Do collagen supplements work?
04/04/25
I’m a GP with a background in Dermatology. I have a life time’s love of holistic medicine, improving the health of your skin and your body by moving and fuelling. True to my GP training, prevention is always better than cure.
I started off this piece by looking into collagen supplements but it sidelined into nutraceuticals.
Let’s break things down and go through some common Q&As I get asked.
What is collagen?
Collagen is a complex protein. It is really abundant in humans and is present in your bones, ligaments, tendons, joints and skin. If you can imagine your face as a bed. Underneath is the wooden base (the bony skeleton) and the mattress is where the majority of supportive collagen resides. Unfortunately for us, our collagen naturally declines from our 20s. It is estimated by our 40s we have lost about 20% of our collagen. During the first 5 years of menopause women lose a further 30%. When collagen declines, the skin thins and wrinkles, bones thin (osteopenia/ osteoporosis), joints deteriorate (arthritis and pain), hair thins and the nails become brittle. However, our body can build new collagen from the proteins in our diet.
The collagen in our skin can be stimulated to grow by certain aesthetic treatments (like radiofrequency microneedling, bio-stimulating injectable treatments, etc) but it needs the nutrients to do this effectively. When certain types of collagen in our skin are made, they have a half-life of 15 years. So it’s worth maximising and supporting the production of skin collagen, this is called “collagen banking”.
Do I actually need collagen supplements for my skin health?
In short, you won’t need collagen supplements to improve your skin health if you have adequate protein in your diet, provided certain conditions are met.
The most scientifically proven way to improve your skin health is to have a healthy lifestyle with a diet full of nutrients, avoid smoking, limit alcohol and high sugar intake (as these make elastic fibres in the skin brittle and thus prone to wrinkles), adequate (but not excessive) exercise and maintain a healthy weight. Of course we should also protect the skin from the sun, use topical vitamins A and C and other good skincare.
Biologically speaking, all protein consumed whether it is in the form of a chicken breast or from a collagen supplement, gets broken down into smaller particles called amino acids that then get transported across the gut mucosa (lining). Your body then uses these amino acids to build or maintain muscles, joints, bone, skin and more. Unfortunately, you don’t get to choose where it goes, your body’s needs dictate that. Most of the protein absorbed by your body is directed into muscle preservation, irrespective of how much exercise you do. However, it is especially important to have plenty of protein in your diet when we age, as we naturally lose muscle mass, a process called sarcopenia. An adequate protein intake will minimise this process.
The protein the human body find most easy to break down and thus absorb is from animal sources such as meat, poultry and fish. However, some plant foods, such as soy, nuts, seeds, pulses and wholegrains are also good sources if enough is consumed. We also know spacing your protein consumption out during the day will improve your body’s absorption of it.
Is there any scientific proof collagen supplements work?
A meta-analysis of a variety of clinical studies was published in the International Journal of Dermatology in 2021. The researchers concluded that collagen supplements will produce a statistically significant improvement in skin elasticity with hydration and will reduce skin roughness. However, there are some caveats to the studies that were analysed. Some of them were company sponsored, so they have a bias, and the skins were often analysed using sophisticated laboratory machinery. So, would these skin changes be seen by the naked eye? However, these statistical skin changes are proof that there were differences with the products tested. There must be something about collagen supplements to make them so popular, there are a plethora of ardent consumers who are convinced that they see and feel a difference in their skin, hair, nails and overall health.
Why are most skin collagen supplements hydrolysed?
Hydrolyzed collagen is a protein supplement that is formulated into small, easy-to-absorb amino acids. There is marine (from fish) and bovine (from cows) collagen. When amino acids enter the gut, they are small enough to be easily absorbed and thus more likely to make a difference to your skin and body. There are arguments about which is the better source. Some cite that cow (mammalian) is the most similar to human and therefore humans respond to the signalling more effectively. Studies show that bovine derived hydrolysed collagen reduces the expression of MMP2 (matrix metalloproteinase Type 2). This is an enzyme that is associated with inflammation, fibrosis and breakdown of collagen in the skin and thus contributes to the appearance of ageing skin.
Does my diet have enough protein in it?
Maybe not.
Some scientific bodies estimate that one needs to consume the target of 1-1.2g per kg body weight if you are a post-menopausal woman. For those aged 19-50 years of age, the guidance is 0.75mg/kg. I found the easiest way to see what a meal plan would look like with 60-70 grams of protein. It is also important to bear in mind that all protein consumed that is surplus to requirements, will be deposited as fat on the body. It is also probable that as you age, your gut is not as efficient at breaking down the ingested protein into amino acids that it once was. It is also the case with busy modern lifestyles not as much time and attention is paid to meal preparations, hence meals may not be as nutritious as they should be.
It therefore seems reasonable to take collagen supplements to ensure you are hitting your body’s protein requirements.
What about the benefits of other supplements?
It’s not just about skin health. Most of us want to have a healthy lifespan and want to do something now to protect against dementia later on. In some good placebo-controlled trials of 5000 adults aged 60 and over, show that multivitamins can slow age related memory loss and slow biological ageing in general. This means the diseases of ageing such as cancers and cataracts are slower to evolve thus increasing the chances of living with good health for longer. Most of this evidence comes from vitamins containing DHA (an omega-3 lipid found in algae or fish), choline, B vitamins and flavonoids. Creatine, the gym supplement, has been shown in studies to help with mental agility and it is postulated to slow dementia onset. It’s also worth mentioning the emerging field of knowledge around our gut microbiome and its role in assisting nutrient absorption.
Why am I now taking supplements?
After assessing my own protein needs, I’ve opted for collagen supplementation. I performed a deep dive into the huge variety of collagen supplements out there. I wanted one with a high-quality collagen that is really bio-available so I know I have a high chance of absorbing a good amount. Knowing what I know about skin health, I paid particular attention to the additional ingredients that will support collagen renewal in the skin and the body. In particular I wanted a good amount of vitamin C, Vitamin E, Zinc, linoleic acid, hyaluronic acid (as it has been shown to improve the hydration of the skin) and other proven anti-oxidants to make sure my skin nutrients were really optimised.
I was also mindful of optimising my overall health and maximising my chances of a living in good health for as long as possible whilst ageing ie: a healthy life span.
What supplements do I recommend?
Ideally for overall body health (as your skin is a living organ), first of all your diet should be optimised and you should be taking regular consistent exercise. Your skin as an organ reflects your overall inner health. We now know if you have poor or diseased skin this causes background inflammation which in turn leads to strain on other organs. It is well established that those with psoriasis have a high chance of cardiac disease. Consider your food as your fuel to optimise your body. You wouldn’t expect a sport’s car to perform if sludge is added to the tank. How can we expect our bodies to be optimal without good nutrition? However, despite our best efforts, our diets can be a bit "hit and miss". It’s difficult to resist the odd glass of wine with a meal and the occasional sweet sugary treat.
The actual supplement I would recommend depends on your age, weight, exercise regime, existing health conditions and current medication. I take Totally Derma, the Inessa Advanced multivitamin, the Inessa Omega 3 and the AWvi the skin biotic.
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