Collagen-Infused Japanese Beer Promises To Make Drinkers More Attractive

Japanese brewery Suntory released a collagen-infused beer this month that promises to make the drinker more beautiful. The Telegraph reports that the beer, called "Precious," is being advertised with the tagline, “Guys can tell if a girl is taking collagen or not."

Because really, who wouldn't want to drink beer with a sexist tagline, pink-printed can and collagen peptide in the list the ingredients?



Currently only available in Hokkaido, Japan, Precious contains 5 percent alcohol and 2 grams of collagen, an important structural protein of the skin and other body tissues. Consuming a couple cans puts the brew's collagen content roughly in line with many other such supplements advertised as for better hair, skin and nails.

Some people insist that ingesting collagen has a positive affect on the skin, and multiple products now contain collagen peptide for this purpose. But when drinkable collagen gathered buzz in 2013, one expert told Refinery 29 the idea it directly benefits skin is "absurd."

"The makers of these drinks want you to believe that the collagen you are ingesting will be delivered directly to the skin and have benefits there," explained New York City dermatologist Dr. Neal Schultz. "Collagen is a protein, and proteins are made up of amino acids. That collagen is going to be broken down into amino acids by the enzymes in the stomach, then will be absorbed into the body to be used where the body needs it. It is just the most absurd suggestion that you can push collagen through your bloodstream and have it pump out collagen in your skin."

In a series of commercials by Suntory, the brand shows giggling young women drinking Precious, while another ad shows a man leaning against the apparently springy cheeks of a young-looking woman.





The only thing this beer makes us want to do? Have a drink or two, so we forget that misleading products like this actually exist.

Suntory did not immediately return a request for comment from The Huffington Post.

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