Are Collagen Supplements Worth the Hype?

Do collagen supplements truly live up to the height, delivering on promises of radiant skin, thicker hair, and strong joints? Or is it all just a facade? I’m Natasha, a nutritionist, and here’s what I know. First, let’s look at the research. Is there any reliable data supporting this hype around collagen supplements? To be honest, when I first started researching the topic, I didn’t think that there was enough data out there. I didn’t see enough clinical trials, and there wasn’t enough evidence to really convince me that it was worth taking them. But in the past five to 10 years or so, there is more and more convincing evidence. We’re seeing a lot more clinical trials, large review papers, and we’re also seeing more and more experts starting to recommend them. Also, now that I’m in my late thirties and I’m starting to notice signs of collagen breakdown, if you know, you know, I thought this would be a good time to circle back on the research and share with you all what I found. So I’m finding that there’s two main categories of research. There’s skin health and joint health, and there’s also some smaller studies on hair health and nail health. So let’s get into some of the specifics. In a recent study, researchers wanted to see the effects that collagen supplements had on eye wrinkles. So eye wrinkles are usually one of the first signs of aging that we start to notice. In this study, there were 114 women, they were between the ages of 45 and 65, and they were randomized to receive either the collagen supplement or a placebo, and they found that after just four weeks, those that were taking the collagen had a statistically significant reduction in eye wrinkles. Another study showed significant improvements in skin elasticity. So again, they saw results after just four weeks of supplementation. So skin elasticity, that’s your skin’s ability to sort of stretch and to snap back into shape. You know, sometimes when you wake up and you have lines on your face maybe from your pillow or you slept funny, but then they go away, well, that’s actually due to your skin’s elastin. So this is another protein in your body, and collagen and elastin work together to keep your skin firm and stretchy, if you will. Another study showed that collagen can help with the appearance of moderate cellulite. So we hear a lot about cellulite creams, but this study specifically looked at collagen supplements and how that can help with the appearance of cellulite. So they notice results after three months, but then more significant results after six months. Just a side point here, I’m all about body positivity. I feel like we need to embrace our bodies, and cellulite is normal. Around 80% of women have it. However, if cellulite is something that you’re interested in, I thought that you’d like this study. Now we also see some studies on collagen and hair and nail health. Now, hair and nails are not made of collagen. They’re made of keratin, but collagen supplements can provide the building blocks that our bodies need to make a keratin. How do we know that? Well, we have evidence. There was a 2020 study that proved that taking collagen supplements for 16 weeks could actually increase hair thickness. So I thought that was interesting. I’m always interested in ways to improve my hair. And then another study in 2017 showed that those taking collagen supplements after 12 weeks had a significant increase in nail growth and strength. So we know that collagen supplements can help with both hair and nails. And of course, we can’t talk about collagen supplements without discussing joint health. This is that second main category of research. For example, one study looked at the effects of collagen supplements and the effects it had on people with joint pain. So it was a six month study and 51.6% of people using the collagen for joint pain had significant improvements. So I like to look at large meta-analysis. So what are those? What is a meta-analysis? Well, the purpose of a meta-analysis is to statistically analyze data from multiple studies to provide a comprehensive understanding of the research and to identify patterns and trends on a particular topic. So I’ve linked a couple meta-analysis in the description down below. Check them out. They can really help us to get a bigger picture of the research that’s out there. And of course, even though more research is always nice to see, I think we can both agree that the current body of research to date is quite convincing. And that’s really the first part of all of the hype around collagen supplements. Now, the second part of the hype is that we lose collagen. As we get older, we start to see it on our faces and we can become a little bit obsessed with getting our collagen back. And that’s really the second part of this hype around collagen. Just to illustrate, we can think about it this way. Think of a newly built brick wall. It has beautiful structural integrity. Those bricks are tight and firm, but over time, those bricks can start to crumble and break down maybe because of environmental factors and that structure is lost. And the same can happen with our skin. When we’re young, we have all the collagen that we need. Our body is making it, our body’s repairing it, but around our early twenties, our bodies start to make less collagen. So around 1% per year is the rate of decline. And then there’s external factors, there’s stress, the sun, inadequate nutrition, maybe lack of exercise, smoking. All of these things can bind, contribute to collagen breakdown over time. And just like that brick wall that can start to breakdown. The same happens with our collagen. So what does collagen breakdown look like in our bodies? Well, as we all know, more fine lines, wrinkles and joint issues over time, all things that we’re familiar with. So are collagen supplements worth the height? I’d say yes, and for two reasons. One, there is plenty of convincing research that they actually work, that they actually do something. And two, since we need more collagen as we age, collagen supplements make sense to fill in that gap and to support our skin, our bones, and our joints as we get older. But if you still have reservations about collagen supplements or maybe you’re wondering, why can’t I just adjust my diet to get all the collagen that I need through my food? I get it. I was in your shoes. Check out the links in the description down below for more information on food sources of collagen versus supplements.