Dame Kelly Holmes shares how collagen supplements have benefitted her (Image: Ancient + Brave)For the double Olympic gold medal-winning athlete, Dame Kelly Holmes is used to being at the top of her game physically – but this all changed a couple of years ago. “I’d been very in tune with my body and into my fitness, but I was getting extreme body pains, especially in my wrists, and feeling a lot weaker than normal – and then one day in the gym, I couldn’t even do one press up,” she tells OK!. “I thought, ‘This isn’t right’.” The Loose Women panellist, 54, discovered that joint pain can be symptoms of the perimenopause and menopause and, after speaking to a doctor, she was prescribed HRT – but it didn’t have the result she was hoping for.
Dame Kelly was struggled with joint pain
(Image: Ancient + Brave)
“The only reason I wanted to go on HRT was to alleviate the body pains, because for me training is important – and it didn’t,” she tells us. “So I started doing some research online and came across information about collagen, and in particular Ancient + Brave. I didn’t know much about collagen before but I liked that this brand was high quality and looked good in my kitchen – and I also liked the name, which reminded me of the ancient Olympics!” Dame Kelly has since been appointed as the ambassador for the brand’s newest launch, Noble Collagen, a one-a-day capsule specifically designed to promote healthy joints. The supplement contains type II collagen sourced from chicken, as well as vitamin C, manganese and botanical extract Boswellia Serrata.
Noble Collagen is designed to promote healthy joints
(Image: Ancient + Brave)
A jar of 30 capsules costs £39 from the Ancient + Brave website, or customers can subscribe and save 20%. And in just a few weeks, Dame Kelly noticed a difference, not just improvements in her skin and hair – when collagen supplements are perhaps best known for – but also in her joints. “After three weeks of taking Noble Collagen, I don’t get body pains at all now, and I feel stronger than I have in ages,” she says. “I’m not breaking down when I exercise now – because when I train, I train hard.” Dame Kelly is one of a growing number of celebrities who have spoken openly about their experiences with the perimenopause and menopause, admitting that she didn’t know much about it before she went through it herself. “Everyone talks about the hot sweats but I didn’t get those, which is why I didn’t think I was going through it. Instead I had these body pains and insomnia; I was waking up at 3am and it was doing my head in,” she says.
It’s been 20 years since Dame Kelly won gold – twice – at the 2004 Athens Olympics
(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
“I also had low moods and low energy, but I’ve had mental health problems before so I didn’t know that this was related to the menopause. A combination of these things just got me further and further down, so now I’m doing things to support that and I feel happy, healthy and fit.” That includes regularly taking her Ancient + Brave capsules, as well as other favourite products from the brand. “I have a ritual of taking the True Collagen, True MCT Oil and Noble Collagen capsules in the mornings before I train, and then the Cacao + Collagen afterwards. I know it’s doing me good.” Staying active is still super important to Dame Kelly, and when asked what her exercise routine looks like now 20 years after she won her two gold medals in the 800m and 1500m at the 2004 Athens Olympics she says, “Now that I’m not breaking down my endurance is improving, so I try to do one 8-10 mile run a week, and then two shorter runs and a couple of strength training sessions, and I meet my daily count.” “It’s important to have these little mental goals.” For more top collagen recommendations, read our round up of the best collagen supplements, from powders to gummies.
Another popular collagen powder
(Image: LookFantastic)
One of the OK! team’s favourites is Dose & Co Collagen Dairy Protein in Vanilla, £23.99 (usual price £29.99), which tastes great in smoothies. Vida Glow’s Natural Marine Collagen Sachets, £39, are another best seller; they come in a range of tasty flavours and dissolve easily in water.Story SavedYou can find this story in My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.Follow OK! MagazineFacebookTwitterMore OnLoose WomenDame Kelly HolmesBeautyHealth
