What is collagen good for?

Short answer: Collagen has potential benefits for bone health, muscle function, joint health, skin health and cardiovascular health.

Did you know that collagen is the most abundant protein in your body? It forms roughly 30% of your body's total protein content, as it is the primary building block of your bones, muscles, joints, tendons and skin, along with a variety of other connective tissues and organ membranes.

Your body is able to produce its own collagen for ensuring all of these different tissues remain healthy and functional, but as you get older, two things start to happen. Your body starts to produce less collagen, and the collagen that you have begins to deteriorate. This can result in a number of debilitating diseases and conditions that become increasingly common the older you get.

Thankfully, collagen supplementation has proven to be extremely effective in remedying, delaying and even reversing many of these conditions.

Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body, and forms the structural framework for our skin, bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, connective tissues and organ membranes.
Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body, and forms the structural framework for our skin, bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, connective tissues and organ membranes.


For skin health


For example, one of collagen's most popular applications is in the area of skin health, and several studies have demonstrated that collagen supplements help to slow the aging of the skin by reducing wrinkles and increasing skin hydration and skin elasticity.

A review of 26 studies found that women who took between 1g and 12g of collagen daily for several months observed a significant improvement in skin elasticity and skin hydration.

Role in bone and joint health


It is easy enough to assume that bones are composed mostly from calcium, and this is how I thought until very recently, but bones are actually mostly made from collagen.

Osteoporosis, which is a reduction in bone density associated with older age, is a direct result of the aforementioned reduction in your body's ability to produce collagen, and the deterioration of existing collagen.

Similarly, osteoarthritis is a deterioration of the collagen in your joints. Several studies have found that collagen supplementation can inhibit the breakdown of collagen that contributes to both conditions, and can even reduce overall joint pain in people who suffer from osteoarthritis.

Role in cardiovascular health


Collagen even forms part of your veins and arteries. In fact, with insufficient collagen, your arteries become less flexible and lose elasticity, which can lead to atherosclerosis, which is essentially a narrowing of the arteries, and one of the leading causes globally of heart attacks and strokes.

One study involving 30 healthy adults who took 16g of collagen daily for a duration of six months found that they had a significant improvement in overall artery flexibility and elasticity. Very interesting!

When should I take collagen?

Short answer: Collagen is best taken just before sleep on an empty stomach, at least 2 hours since the last meal.

It is generally understood that the optimal time for taking collagen is on an empty stomach, just before going to bed, and there are a couple of reasons for this.

Firstly, it is assumed that the stomach acid will be more readily available to digest the collagen proteins, and do so more efficiently, if there is no other food to compete with inside the stomach.

Secondly, the presence of glycine in collagen is involved in the production of both serotonin and melatonin, the latter being a hormone that is directly related to the regulation of the circadian rhythm, and conductive to increased sleep quality.

That said, it is advisable to start off with small doses of collagen when taking it before going to sleep, as it may make you feel uneasy if you take a large dose just before bedtime.

What does collagen combine well with?

Short answer: Collagen has been shown to work well together with L-glutamine and vitamin C.

Collagen with vitamin C, for collagen synthesis


Vitamin C is known to promote collagen synthesis, as it is a key ingredient during the production of two specific molecules that are essential for collagen production. Several studies involving bone fractures observed a significant acceleration in bone healing and scar tissue formation when vitamin C was taken as a supplement when compared to control groups.

Collagen with glutamine, for collagen synthesis


Another study found that taking glutamine can also help stimulate collagen synthesis too, so supplementing both vitamin C and glutamine while taking collagen is a perfect combination to get the most out your collagen supplement, and especially something to consider taking if you are recovering from any sort of bone fracture, as I was recently able to test first hand.

What are natural sources of collagen?

If you are interested in achieving your daily collagen intake through your diet, rich sources of collagen include:

  • Bone broth
  • Chicken skin
  • Fatty fish
  • Egg whites
  • Citrus fruits
  • Berries



Collagen data sources & further reading


Last updated by Asklepios on 1st February, 2025

Remember

While every effort has been made to ensure that the above data is accurate, said accuracy can never be guaranteed. The information provided is not medical advice, it is not intended to cover all possible interactions or adverse effects, and neither is it a substitute for the expertise of professional healthcare practitioners. You are always encouraged to do your own research, and to consult with your trusted doctor or pharmacist before taking any supplements.


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