through the menopause journey.
We want you to also understand the benefits of collagen supplements for menopause. Perimenopause and menopause can be devastating for collagen. This has many knock-on effects that few understand. Kollo helps to support these areas that can become so much more challenging with the onset of perimenopause. Please take the time to learn more about it and consider Kollo to help you through your journey.
Why Kollo?
Kollo could help with so many of the symptoms of perimenopause described in 'Menopausing'. We have already gone into the specifics of different symptoms, but let's look at what makes Kollo stand out:
- We load each sachet with 10g premium grade marine collagen
- It contains a range of additional nutrients to make it more potent
- It is very bioavailable in its liquid form
- We have won many awards
- Our customers love us - we have over 2,000 5-star reviews
- Kollo is 'Informed Sport' certified
Essentially, you won't find a better collagen supplement than Kollo. We really deliver on the benefits of collagen supplementation, following the science at every turn. Take some time to educate yourself on what makes a good collagen supplement.
You can learn everything by exploring our website. Moreover, if you have any further questions about Kollo, you can contact us through social media. Davina McCall's 'Menopausing' could be a game changer for understanding menopause and we want people to know that collagen can help.
Kollo Health was co-founded by Jenni Falconer - TV presenter, Smooth Radio breakfast host, ten-time London Marathon runner and host of the RunPod podcast. Read her story and why she created Kollo.
