It’s funny, because collagen seems to be everywhere at the moment. People put it in their coffee, add it to smoothies, take it for their skin, their hair, their joints. I talk to women all the time who are taking collagen for one reason or another, but very few have ever thought about what it might have to do with their bones.

And I think that’s partly because when we think about bones, we think calcium. Milk when we were children, calcium when we get older, maybe vitamin D if we’ve become a bit more bone health aware. Collagen doesn’t really enter the conversation.

But bone isn’t just mineral. There’s a collagen rich framework there too. Around 90 per cent of the organic matrix of bone is type I collagen, which provides the structure that contributes to its strength and flexibility. I actually think understanding that changes the way you think about looking after your skeleton. We don’t just want bones that are dense. We want bones that are strong and able to cope with everyday life.

So then the obvious question is, should we all be taking collagen?

I’m not sure that’s where I’d start.

I’m very food first. My husband loves nothing better at the weekend to get a really good quality chicken and make the most of the whole thing. We’ll have the chicken for dinner, then the bones go into a pot and we make stock that ends up in soups, risottos or sauces over the next few days. I love that. Good food, very little waste, and you know exactly what has gone into it.

Bone broth and slow cooked meats can provide collagen and its component amino acids, but your body still has to do the work. It breaks dietary proteins down and uses those building blocks where they’re needed. So I’m much more interested in the whole picture. Are you actually getting enough protein across the day? Are you getting vitamin C, which is needed for normal collagen formation? Because there’s not much point obsessing over the perfect collagen powder if the rest of the raw materials aren’t there.

And if you do want to supplement, I’d look at what you’re actually buying rather than assuming anything with “collagen” written on the tub is much the same. What is the source? What form is it in? How much are you actually getting? I’d rather somebody understood what they were taking than bought something because the marketing looked convincing.

Then there’s movement. Someone can have a fantastic diet, take all the right supplements and genuinely be trying to look after themselves, but bone needs a reason to stay strong. Muscle pulling on bone, resistance work, carrying things, walking and appropriate impact all matter. There’s not much point hitting your protein target every day if you never pick up anything heavier than your handbag.

That’s probably the bit I’d like more women to understand. Looking after your bones isn’t one thing. It isn’t calcium, collagen, a supplement or one particular exercise. It’s what you repeatedly give your body to work with and what you repeatedly ask it to do.

So would I take collagen? Potentially. There is interesting research around specific collagen peptides and bone health. In one trial, 131 postmenopausal women with reduced bone density took either 5g of specific collagen peptides or a placebo every day for a year, and the collagen group saw a significant improvement in bone density at the spine and hip. But I wouldn’t put it ahead of getting the basics right.

If you want somewhere simple to start, look at tomorrow rather than trying to overhaul your whole life. Get some protein into each meal. Eat something containing vitamin C. Do something that challenges your muscles. And start thinking about your bones while they’re still quietly getting on with their job.

Because most of the time, they are quiet.

And that’s exactly why we forget about them.

Jayne Denton is an HCPC-registered Diagnostic Radiographer and the founder of Ravenstone Wellness. With 30 years of experience in diagnostic imaging, she now specialises in preventative bone health, using REMS technology to assess bone density, strength and quality.