What You Need to Know About the Health Benefits of Collagen

Collagen is an essential building block in bones, skin, muscles, and other tissues. It may help enhance skin condition, ease joint discomfort, and slow bone loss, among other advantages.

Collagen is a structural protein your body produces, and it’s vital for healthy joints, skin, bones, muscles, and more. However, as you get older — when your body’s ability to generate collagen declines — the collagen you already have begins to degrade. For that reason, you might be thinking about collagen supplements and wondering how helpful they truly are.

Below are nine science-supported health benefits associated with collagen supplementation.

What is collagen?

Collagen is the predominant protein in your body. It forms the bulk of connective tissues that compose many structures, including tendons, ligaments, skin, and muscles. It serves several key roles, such as giving skin its structure and reinforcing bones.

You can obtain collagen from foods like pork skin and bone broth, but supplements have become increasingly popular. Most supplements are hydrolyzed, meaning the collagen has been broken down into smaller pieces to enhance absorption.

These products are mainly sold as powders but also come in capsule form. The types of collagen in supplements differ — some supply one or two types, while others include up to five types.

Summary

Collagen is the most plentiful protein in your body. You can boost collagen intake through supplements or by consuming animal-based foods and bone broth. Absorption from foods may not be as efficient as from hydrolyzed supplements.

What are the benefits of taking collagen?

Supplementing with collagen offers a range of potential health benefits.

1. May improve skin health

Collagen is a primary component of the skin. It helps strengthen skin and contributes to elasticity and hydration. With age, your body’s collagen production declines, which can lead to dry skin and the emergence of wrinkles.

Multiple studies indicate that collagen peptides or supplements containing collagen may slow skin aging by decreasing wrinkles and dryness. One study focusing mainly on women found that taking 1–12 grams of collagen daily for 4–12 weeks improved skin elasticity and moisture.

These supplements appear to work by stimulating your body to produce collagen and other proteins that structure the skin, such as elastin and fibrillin.

There are also many anecdotal reports claiming collagen supplements help prevent acne and other skin issues, but scientific evidence for those claims is lacking.

2. May relieve joint pain

As collagen levels fall with age, your risk rises for joint conditions like osteoarthritis. Some research suggests collagen supplements may reduce symptoms of osteoarthritis and lower overall joint pain.

A review of studies in people with osteoarthritis found that taking collagen resulted in decreased joint stiffness, though not consistently in pain reduction or improved function.

Scientists propose supplemental collagen might accumulate in cartilage and encourage tissues to synthesize collagen, which could reduce inflammation, provide better joint support, and lessen pain. Still, more evidence is required before recommending collagen as an osteoarthritis treatment.

3. May prevent bone loss

Bones are composed largely of collagen. As you age, collagen breaks down, and bone mass declines. This contributes to conditions like osteoporosis, marked by low bone density and an increased fracture risk.

Collagen supplements may help slow the bone degradation that leads to osteoporosis.

In a 12-month trial of postmenopausal women, some participants took calcium and vitamin D plus 5 grams of collagen daily, while others took calcium and vitamin D without collagen.

Those who received the calcium, vitamin D, and collagen combination showed lower blood markers indicating bone breakdown and experienced less loss of mineral bone density than those who took only calcium and vitamin D.

Another study of 66 postmenopausal women who consumed 5 grams of collagen daily for a year found similar outcomes: participants taking collagen saw an increase in bone mineral density (BMD).

Nonetheless, additional human trials are needed.

4. May boost muscle mass

Being the most abundant protein in the body, collagen is a key component of skeletal muscle.

In a 12-week study, 26 older men with sarcopenia took 15 grams of collagen while engaging in a training program. Compared with men who exercised but did not take collagen, they experienced gains in muscle mass and strength.

However, further research is necessary to confirm collagen’s potential to enhance muscle mass.

5. May promote heart health

Researchers have hypothesized that collagen supplements could lower the risk of cardiovascular issues.

Collagen provides structural support to your arteries, the vessels that carry blood from the heart to the rest of the body.

Insufficient collagen can make arteries less flexible and elastic, potentially contributing to atherosclerosis, a condition characterized by narrowed arteries. Atherosclerosis raises the risk of heart attack and stroke.

In a 6-month study, 30 healthy adults consumed 16 grams of collagen daily and showed a significant reduction in indicators of arterial stiffness from the start to the end of the study.

Additionally, their levels of HDL (the “good”) cholesterol increased. HDL is an important factor in cardiovascular risk, but more research is required.

6. May improve gut health

Although randomized controlled trials are lacking, some practitioners report that collagen supplements can help with leaky gut syndrome (intestinal permeability). There are anecdotal reports of benefit, but rigorous research is still needed.

7. May strengthen your hair and nails

Supplementing with collagen may reduce nail brittleness. While more studies are required to validate effects on hair, some people report that collagen helps reduce hair breakage.

8. May help maintain brain health

No direct studies have examined the effects of collagen supplements on brain health, but some individuals report improvements in mood and reduced anxiety after taking them.

9. May help support weight loss

Advocates suggest collagen supplements might assist with weight loss and increase metabolic rate. However, no solid studies confirm these claims. Though these possible benefits are intriguing, more research is necessary before drawing firm conclusions.

What are the side effects of taking collagen?

Collagen supplements are generally well tolerated with few reported adverse effects, but many are derived from common allergens like fish, shellfish, and eggs. People with allergies to these foods should avoid collagen products containing those ingredients.

Some individuals report nausea, bloating, and heartburn when taking collagen supplements, though evidence has not consistently established these as common side effects.

What foods are rich in collagen?

Collagen is present in or derived from animal-based foods. Examples include:

• gelatin
• bone broth
• animals’ connective tissues
• chicken skin
• pork skin
• beef
• fish

Vitamin C is essential for collagen synthesis. Many foods are high in vitamin C, such as citrus fruits, broccoli, strawberries, and others.

What are the alternatives to animal-based collagen?

Because collagen’s amino acid makeup differs from other proteins, options are limited. Vegan collagen alternatives can be produced using genetically engineered yeast and bacteria that generate collagen-like proteins. These are being explored as potential sources.

A nutritionally balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and plant-based protein can help support the body’s natural collagen production.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to see results from collagen supplements?

Collagen turnover is gradual. Most studies use at least 8 weeks to evaluate effects on skin and joint pain, while research on bone health often spans longer durations, such as 12 months.

Is it good to take collagen every day?

It’s likely acceptable to take collagen-containing supplements daily, and few adverse effects have been reported.

Is collagen safe for your kidneys?

If you have kidney stones or are prone to them, you may wish to be cautious with collagen supplements. They contain hydroxyproline, an amino acid that can be converted into oxalate in the body. Excess oxalate may contribute to kidney stone formation.

The bottom line

Collagen supplements are linked to several potential health benefits and have relatively few known risks. They may increase muscle mass, help prevent bone loss, ease joint pain, and improve skin health by reducing wrinkles and dryness.

Other claimed benefits—such as weight loss, gut healing, and brain benefits—lack strong scientific backing. Although some foods contain collagen, it’s unclear whether eating those foods delivers the same advantages as taking supplements.