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Top 6 Benefits of Taking Collagen Supplements
Written
by Brianna Elliott, RD
Medically
reviewed by Atli Arnarson BSc, PhD
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Collagen is the most abundant protein in your body.
It is the major component of connective tissues that make
up several body parts, including tendons, ligaments, skin, and muscles.
Collagen has many important functions, including providing
your skin with structure and strengthening your bones.
There are also several foods you can eat to increase your
collagen intake, including pork skin and bone broth.
Consuming collagen may have a variety of health benefits,
from relieving joint pain to improving skin health.
This article will discuss 6 science-backed health benefits
of taking collagen.
Collagen is a major component of your skin.
It plays a role in strengthening skin, plus may benefit
elasticity and hydration. As you age, your body produces less collagen, leading
to dry skin and the formation of wrinkles.
However, several studies have shown that collagen peptides
or supplements containing collagen may help slow the aging of your skin by
reducing wrinkles and dryness.
In one study, women who took a supplement containing 2.5–5
grams of collagen for 8 weeks experienced less skin dryness and a significant
increase in skin elasticity compared with those who did not take the supplement.
The wrinkle-reducing effects of collagen supplements have
been attributed to their ability to stimulate your body to produce collagen on its own.
Additionally, taking collagen supplements may promote the
production of other proteins that help structure your skin, including elastin
and fibrillin.
There are also many anecdotal claims that collagen
supplements help prevent acne and other skin conditions, but these are not
supported by scientific evidence.
You can buy collagen supplements online.
SUMMARY
Taking supplements that contain
collagen may help slow the aging of your skin. However, stronger evidence is
needed from studies examining the effects of collagen on its own.
Collagen helps maintain the integrity of your cartilage,
which is the rubber-like tissue that protects your joints.
As the amount of collagen in your body decreases as you
get older, your risk of developing degenerative joint disorders such as osteoarthritis increases.
Some studies have shown that taking collagen supplements
may help improve symptoms of osteoarthritis and reduce joint pain overall.
In one study, 73 athletes who consumed 10 grams of
collagen daily for 24 weeks experienced a significant decrease in joint pain
while walking and at rest, compared with a group that did not take it.
In another study, adults took 2 grams of collagen daily
for 70 days. Those who took collagen had a significant reduction in joint pain
and were better able to engage in physical activity than those who did not take
it.
Researchers have theorized that supplemental collagen may
accumulate in cartilage and stimulate your tissues to make collagen.
They have suggested this may lead to lower inflammation,
better support of your joints, and reduced pain.
If you want to try taking a collagen supplement for its
potential pain-relieving effects, studies suggest you should start with a daily
dosage of 8–12 grams.
SUMMARY
Taking collagen supplements has been
shown to reduce inflammation and stimulate collagen synthesis in the body. This
may help promote pain relief among people with joint disorders like
osteoarthritis.
Your bones are made mostly of collagen, which gives them
structure and helps keep them strong.
Just as the collagen in your body deteriorates as you age,
so does bone mass. This may lead to conditions like osteoporosis, which is
characterized by low bone density and linked to a higher risk of bone fractures.
Studies have shown that taking collagen supplements may
have certain effects in the body that help inhibit the bone breakdown that
leads to osteoporosis.
In one study, women took either a calcium supplement
combined with 5 grams of collagen or a calcium supplement and no collagen daily
for 12 months.
By the end of the study, the women taking the calcium and
collagen supplement had significantly lower blood levels of proteins that
promote bone breakdown than those taking only the calcium.
Another study found similar results in 66 women who took 5
grams of collagen daily for 12 months.
The women who took the collagen showed an increase of up
to 7% in their bone mineral density (BMD), compared with women who did not
consume collagen.
BMD is a measure of the density of minerals, such as
calcium, in your bones. Low BMD is associated with weak bones and the
development of osteoporosis.
These results are promising, but more human studies are
needed before the role of collagen supplements in bone health can be confirmed.
SUMMARY
Consuming collagen supplements may
help reduce the risk of bone disorders like osteoporosis. They have the potential
to help increase BMD and lower levels of proteins in the blood that stimulate
bone breakdown.
Between 1–10% of muscle tissue is composed of collagen.
This protein is necessary to keep your muscles strong and functioning properly.
Studies suggest that collagen supplements help boost
muscle mass in people with sarcopenia, the loss of
muscle mass that happens with age.
In one study, 27 frail men took 15 grams of collagen while
participating in an exercise program daily for 12 weeks. Compared with men who
exercised but did not take collagen, they gained significantly more muscle mass
and strength.
Researchers have suggested that taking collagen may
promote the synthesis of muscle proteins like creatine, as well as stimulate
muscle growth after exercise.
More research is necessary to investigate collagen’s
potential to boost muscle
mass.
SUMMARY
Research has shown that consuming
collagen supplements increased muscle growth and strength in people with
age-related muscle mass loss.
Researchers have theorized that taking collagen
supplements may help reduce the risk of heart-related conditions.
Collagen provides structure to your arteries, which are
the blood vessels that carry blood from your heart to the rest of your body.
Without enough collagen, arteries may become weak and fragile.
This may lead to atherosclerosis, a disease characterized
by the narrowing of the arteries. Atherosclerosis has the potential to lead
to heart attack and
stroke.
In one study, 31 healthy adults took 16 grams of collagen
daily for 6 months. By the end, they had experienced a significant reduction in
measures of artery stiffness, compared with before they started taking the
supplement.
Additionally, they increased their levels of HDL “good”
cholesterol by an average of 6%. HDL is an important factor in the risk of
heart conditions, including atherosclerosis.
Nevertheless, more studies on the role of collagen
supplements in heart health are
needed.
SUMMARY
Taking collagen supplements may help
reduce the risk factors associated with heart conditions such as
atherosclerosis.
Collagen supplements may have other health benefits, but
these have not been studied extensively.
· Hair and
nails. Taking collagen may
increase the strength of your nails by preventing brittleness. Additionally, it
may stimulate your hair and
nails to grow longer.
· Gut health. Although there is no scientific evidence to support
this claim, some health practitioners promote the use of collagen supplements
to treat intestinal permeability, or leaky gut
syndrome.
· Brain health. No studies have examined the role of collagen
supplements in brain health. However, some people claim they improve mood and
reduce symptoms of anxiety.
· Weight loss. Some believe that taking collagen supplements may
promote weight loss and a faster
metabolism. There have not been any studies to support these claims.
Although these potential effects are promising, more
research is needed before formal conclusions can be made.
SUMMARY
Collagen supplements have been
claimed to promote brain, heart, and gut health, as well as help control weight
and keep hair and nails healthy. However, there’s scant evidence to support
these effects.
Collagen is found in the connective tissues of animals.
Thus, foods like chicken skin, pork skin, beef, and fish are sources of
collagen.
Foods that contain gelatin, such as bone broth, also
provide collagen. Gelatin is
a protein substance derived from collagen after it has been cooked.
More research is needed to determine whether eating
collagen-rich foods helps increase
collagen in your body. There have not been any human studies on
whether collagen-rich foods have the same benefits as supplements.
Digestive enzymes break down the collagen in food into
individual amino acids and peptides.
However, the collagen in supplements has already been
broken down, or hydrolyzed, which is why it’s thought to be absorbed more
efficiently than the collagen in foods.
SUMMARY
Several foods contain collagen, including animal foods and
bone broth. However, its absorption is not as efficient as that of hydrolyzed
collagen.
Currently, there are not many known risks associated with
taking collagen supplements.
However, some supplements are made from common food
allergens, such as fish, shellfish, and eggs. People with allergies
to these foods should avoid collagen supplements made with these ingredients to
prevent allergic reactions.
Some people have also reported that collagen supplements
leave a lingering bad taste in their mouth.
Additionally, collagen supplements have the potential to
cause digestive side effects, such as feelings of fullness and heartburn.
Regardless, these supplements appear to be safe for most
people.
SUMMARY
Collagen supplements may lead to side effects, such as a
bad taste in the mouth, heartburn, and fullness. If you have allergies, make
sure to purchase supplements that aren’t made from collagen sources you’re
allergic to.
Taking collagen is associated with a number of health
benefits and very few known risks.
To start, supplements may improve skin health by reducing
wrinkles and dryness. They may also help increase muscle mass, prevent bone
loss, and relieve joint pain.
People have reported many other benefits of collagen
supplements, but these claims haven’t been studied much.
Although several foods contain collagen, it’s unknown
whether the collagen in food offers the same benefits as supplements.
Collagen supplements are generally safe, quite easy to
use, and definitely worth trying for their potential benefits.
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