Collagen Peptides - Benefits

Overview
Collagen peptides are very small pieces of protein from animal collagen. Collagen is one of the materials that makes
up cartilage, bone, and skin.

Collagen peptides are made by breaking down whole collagen proteins into smaller pieces. When taken by mouth,
collagen peptides seem to build up in the skin and cartilage. This might help improve some skin and joint conditions.

Collagen peptides are used for aging skin and osteoarthritis. They are also used for osteoporosis, brittle nails,
muscle strength, and many other purposes, but there is no good scientific evidence to support most of these uses.

Don't confuse collagen peptides with collagen type I (native), collagen type II (native), or gelatin.

Uses & Effectiveness?

Possibly Effective for
 Aging skin. Taking collagen peptides by mouth seems to improve skin hydration and skin elasticity in older
people. It might also help reduce wrinkles, but it's not clear if it helps enough to be noticeable.
Possibly Ineffective for
 Muscle strength. Taking collagen peptides by mouth does not seem to improve leg muscle strength.
However, collagen peptides may improve hand-grip strength.
There is interest in using collagen peptides for a few other purposes, but there isn't enough reliable information to
say whether it might be helpful.

Side Effects
When taken by mouth: Collagen peptides are possibly safe. Collagen peptides have been safely used in doses up to
10 grams daily for up to 5 months. Side effects are rare.

Health benefits of collagen supplements

Collagen supplementation provides a variety of health benefits.
1. May improve skin health
Collagen is a major component of your skin.
It plays a role in strengthening skin, as well as in elasticity and hydration. As you age, your body produces less
collagen, leading to dry skin and the formation of wrinkles (Trusted Source).
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.
One review of 11 studies focusing mostly on women found that taking 3–10 grams of collagen per day for an
average of 69 days led to improvements in skin elasticity and hydration (Trusted Source).
These supplements may work by stimulating your body to produce collagen on its own. Additionally, collagen
supplements may promote the production of other proteins that help structure your skin, including elastin and
fibrillin (Trusted Source).
There are also many anecdotal claims that collagen supplements help prevent acne and other skin conditions,
but these aren’t supported by scientific evidence.
2. May relieve joint pain
Collagen helps maintain the integrity of your cartilage, the rubber-like tissue that protects your joints.
As the amount of collagen in your body decreases with age, your risk of degenerative joint disorders such
as osteoarthritis increases (Trusted Source).
Some studies suggest that collagen supplements may help improve symptoms of osteoarthritis and reduce
overall joint pain.
A review of studies in people with osteoarthritis found that taking collagen led to significant improvements in
joint stiffness and overall osteoarthritis symptoms (Trusted Source).
Researchers have theorized that supplemental collagen may accumulate in cartilage and stimulate your tissues
to make collagen. In turn, this may lead to lower inflammation, better joint support, and reduced pain.
Even though the research is promising, experts caution that stronger evidence is still needed before
recommending collagen as a treatment for osteoarthritis.
 Collagen Peptides - Benefits
3. May prevent bone loss
Your bones are made mostly of collagen, which gives them structure and strength (Trusted Source).
Just as the collagen in your body deteriorates with age, so does bone mass. This may lead to conditions such as
osteoporosis, which is characterized by low bone density and a higher risk of bone fractures (Trusted Source).
Studies note that collagen supplements may help inhibit the bone breakdown that leads to osteoporosis.
In a 12-month study, post-menopausal women took either a calcium and vitamin D supplement with 5 grams
of collagen or a calcium and vitamin D supplement with no collagen daily.
At the study’s end, those taking the calcium, vitamin D, and collagen supplement had significantly lower blood
levels of proteins that promote bone breakdown than those who took only the calcium and vitamin D. The
collagen group also had lower loss of bone mineral density (Trusted Source).
Another study found similar results in 66 post-menopausal women who took 5 grams of collagen daily for 12
months. Those who took the collagen exhibited an increase of up to 7% in their bone mineral density (BMD)
compared with those who didn’t take collagen (Trusted Source).
BMD is a measure of the density of minerals, such as calcium, in your bones. Low BMD is associated with weak
bones and osteoporosis risk (Trusted Source).
Although these results are promising, more human studies are needed.
4. May boost muscle mass
As the most abundant protein in the body, collagen is an important component of skeletal muscle (Trusted
Source).
Studies suggest that collagen supplements help boost muscle mass in people with sarcopenia, the loss of
muscle mass that happens with age.
In a 12-week study, 27 older men with this condition took 15 grams of collagen while participating in an
exercise program. Compared to men who exercised but didn’t take collagen, they gained significantly more
muscle mass and strength (Trusted Source).
Researchers have suggested that supplemental collagen may promote the synthesis of muscle proteins such as
creatine, as well as stimulate muscle growth after exercise (NEW15Trusted Source).
However, collagen protein isn’t more effective than whey protein for building muscle or strength. That’s
because collagen is lower in branched chain amino acids which play a key role in muscle building. Whey
protein is a richer source of these amino acids (Trusted Source).
More research is necessary to investigate collagen’s potential to boost muscle mass.
5. May promote heart health
Researchers have theorized that collagen supplements may help reduce the risk of heart conditions.
Collagen provides structure to your arteries, the blood vessels that carry blood from your heart to the rest of
your body. Without enough collagen, arteries may become less flexible and elastic (Trusted Source).
This may lead to atherosclerosis, a disease characterized by the narrowing of your arteries. This condition may
lead to heart attack and stroke (Trusted Source).
In a 6-month study, 31 healthy adults took 16 grams of collagen daily. They had experienced a significant
reduction in measures of artery stiffness from the study’s beginning to its end (Trusted Source).
Additionally, their levels of HDL (good) cholesterol rose by an average of 6%. HDL is an important factor in the
risk of heart conditions, including atherosclerosis (Trusted Source).
Nevertheless, more studies on collagen supplements and heart health are needed.
6. Other health benefits
Collagen supplements may have other health benefits, but these haven’t been studied extensively.
 Hair and nails. Taking collagen may increase the strength of your nails by preventing brittleness.
Additionally, it may help your hair and nails grow longer (Trusted Source).
 Gut health. Although no scientific evidence supports this claim, some health practitioners assert that
collagen supplements can treat leaky gut syndrome, also called intestinal permeability.
 Brain health. No studies have examined the role of collagen supplements in brain health, but some
people claim that they improve mood and reduce anxiety symptoms.
 Weight loss. Proponents believe that collagen supplements may promote weight loss and faster
metabolism. However, no studies support these claims.
Although these potential effects are promising, more research is needed before formal conclusions can be
made.
SUMMARY
Collagen supplements have several benefits related to skin, joint, bone, muscle, and heart health. There’s
scant evidence to support collagen’s purported effects on weight loss or gut or brain health.