The panel addressed one of the most marketed supplements in the beauty industry: oral collagen.
Published Nov 12, 2025 | 9:39 AM ⚊ Updated Nov 12, 2025 | 9:39 AM
Skin Health and Aging Panel _at the Dakshin Health Summit 2025. (South First)
Synopsis: During the panel discussion on ‘Skin Health & Aging’ held at the Asian Institute of Gastroenterology (AIG), Gachibowli, on Sunday, 9 November, experts expressed concern over the commercialisation of nutraceuticals while acknowledging that certain supplements do play a legitimate role in healthy aging.
As social media influencers and celebrities drive a booming market for anti-aging supplements, medical professionals at the second edition of South First’s Dakshin Health Summit offered a measured perspective on what works, what doesn’t, and when supplements become mere “expensive urine.”
During the panel discussion on ‘Skin Health & Aging’ held at the Asian Institute of Gastroenterology (AIG), Gachibowli, on Sunday, 9 November, experts expressed concern over the commercialisation of nutraceuticals while acknowledging that certain supplements do play a legitimate role in healthy aging.
“So I think simple supplementation for anyone could include Vitamin D3, omega-3, and turmeric with black pepper. You don’t have to go for too many fancy supplements—just keep it simple and consistent,” said Dr Malavika Kohli, Senior Dermatologist and Director of Skin Secrets, Mumbai, who moderated the panel.
Dr Kalpana Sarangi, Consulting Dermatologist and Head of Department at Nanavati Hospital, Mumbai, confirmed her use of certain supplements in clinical practice. “Vitamin D we use, resveratrol we use—yes, all of these. And ginger too, in the form of many of the products available these days because most of them contain these ingredients along with ginger. So we definitely prescribe them for anti-aging.”
When asked about dosing strategies, Dr Sarangi explained her personalised approach: “See, it depends. Suppose a patient comes to me in the early stage—premature ageing—I’d rather give a little of everything together. But if a patient comes with more advanced ageing or has a skin condition along with it, then I’d prefer giving more coenzyme Q10. And if it’s a male patient who has muscle mass loss, I’d definitely add more vitamin D.”
The panel addressed one of the most marketed supplements in the beauty industry: oral collagen. “So do you really believe that collagen—oral collagen in the form of powder, liquid, shots, capsules, tablets—actually works? What’s the latest on collagen, Dr Maya?” asked Dr Kohli.
Dr Maya Vedamurthy, Senior Dermatologist and Director of RSV Skin Clinic, Chennai, offered a pragmatic view. “I don’t know whether it’s hope or not, but most of my patients who take oral collagen love it. They say their skin has improved, their hair has improved. As long as it’s harmless… But yes, they say marine collagen is better than vegetarian collagen.”
Dr Lakshmi Lavanya, an Endocrinologist and Diabetologist from Hyderabad, provided the most comprehensive view on supplementation, drawing clear lines between evidence-based medicine and market-driven trends.
“The list you have is very appropriate. I think those are the best nutraceuticals or additional supplements beyond mainstream treatment. The mainstream is what we directly deal with. Supplements… we just keep an eye on them. If the patient is taking something prescribed elsewhere, I wouldn’t say no. If they have Ayurvedic or belief-based supplements, I wouldn’t discourage them either. But I definitely encourage vitamin D supplementation when they’re deficient.”
She noted the cost barrier: “Resveratrol is costly, CoQ is also pricey. Glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, collagen peptides—in good doses they help knee and joint pains. I feel they do help, at least.”
However, Dr Lavanya emphasised the importance of prioritisation. “But again, it depends on affordability and interest. If the patient is interested, I’d say yes. If they’re not, I wouldn’t push it. I follow a case-based approach because none of these are RCT (Randomized Controlled Trial)-proven, none of them are in official guidelines, none of them are in society recommendations. My job is to push the evidence-based part—metformin, GLP-1s, diet, intermittent fasting, carb-free or keto diets. There’s already so much to discuss on the real issues.”
She described supplements as secondary priorities: “So supplements become a side track—like icing on the cake. I would never disregard them because that hurts patients, but I also wouldn’t overemphasise them. I just go with the flow between me and my patients.”
Dr Kohli brought up a concern many practitioners share. “I think that’s a balanced approach—seeing the kind of patient sitting in front of us—and I think that’s the right approach to have. Because sometimes it’s just expensive urine, passed out, and if they’re going to spend so much money on these things, then their prioritisation on other things goes down. I’d rather they have a better diet: one red, one orange/yellow, one green—then your diet is enough.”
However, she acknowledged the limitations of diet alone. “But how much of this red, orange, green, yellow can you really eat to get the required concentration? So I think some amount of supplementation is good, especially as you age. The wear and tear is more. So I think some basic supplementation becomes a definite co-prescription.”
The panel expressed concern over the influence of social media on supplement trends. “There’s so much marketing around supplements. There’s so much money in it. The pharma and nutraceutical industries have commercialised it heavily. And I think we’re going a little overboard—patients actually bring a whole lot of bottles and display them on the table, and they’re proud of it,” said Dr Lavanya.
“One celebrity talks about something on YouTube Shorts or Instagram, and that becomes the trend. People proudly say, ‘I’m already taking this, I’m already taking that,'” added Dr Sarangi.
Dr Kohli noted the clinical challenge: “So if you talk confidently about these topics, the patient feels impressed—like, ‘This doctor is very up-to-date and knowledgeable.’ Especially young patients with acne who are taking protein supplements at the gym— branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) (leucine, isoleucine, and valine) and all—you have to tell them to stop BCAAs. We must have a connection with our patients. That’s key.”
Dr Lavanya offered what may be the summit’s most important message on supplementation: “Do your muscle-preserving exercises, get good sleep, drink more water, eat more vegetables—half your plate full of non-starchy vegetables. Please pay attention to these things first, and then, if you still want to take supplements, you may.”
She acknowledged the reality of patient desires: “They want to stay young, they want that charming, shining, glowing skin and hair, and I never dare to say no to them. I just look at all the ingredients and tell them, ‘This is not going to bother you, please continue taking it.'”
The panel also mentioned an unconventional source of resveratrol. “At the bottom of the prescription, we’re not supposed to write it, but they say 30 mL of red wine has that much resveratrol. And 30 mL of red wine is good for the heart as well,” said Dr Kohli, though Dr Lavanya cautioned about sugar content for diabetics.
(Edited by Sumavarsha)
