In recent years, the use of nutraceuticals like collagen for skin care has been on the rise. However, regulations are still lacking when it comes to the quality, absorption, and efficacy of these products. As someone who is frequently asked about collagen, I decided to dive into what collagen is and what the research says about its effectiveness.

What is Collagen?

Collagen is a type of protein and one of the most abundant in the human body. It serves as a major building block for bones, skin, muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Among the 28 known types of collagen, type I collagen accounts for 90% of the collagen in the human body.

Collagen is composed mainly of the amino acids glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline. These amino acids form three strands that make up the triple-helix structure characteristic of collagen. Our connective tissue cells, called fibroblasts, produce and maintain collagen. As we age, collagen fragments, fibroblast function becomes impaired, and collagen production slows. These changes, along with the loss of another key structural protein called elastin, lead to signs of aging such as sagging skin and wrinkles.

 

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Supplementation with Collagen

There are many skin care products like creams, lotions, and serums that claim to help with aging. However, many of these fail to reach the deeper layers of the skin known as the dermis. To truly and lastingly influence skin aging processes, more bioavailable, short-chain nutritional collagen peptides are essential for restoring collagen synthesis.

Numerous studies have shown, through both subjective feedback and objective dermatological measurements such as cutometry and corneometry, that oral collagen peptides can significantly improve skin hydration, appearance, elasticity, roughness, and density after three months of supplementation.

The Research on Collagen Supplementation & Skin

A recent meta-analysis reviewed the available evidence from randomized-controlled trials up until 2019, examining collagen supplementation for skin quality, anti-aging benefits, and potential applications in medical dermatology. Choi et al. (2019) conducted the review, which included eleven studies with a total of 805 healthy female participants. Here’s what they found:

  • Types and Dosages:
    • Eight studies used collagen hydrolysate, ranging from 2.5g/d to 10g/d, over 8 to 24 weeks for treating pressure ulcers, dry skin, skin aging, and cellulite.
    • Two studies used collagen tripeptide, 3g/d for 4 to 12 weeks.
    • One study used collagen dipeptide, 10 mg per day for 56 days.

A more recent RCT by Bolke et al. (2019) found significant positive changes in skin appearance with the supplementation of bovine hydrolyzed collagen. This is likely due to bovine collagen’s high content of specific amino acids that are abundant building blocks of human collagen, such as hydroxyproline, proline, glycine, glutamic acid, alanine, and arginine.

Safety Concerns

Collagen supplementation has not resulted in any serious side effects and is proven to be safe and well-tolerated during the entire period of supplementation and thereafter.

Takeaways

While the total number of research findings is still relatively low, these results are promising for the use of oral collagen supplementation for various skin care uses. Oral collagen supplements have been shown to improve skin appearance, elasticity, hydration, and dermal collagen density. Additionally, collagen supplementation is generally safe with no reported adverse events. More studies are needed to explore the exact nutritional mechanisms involved in improving skin physiology and appearance.