AVEA’s Collagen Activator makes your body build its own collagen, for firmer, more hydrated skin and stronger hair and nails. It isn’t collagen. It’s the precise set of amino acids your cells use to produce collagen, so instead of feeding you animal protein to digest, it triggers your own production at the source. It’s fully vegan, and in research at ETH Zurich it converted into new collagen up to four times more effectively than standard collagen supplements.
Why it is different
Most collagen supplements are hydrolysed animal collagen: cow, pig or fish protein broken into fragments your body has to digest, and which it mostly treats as generic protein rather than a signal to build skin collagen. The Collagen Activator works one step upstream. Its hero is Colgevity, a patented vegan complex developed with longevity scientists at ETH Zurich and published in Nature’s npj Aging, delivering glycine, proline and hydroxyproline in the exact 3:1:1 ratio collagen is made from. It adds the cofactors that production actually needs: vitamin C from acerola cherry, calcium alpha-ketoglutarate, and astaxanthin from microalgae. The result is a plant-based collagen supplement that outperformed animal collagen in a peer-reviewed study, with no animal products, no sugar and no bloating.
What it helps with
- Firmer, more elastic skin and visibly reduced fine lines
- Deeper, longer-lasting skin hydration
- Stronger, less brittle nails and thicker, shinier hair
- Collagen support for joints and connective tissue
What’s inside (per daily sachet)
- Colgevity 8,400mg: L-glycine 5,000mg, L-proline 1,700mg, L-hydroxyproline 1,700mg (3:1:1 ratio)
- Calcium alpha-ketoglutarate 1,000mg
- Acerola fruit extract 150mg, providing vitamin C 48mg
- Algae powder 200mg, providing astaxanthin 4mg
- Naturally sweetened with stevia, no refined sugar, vegan
The science
Collagen is built by fibroblasts, the cells in your skin that string amino acids into the triple-helix fibres that give skin its structure. They need three amino acids in a specific proportion, glycine, proline and hydroxyproline in a 3:1:1 ratio, which is exactly what Colgevity supplies, ready to use. This is why it differs from hydrolysed animal collagen: those large peptides have to be broken down first and are largely diverted into general protein metabolism, so little reaches the skin as a collagen-building signal. The cofactors close the loop: vitamin C is the enzyme cofactor that hydroxylates proline and lysine to lock the helix into a stable fibre, alpha-ketoglutarate fuels the fibroblasts doing the work, and astaxanthin shields the new collagen by neutralising oxidative stress and limiting the enzymes that break collagen down. In the ETH Zurich research, published in Nature’s npj Aging, this amino-acid composition converted into new collagen up to four times more effectively than standard collagen. In a six-month observational study (N=58), 97% of participants noticed improved skin quality within 30 days, objective hydration rose 30.2%, and the group averaged a 1.4-year reduction in biological age. Results are averages and vary from person to person.
How to use
Dissolve one sachet a day in water, a smoothie or yoghurt, ideally after a meal or one to two hours before bed. The glycine also supports restful sleep, so evening works well.
Works well with
Pair with SkinSpan for the Skin Longevity Routine: the Collagen Activator builds new collagen while SkinSpan protects what you have. Add the Essentials for the Skin Glow Routine, or NMN and the Booster for the cellular energy collagen synthesis runs on.
Good to know
Vegan and cruelty-free. Available in Raspberry Mint and Lemon. Cologne List tested for athletes. Made in GMP-certified Swiss facilities, every batch independently tested. Covered by AVEA’s 90-day money-back guarantee.
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