Your Guide to Collagen

Medically Reviewed By Grant Tinsley, PhD

Collagen is a thread-like protein that supports the structures of your cells and tissues. It also plays a part in tissue repair and immune response. Collagen use in medicine can provide a scaffolding filling with new cells as the tissue heals. The cosmetic industry uses collagen to promote skin appearance and encourages using collagen supplements to treat the effects of skin aging.

This article will explain what collagen is, its uses, and the benefits and side effects of collagen use.

What is collagen?

A woman touching her face
Luis Velasco/Stocksy United

Collagen is the most abundant protein found in the human body. There are 28 types of collagen Trusted Source PubMed Central Highly respected database from the National Institutes of Health Go to source , all of which are threads of amino acids. Glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline are the most prevalent amino acids in collagen.

The most common type of collagen, type I, is flexible, strong, and stretchy.

Where is collagen found in the body?

Collagen is found in the:

  • connective tissues, such as tendons, ligaments, bone, skin
  • cartilage of your joints and the discs between your vertebrae
  • soft tissues, such as your liver, bone marrow, and spleen
  • tissues that need to stretch such as your aorta, lungs, skin, and vocal cords

What is collagen used for?

In your body, collagen acts like scaffolding and plays a role in healing and tissue formation. Some types of collagen also play a part in your immune system.

People also use collagen in the cosmetic, medical, and dental industries.  

What are the benefits of collagen?

Collagen contributes to skin appearance, joint health, and tissue healing. Research shows Trusted Source PubMed Central Highly respected database from the National Institutes of Health Go to source that hydrolyzed collagen acts in two different ways in your skin. The free amino acids provide building blocks for the collagen fibers, and the hydrolyzed collagen binds to special receptors that stimulate the production of new collagen.

Skin care

Collagen works both as a moisturizer to lock water into your skin and as a hydrator to pump water into the skin. As a result, manufacturers often include it in topical cosmetic products like face creams and serums that reduce the appearance of wrinkles and hydrate skin.

Joint pain

A 2018 study showed that taking supplements that combined collagen, vitamins, and antioxidants significantly increased skin elasticity in participants. The supplement also significantly reduced joint pain and improved joint mobility.

Medicine

In medicine, collagen use can treat a number of conditions such as:

  • chronic wounds
  • burns
  • ulcers
  • plastic, reconstructive, and general surgery to encourage tissue growth

What are the side effects of using collagen?

While there are no side effects associated with taking collagen supplements, manufacturers include vitamins, antioxidants, and other active ingredients that could cause a reaction in some people.

What are the sources of collagen?

Collagen sources include foods that contain high amounts of collagen, supplements, and cosmetic products.

Foods

Foods that are high in collagen include Trusted Source PubMed Central Highly respected database from the National Institutes of Health Go to source :

Supplements

Collagen supplements that contain hydrolyzed collagen peptides, vitamins, and antioxidants are available as powder and pills.

Since the Food and Drug Administration does not regulate collagen supplements as strictly drugs, ensure that a third-party organization, such as NSP, USP, and ConsumerLab, has tested your supplement choice for safety and contaminants.

Products

A 2019 review Trusted Source PubMed Central Highly respected database from the National Institutes of Health Go to source showed that taking hydrolyzed collagen supplements for 90 days can improve skin elasticity, firmness, hydration, and wrinkles.

Fillers that combine collagen with hyaluronic acid Trusted Source PubMed Central Highly respected database from the National Institutes of Health Go to source aim to boost your body’s collagen production. This can help fill in depressions caused by wrinkles.

When should you take collagen?

You can start to lose your stores of collagen between 18–29 Trusted Source PubMed Central Highly respected database from the National Institutes of Health Go to source years old. After 40 years old, you can lose around 1% per year. The 2018 study above showed that supplementing with collagen can maintain skin appearance.

How does the body lose collagen?

You can lose collagen through the natural process of aging, consuming foods low in nutrients, smoking, and heavy alcohol consumption.

Aging

By the time you reach 50 years old, you can lose 30% Trusted Source PubMed Central Highly respected database from the National Institutes of Health Go to source of the collagen in your body. In addition, your skin can lose moisture, and elastin fibers can form wrinkles.

Diet

A diet high in food products that contain advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) can cause Trusted Source PloS One Highly respected journal, Expert written journal, Peer reviewed journal Go to source your collagen stores to stiffen and may inactivate proteins responsible for collagen repair. AGEs are toxins in highly processed meat products, such as hot dogs, bacon, fried foods, and grilled meats.

Smoking

A 2019 survey Trusted Source PubMed Central Highly respected database from the National Institutes of Health Go to source showed that people who smoke tend to have pronounced effects of skin aging more frequently, such as:

  • forehead wrinkles
  • crow’s feet
  • under-eye puffiness
  • hollowness around tear ducts
  • nose-to-mouth wrinkles
  • thinner lips

It seems that the free radicals generated by smoking damage your skin’s repair mechanism. The impaired production of collagen leads to premature effects of skin aging.

Drinking

The same 2019 survey Trusted Source PubMed Central Highly respected database from the National Institutes of Health Go to source above showed that heavy alcohol consumption, such as more than eight drinks a week, associates with increased upper facial lines, under-eye puffiness, a thinner midface area, and the formation of blood vessels.

Sun exposure

Exposure to ultraviolet sun rays can lead Trusted Source PubMed Central Highly respected database from the National Institutes of Health Go to source to the breakdown of collagen in your skin.

How can you prevent collagen loss?

While your levels of collagen naturally diminish with age, you can take the following steps to prevent a rapid loss of collagen:

  • Diet: Foods that are high in antioxidants can maintain skin appearance. Try to add fruit such as apricots, mangoes, passion fruit, and vegetables such as carrots, red pepper, and tomatoes to your diet. Foods high in the antioxidant vitamin C also help with skin appearance, such as citrus fruits, kiwi, spinach, and kale.
  • Try to avoid smoking and heavy alcohol consumption: Both smoking and heavy alcohol consumption can lead to skin damage.
  • Sun exposure: Try to use a sunscreen that offers protection from ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) sun rays. While UVA sun rays are slightly less intense than UVB, they penetrate your skin more deeply.

Collagen supplements vs. protein

Some people have suggested that sufficient protein intake can provide you with enough collagen and that collagen supplements are unnecessary.

However, 2020 research Trusted Source PubMed Central Highly respected database from the National Institutes of Health Go to source found that increasing protein intake for bone health in healthy adults who already have an adequate protein intake may produce limited benefits.

Summary

Collagen is a protein that supports the structure of your cells and tissues. It also plays a part in tissue repair and immune response.

With age, your collagen stores diminish, but lifestyle changes can help to manage this loss.

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Medical Reviewer: Grant Tinsley, PhD
Last Review Date: 2022 Jul 29
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