Understanding Collagen Supplements : Benefits, Types, and Efficacy

Collagen is an important part of the bones, muscles, skin and other various parts of the body. Collagen supplements are commonly taken by many people to support joint and skin health; however, the question here is, do they actually help?

Collagen is an important protein which is found in abundance in the body. It is the primary component of connective tissues, which forms many parts of the body, such as ligaments, tendons, muscles and skin.⁽¹⁾ There are many important functions of collagen, which consist of giving your skin strength and giving the bones and the skeletal system its structure.⁽²⁾

There are 28 forms of collagen and we are mentioning here the four commonest collagen types which are:⁽¹⁾

Type I: This is commonest type of collagen present in all the connective tissues.

Type ll: This type of collagen is present in intervertebral discs and joints.

Type lll: This type of collagen is the primary component of reticular fibers that are present in the blood vessels and skin.

Type lV: This type of collagen is part of the inner ear, kidneys and eye lens.

Collagen supplements are trending and have been increasing in popularity in the last few years. Most of them are hydrolyzed in form meaning that the collagen has been broken down for easier absorption by the body.

Collagen supplements are commonly available in powder form; however, can also be present in capsules. The types of collagen present in supplements differ where some have one or two types, whereas some have up to five forms of collagen.

There are many foods, which can naturally increase the collagen intake, such as bone broth and pork skin.

Foods which have gelatin in them, such as bone broth, provide collagen. Gelatin is a protein substance, which is extracted from collagen and processed.⁽³⁾ Collagen is present in the connective tissues of animals and hence foods like chicken skin, beef, pork skin and fish are good sources of collagen.⁽³⁾

Vitamin C is another important vitamin for synthesis of collagen, so one should also consume foods, which are rich in this vitamin like citrus fruits, bell peppers and broccoli.⁽²⁾

Additional research is required to understand if eating foods rich in collagen helps in increasing the levels of collagen in the body, as it may not have benefits like supplements do. The collagen present in the food is broken down by the digestive enzymes into different peptides and amino acids. However, the collagen present in supplements is already hydrolyzed or broken down, which is what helps in better absorption of collagen than compared to collagen from foods.

Yes, collagen supplement has many beneficial effects on the body. Some of the important benefits of taking collagen and which are backed by science are:

1. Collagen Supplements Alleviate Joint Pain

Collagen helps in maintaining the strength and longevity of the cartilage. The risk of degenerative joint disorders like osteoarthritis increases with age as the amount of collagen decreases in the body.⁽⁴⁾ According to a few studies, collagen supplements can also be beneficial in reducing the symptoms of osteoarthritis and joint pain.⁽⁵⁾ Studies done on patients with osteoarthritis have shown that those who were taking collagen had significant improvements in overall osteoarthritis symptoms and joint stiffness.⁽⁶⁾ Experts also think that supplemental collagen can collect in the cartilage and trigger the tissues to produce collagen, which in turn can reduce inflammation, pain and improve joint support.

Even with all the positive results of the research, experts still caution that more concrete evidence is needed before prescribing collagen for treating osteoarthritis.

2. Improving the Health of the Skin

Collagen is a major part of the skin, as it helps in strengthening the skin barrier along with increasing hydration and elasticity. As a person gets older, the body produces lesser collagen resulting in dry skin and wrinkle formation.⁽⁷⁾ There are many studies which have shown that supplements with collagen or collagen peptides helps in slowing the aging process of the skin by reducing dryness and wrinkles.

A review of 11 studies done mostly on women discovered that taking about 3 to 10 g of collagen in a day for an average of 69 days resulted in improving the hydration and elasticity of the skin.⁽⁸⁾ Collagen supplements can benefit by stimulating the body to produce more collagen and these supplements can also increase the production of other proteins, which benefit the structure of the skin, such as fibrillin and elastin.⁽⁸⁾

According to some anecdotal claims, collagen supplements can also help in preventing acne and other skin problems; however, there is no scientific proof for this.

3. Collagen Supplements Can Prevent Bone Loss

The bones are mostly made of collagen, which gives them strength and structure.⁽⁹⁾ With age, there is deterioration of collagen in the body and bone mass leading to health conditions like osteoporosis, which has higher risk of bone fractures due to low bone density.⁽¹⁰⁾ Studies have also shown that collagen supplements can help in stopping the deterioration of the bone, which leads to osteoporosis.⁽¹¹⁾ A study done in post-menopausal women for a year and who took either a vitamin D or calcium supplement with 5 g of collagen or a calcium and vitamin D supplement with no daily collagen showed that those who took vitamin D, calcium and collagen supplement had substantially reduced blood levels of proteins, which play a role in bone deterioration when compared to those women who only took calcium and vitamin D and no collagen. The group of women who took collagen also had lesser bone mineral density loss.⁽¹²⁾ Even with all these promising studies, more human studies need to be done.

4. Supplemental Collagen is Beneficial For Heart Health

Collagen supplements can also help in cutting down the risk of heart conditions according to some experts. Collagen gives structure to the arteries, which are the blood vessels that transport the oxygenated blood from the heart to the rest of the body. With decrease in collagen, the elasticity and flexibility of the arteries also decreases causing problems with blood circulation.⁽¹⁾ This leads to atherosclerosis, which is a condition characterized by narrowing of the arteries and stiffness of their walls and can lead to stroke and heart attack.⁽¹³⁾ A six-month study done in 31 healthy adults who took 16 g of collagen daily showed they had great reduction in artery stiffness from the start of the study to its conclusion.⁽¹³⁾ Other than this, the levels of good cholesterol (HDL) also increased by an average of 6%.

However, there is more research needed with regards to heart health and collagen supplements.

5. Collagen Supplements Increase Muscle Mass

Collagen being the most abundant protein present in the body makes it an important part of the skeletal muscle.⁽²⁾ Studies have shown that collagen supplements can benefit by increasing muscle mass in individuals suffering from sarcopenia a condition where there is decrease in the muscle mass as one gets older.

Another three-month study was done on 27 older men having sarcopenia and who took 15 g of collagen along with regular exercise program. When compared to men who didn’t take collagen, it showed that the former group of participants who took collagen significantly gained more strength and muscle mass.⁽¹⁴⁾

Experts have also suggested that supplemental collagen can also help in increasing the synthesis of creatine, which is a muscle protein, along with stimulating growth of muscle after exercise.⁽¹⁴⁾

However, more studies are needed for studying the potential of collagen in increasing the muscle mass.

6. Other Potential Health Benefits Of Collagen

Collagen supplements also have various health benefits, which haven’t been studied greatly. Some of the potential benefits of collagen supplements are:

Strengthening the Nails and Hair: Collagen supplements can strengthen the nails along with making the nails and hair stronger and helping them grow longer and also preventing brittleness.⁽¹⁵⁾

Improves Brain Health: According to some people who take collagen supplements, they find improvement in their mood and anxiety; however, there are no studies regarding this as yet.

Better Gut Health: According to some experts, collagen supplements are beneficial in treating leaky gut syndrome.

Helps with Weight Loss: There are some believers that think that taking collagen supplements can help with increasing metabolism and promoting weight loss. More studies are needed on this.

To arrive at concrete conclusions regarding these potential benefits of collagen supplements, more studies and research are needed.

The turnover of collagen is a slow process. Whatever the reason one is taking the collagen supplements for, it will take a minimum of 2 months to see noticeable results or benefits.⁽¹⁶⁾ Many studies use a minimum of 2 months to gauge the collagen’s effects on joint pain relief and skin health; however, other studies use more periods, such as a year for studying the effect of collagen on bone health.^{(17, 18)}

Collagen supplements are usually tolerated well; however, there have been some side effects reported. There are some collagen supplements made from some food allergens like eggs, shellfish and fish. Individuals having these food allergies should not take collagen supplements, which have these ingredients in them.

Some of the side effects with these supplements are: bloating and nausea; however, according to research, these side effects have not been consistently seen in people taking collagen supplements.⁽¹⁹⁾ Some reports have shown that collagen supplements can cause some digestive side effects like feelings of fullness and heartburn.⁽²⁰⁾

Needless to say, collagen supplements are thought to be safe for majority of the people.

The alternatives are limited as the amino acid composition of the collagen is different from those of other proteins.

Vegan collagen can be derived from genetically modified bacteria and yeast. For this four human genes that develop for collagen are added to the genetic structure of the above sources after which they start to produce their own collagen.

Proteins that resemble collagen are also found naturally in some forms of bacteria. These are being studied as potential sources of collagen.⁽²¹⁾

There are supplements available containing the primary amino acids involved in synthesis of collagen, such as proline, lysine and glycine. A few of them get their amino acids from vegan sources. They can also have hyaluronic acid and vitamin C, which helps in retaining moisture in the tissues to keep them lubricated and soft.

Keratin is another structural protein present in nails, hair and skin and it has also been suggested as a collagen alternative; however, there is very less research that supports keratin products for anything except for topical application on hair and skin.⁽²²⁾

One should bear in mind that Keratin is not vegan, as it’s derived from the horns, wool and feathers of different animals.

Collagen supplements are considered to have many health benefits with very less risks. These supplements can help in preventing bone loss, increasing muscle mass, relieving joint pain, and enhancing skin health by reducing dryness and wrinkles.

There are also other potential benefits of collagen supplements, such as with gut health, weight loss, and brain health, however more studies need to be done to prove them.

There are many foods which have collagen in them, however it is not well known if these foods can give the same benefits as supplements. Collagen supplements are usually easy and safe to use.  There are many collagen supplements with different ingredients and types of collagen, however, if a product had types I and lll of collagen fibers, then it will cover majority of your requirement irrespective of the reason for taking them.

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