So when collagen supplements exploded in the market, I raised an eyebrow. As did many people, I might add. Well, with research comes changing opinions. There’s robust research that points to many benefits of collagen supplements,* and it’s time to put to rest the myth that they’re ineffective. Now that being said—not all collagen supplements are created equal. You can absolutely find a less-than-stellar formula, which can affect the efficacy (perhaps why the myth keeps persisting). If you’re into skin care, you’ve probably heard of collagen before. It’s what helps keep your skin tight, structured, and firm.* But it’s so much more than that. Collagen is an impressive family1 of proteins that are actually the most abundant proteins in the animal kingdom. There are also different types of collagen in our bodies. There are at least 28 kinds of collagen1 that we know of that exist in vertebrates (yes, us included). Types I, II, and III are the most common in the human body, and thus what we talk about the most in skin and body care.* Let’s talk about what it does. Collagen’s role in the body is both simple and complex (at the cellular level): It helps make up the architectural matrix or structure of our skin, bone, cartilage, and muscle, with the purpose of helping tissues be more elastic and withstand stretching2 (So, for example, it keeps skin looking young and supple).* We synthesize our own supply of collagen, via our cells’ fibroblasts3 (assuming they have the amino acids and other required nutritional building blocks they need). This process happens throughout our lifetime; however, it also decreases with age. “Our bodies always balance collagen production and degradation,” says board-certified dermatologist Gary Goldenberg, M.D. “When we are young, our bodies produce more collagen than we break down. That balance tips the wrong way with age since tissue regeneration decreases.” Additionally, your natural levels can also be reduced by environmental factors and stressors. These are often referred to as hydrolyzed collagen, collagen hydrolysate, collagen peptides, or gelatin. They are broken down through controlled processes called hydrolysis, where water molecules rupture the chemical bonds in these animal-derived collagen proteins. “Collagen is a complex protein made of three chains of amino acids, whereas hydrolyzed collagen is collagen that is broken down into small protein chains, called collagen peptides, that are made of a few amino acids,” explains Nour Zibdeh, M.S., RDN, CLT. Those amino acids are things like proline, lysine, alanine, and glutamate (to name a select few). Once ingested, these short peptides and amino acids are absorbed into the body through the small intestine. In the body, they travel throughout, supporting your body’s natural production of collagen via the fibroblasts (or the things in our cells that create collagen and elastin). You can then reap the benefits of this in your skin, bones, joints, hair, nails, and muscles.* “There are, in fact, numerous published studies on collagen peptides, and the science continues to build. When there are enough clinicals to compile them in a systematic review or meta-analysis, that’s definitely a sign that a certain bioactive or nutritional component has a noteworthy breadth of clinical evidence,” says Ashley Jordan Ferira, Ph.D., RDN, vice president of scientific affairs at mindbodygreen.* For our full guide on this topic on collagen timing, please see this piece on collagen supplement results. But for a quick list, we’ve broken the time frames out here:* Of course, what option you decide to use is largely a personal choice. Some people like the ease of capsules, others enjoy the taste of gummies, and still others like the variety of powders, as they can blend in practically anything. Your preferences and lifestyle will influence your choices, but as far as efficacy: Powders are the best, as they are able to deliver the most potent amount of collagen.* In powders you’ll get dosages as high as 15 to 20 grams per serving—as opposed to gummies and drinks, which are usually much lower. Of course, it’s fine to choose a supplement with a lower dose if the collagen supplement comes with additional bioactives, but it’s just something to note. Want some recommendations that include all of the above? Here are our all-time favorite collagen supplements. While deciding sourcing will likely depend on your dietary needs, we prefer a grass-fed bovine collagen supplement, which contains collagen types I and III11, the types of collagen that are widespread in the human collagen network and, thus, vital in promoting overall health.* We have more information on the potential side effects of collagen here, but as an overview these are the some anecdotal comments:
