Beyond Beauty: The Hidden Benefits of Collagen Supplements

Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body, making up approximately 35% of total protein content. It consists of amino acids that bind together to form fibres that create connective tissue, providing structural support, strength, elasticity, and protection throughout the body. In effect, collagen serves as the body’s primary building material. While most people associate collagen with healthy skin, hair, and nails, its role goes far beyond appearance.

Collagen also forms a key component of muscle, tendon, bone, teeth, and blood vessels, acting as the ‘glue’ that holds these structures together. Yet despite its importance, many people overlook its contribution to overall health and performance, and its role remains poorly understood. Understanding the benefits of collagen can help guide lifestyle and supplementation choices.

In this article, we explore how to optimise collagen levels and review selected research on supplementation.

The effects of ageing and lifestyle

As we age, our bodies produce less collagen, and the quality of what we produce declines. From our mid-20s, we lose around 1% of our collagen each year, a rate that can increase to as much as 30% during the first five years of menopause. This decline leads to visible changes such as sagging skin, wrinkles, and slower wound healing. Tendons and ligaments stiffen, muscle mass decreases, and we may notice reduced flexibility and strength. At the same time, cartilage within the joints weakens as collagen levels fall, contributing to the development of osteoarthritis.

Ageing is not the only factor that affects collagen production and maintenance. Diet and lifestyle also play a significant role. For example, smoking and sun exposure damage collagen, accelerate the ageing process, increase oxidative stress and collagen breakdown, and reduce collagen synthesis. Recognising these factors highlights the importance of both diet and collagen supplements in maintaining the benefits of collagen over time.

Collagen and diet

We consume collagen in foods such as meat, fish skin, bone broth, and gelatine. However, the body does not absorb collagen in its complete form. Rather, it breaks it down into amino acids and small peptides (short chains of amino acids), which can then be used to build new collagen.

Collagen rich foods provide the raw materials, but nutrients such as vitamin C, zinc, copper, the amino acids proline and glycine, and adequate overall protein are essential for collagen synthesis. Consuming a diet rich in these nutrients supports the natural collagen benefits for skin, joints, and overall health.

At the same time, we also need to avoid consuming a diet high in sugar and refined carbohydrates, as these can reduce the body’s ability to produce and repair collagen. While diet is important, many people now turn to collagen supplements to help maintain healthy collagen levels as they age.

The benefits of collagen supplements

Although our body can produce collagen when given the requisite nutrients, ageing and other factors can negatively affect collagen levels.

Consequently, collagen supplements have become increasingly popular and have been shown to provide numerous collagen benefits. These include:

• Helping to increase muscle mass and strength (1, 2, 3, 4,)
• Enhancing tissue repair after injury (5, 6)
• Reducing joint pain (7, 8, 9)
• Enhancing post-exercise recovery (10)
• Improving bone (9, 15, 16) and nail health (17),
• Increasing skin health and appearance (11, 12, 13, 14).

Numerous studies support these effects. For example, Oertzen-Hagemann et al. (1) examined the impact of 12 weeks of resistance training combined with collagen supplements on skeletal muscle in recreationally active men. Participants consumed either 15 g of collagen or a placebo daily within 60 minutes after training. The study found that combining resistance training with collagen supplements led to greater increases in body mass, fat-free mass, and muscle strength than training alone.

Another study (7) evaluated the effects of collagen supplements on joint pain. It was found that participants who took collagen reported at least a 20% reduction in pain in their most affected joints compared to those taking a placebo.

Research also highlights benefits for bone health. Konig and colleagues (15) showed that 12 months of daily collagen supplements increased bone mineral density in postmenopausal women with age-related bone loss. Participants also demonstrated favourable changes in bone turnover markers, indicating increased bone formation and reduced bone breakdown.

Choosing a collagen supplement

The first thing to consider when selecting collagen supplements is the type of collagen, as different forms support different tissues. Type I and Type III are most effective for skin, hair, nails, and general connective tissue health, while Type II is more closely linked to joint support.

Hydrolysed collagen offers the best option because processing breaks it down into smaller peptides, improving absorption and bioavailability. This helps ensure that the body can effectively use the amino acids where they are needed.

The source is also important. Bovine collagen is the most widely used form, as it provides a broad range of benefits. It naturally contains Type I and Type III collagen, the two forms most abundant in human skin, bones, tendons, ligaments, and connective tissue. Marine collagen is often preferred for skin focused goals due to its high Type I content and smaller peptides. While chicken collagen is typically used in joint specific formulas because it naturally contains Type II collagen, which supports cartilage.

Quality is another key factor to consider. Ideally, a product should not contain unnecessary fillers, artificial sweeteners, or excessive flavourings. Some collagen supplements include supportive nutrients such as vitamin C or hyaluronic acid, which can enhance the benefits of collagen.

You should also check the amount of collagen provided per serving; the most effective collagen supplments typically provide 8-12 grams. Finally, you need to select the format that best accommodates your needs and preferences. Powders offer the best value and flexibility; capsules are convenient but usually contain smaller doses; and liquid formulas can be effective but tend to be more expensive.

Optimising collagen for health and performance

Collagen plays a far broader role than simply supporting the health and appearance of skin, hair, and nails. It serves as the body’s primary structural material and forms an essential component of tissues such as muscle, tendon, and bone.

Although the body can produce collagen when supplied with the right nutrients, ageing and lifestyle factors gradually reduce both its quantity and quality. We can slow this decline by maintaining a nutrient-rich diet and adopting healthy lifestyle habits. High-quality collagen supplements may also provide additional support.

For those who want to deepen their understanding of nutrition and supplementation, exploring evidence-based nutrition courses can provide valuable insight into how diet and supplements influence health and performance. In particular, the Level 3 Nutrition Supplements for Sport and Exercise course offers a more detailed look at the role of supplements within a structured training programme.

While we cannot stop the ageing process, we can reduce its impact by maintaining healthy levels of the substance that quite literally holds the body together. Collagen supplements can be an important tool in supporting the body’s structural health over time.

References

1. Oertzen Hagemann V, Kirmse M, Eggers B, Pfeiffer K, Marcus K, de Marées M, et al. Effects of 12 weeks of hypertrophy resistance exercise training combined with collagen peptide supplementation on the skeletal muscle proteome in recreationally active men. Nutrients. 2019;11(5):1072. doi:10.3390/nu11051072

2. Zdzieblik D, Oesser S, König D. Collagen peptide supplementation in combination with resistance training improves body composition and increases muscle strength in elderly sarcopenic men: a randomised controlled trial. Br J Nutr. 2015;114(8):1 9. doi:10.1017/S0007114515002810

3. Kirmse M, Oertzen Hagemann V, de Marées M, Bloch W, Platen P. Prolonged collagen peptide supplementation and resistance exercise training affects body composition in recreationally active men. Nutrients. 2019;11(5):1154. doi:10.3390/nu11051154

4. Jendricke P, Centner C, Zdzieblik D, Gollhofer A, König D. Specific collagen peptides in combination with resistance training improve body composition and regional muscle strength in premenopausal women: a randomized controlled trial. Nutrients. 2019;11(4):892. doi:10.3390/nu11040892

5. Shaw G, Lee Barthel A, Ross ML, Wang B, Baar K. Vitamin C enriched gelatin supplementation before intermittent activity augments collagen synthesis. Am J Clin Nutr. 2017;105(1):136 43. doi:10.3945/ajcn.116.138594

6. Dressler P, Gehring D, Zdzieblik D, Oesser S, Gollhofer A, König D. Improvement of functional ankle properties following supplementation with specific collagen peptides in athletes with chronic ankle instability. J Sports Sci Med. 2018;17:298 304.

7. Bruyère O, Zegels B, Leonori L, Rabenda V, Janssen A, Bourges C, et al. Effect of collagen hydrolysate in articular pain: a 6 month randomized, double blind, placebo controlled study. Complement Ther Med. 2012;20(3):124 30. doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2012.02.001

8. Clark KL, Sebastianelli W, Flechsenhar KR, Aukermann DF, Meza F, Millard RL, et al. 24 week study on the use of collagen hydrolysate as a dietary supplement in athletes with activity related joint pain. Curr Med Res Opin. 2008;24(5):1485 96. doi:10.1185/030079908X291967

9. Bello AE, Oesser S. Collagen hydrolysate for the treatment of osteoarthritis and other joint disorders: a review of the literature. Curr Med Res Opin. 2006;22(11):2221 32. doi:10.1185/030079906X148373

10. Clifford T, Ventress M, Allerton DM, Stansfeld S, Tang JCY, Fraser WD, et al. The effects of collagen peptides on muscle damage, inflammation and bone turnover following exercise: a randomized, controlled trial. Amino Acids. 2019;51:691 704. doi:10.1007/s00726 019 02714 x

11. Choi FD, Sung CT, Juhasz MLW, Mesinkovska NA. Oral collagen supplementation: a systematic review of dermatological applications. J Drugs Dermatol. 2019;18(1):9 16.

12. Bolke L, Schlippe G, Gerß J, Voss W. A collagen supplement improves skin hydration, elasticity, roughness, and density: results of a randomized, placebo controlled, blind study. Nutrients. 2019;11:2494. doi:10.3390/nu11102494

13. Proksch E, Segger D, Degwert J, Schunck M, Zague V, Oesser S. Oral supplementation of specific collagen peptides has beneficial effects on human skin physiology: a double blind, placebo controlled study. Skin Pharmacol Physiol. 2014;27(1):47 55. doi:10.1159/000351376

14. Proksch E, Schunck M, Zague V, Segger D, Degwert J, Oesser S. Oral intake of specific bioactive collagen peptides reduces skin wrinkles and increases dermal matrix synthesis. Skin Pharmacol Physiol. 2014;27(3):113 9. doi:10.1159/000355523

15. König D, Oesser S, Scharla S, Zdzieblik D, Gollhofer A. Specific collagen peptides improve bone mineral density and bone markers in postmenopausal women: a randomized controlled study. Nutrients. 2018;10(1):97. doi:10.3390/nu10010097

16. Elam ML, Johnson SA, Hooshmand S, Feresin RG, Payton ME, Gu J, et al. A calcium collagen chelate dietary supplement attenuates bone loss in postmenopausal women with osteopenia: a randomized controlled trial. J Med Food. 2015;18(3):324 31. doi:10.1089/jmf.2014.0060

17. Hexsel D, Zague V, Schunck M, Siega C, Camozzato FO, Oesser S. Oral supplementation with specific bioactive collagen peptides improves nail growth and reduces symptoms of brittle nails. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2017;16(4):520 6. doi:10.1111/jocd.12345

Author

Paul Orridge

Paul Orridge BSc (Hons)

Paul Orridge is a graduate in the field of sport, exercise and health, and has over 30 years’ experience within the fitness industry. In this time, he has performed a variety of roles including personal training, lecturing and writing. Paul now works as a freelance technical author and subject matter expert within the fitness industry. His work is based on his practical experience gained working with a diverse range of people from very unfit, overweight individuals to highly conditioned athletes, and is underpinned by the latest research.