Yahoo Lifestyle Does Collagen Powder Live Up To The Hype? Experts Discussed.
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Until recently, everything I knew about collagen I learned in my college Intro to Biology class. These days, collagen powder fills endcap displays in Target and is featured on the posts of just about every fitness influencer on Instagram and TikTok. The basic idea? Adding a collagen powder to your drinks on the regular could transform the health of your skin.
Admittedly, the chance to “strengthen your skin from within” is tempting. Who wouldn’t love a chance to turn back the clock and make their skin look a little younger? If it is as simple as mixing and drinking, it almost seems too good to be true.
As it turns out, it might actually be the stuff of fairytales. Many healthcare professionals feel that collagen powder's benefits are overstated, especially when it comes to reversing the effects of getting older. We wanted to separate fact from fiction, so we talked to the experts on collagen powder and the role it can (and can't) play in a skincare routine.
What Is Collagen?
Collagen is a protein that is already naturally occurring in your body. In fact, there is more collagen in the human body than any other protein. It serves an important role as a major component of connective tissues and keeping skin strong and elastic.
The body actually makes collagen using amino acids. It isn’t abnormal for the synthesis of collagen to slow down as you get older.
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What do Collagen Powders Promise?
Drinks infused with collagen and other collagen supplements may be frequently associated with improvement in the appearance of the skin. However, there is a whole lot more that a collagen supplement could do for the body, according to Jenn Randazzo, MS RD, the associate director of education at Vital Proteins.
“With consistent, daily use, collagen nutrition can help promote a youthful appearance, boost skin hydration and elasticity, support hair and nail health and even promote healthy joints and bones,” she says.
Vital Proteins is certainly among one of the most popular collagen powders out there, but other brands are making their way in the space, too. The Beauty Chef sells their Inner Beauty Boost collagen drink for $25 through Sephora, saying that “radiant beauty begins with good digestion.” Specifically, they say their collagen drink will help keep hair, skin, and nails strong—and fight against cellular damage.
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What Does Collagen Powder Do For Your Skin?
There is much skepticism surrounding collagen, but Randazzo says that the attitude has recently been changing thanks to new research on how supplementation might affect a person’s health.
“Some studies do report benefits in skin health,” says Farah Z. Khan, MS, RD. “Anecdotally, many individuals report improvements in skin elasticity and texture.”
She says that one benefit she sees in these drinks are specific to two amino acids that you’ll find in the ingredient lists—proline and glycine. These nutrients are known to contribute to collagen synthesis.
“They’re converted to hydroxyproline and hydroxylysine that are part of collagen structure,” she adds.
One expert who admits to her skepticism right away is Kasey Hutchinson, RD, who found herself giving the side-eye when collagen powder rose to popularity.
“I was a little skeptical about the use of oral collagen to boost skin appearance and reduce signs of aging, considering that the proteins are broken down into tiny molecules once they reach the highly acidic gastric juices,” she explains. “Furthermore, there's no good way of knowing where the collagen peptides and amino acids may end up in the body.”
With some research, however, she has become a little less doubtful of the potential of collagen powder and drinks. For example, she references a double-blind, randomized trial published in Skin Pharmacology Physiology, which observed significant improvements in the skin elasticity of middle-aged women after eight weeks using collagen hydrolysate supplementation. More recently, a 2023 Nutrients study found that oral collagen supplements could boost hydration and elasticity but noted that larger-scale, higher-quality research was needed.
“So, while the research on collagen supplementation remains in its infancy, the available studies do support its use to improve skin health,” she adds.
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Choosing the Right Collagen Powder or Drink
If you’re interested in giving this health and beauty trend a try, what you buy does matter. Hutchinson suggests choosing a brand that uses collagen from pasture-raised, grass-fed animals. She also encourages interested individuals to do some research on their own. For example, if you can’t find a reference to research and journal articles on their website, reach out to the customer support and ask them for more information about their clinical trials.
Additionally, it is worth noting that high levels of heavy metals have been discovered in supplements and proteins in the past. For this reason, it is a good idea to find a company that uses third-party testing, meaning a lab that isn’t directly tied to its brand, to ensure the safety of its products.
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Collagen Powder Won’t Change Your Life
While it might be true that there is some evidence that powdered collagen drinks can improve the health of your skin, Khan is quick to point out that it won’t change your health on its own. It makes little sense to spend the money on this kind of supplementation if you aren’t caring for your body in ways that are so obviously supported by science.
“Taking a collagen supplement will not offset an otherwise imbalanced diet and major nutrient deficiencies,” she says. “It can, however, supplement an already nutritious and balanced diet to promote skin and intestinal health.”
What kind of choices can improve skin health? What you eat makes a big difference, according to Khan. She suggests a nutrient-rich diet that includes plenty of vitamins A, C and E. Leafy greens and orange and yellow fruits and vegetables are great sources, along with fish and meat. Make sure you are also getting enough omega-3s, which are one of the major benefits of eating fatty fish like salmon. Additionally, steer clear of eating excessive amounts of sugary, fried and processed foods, Khan recommends.
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Expert Sources
Vitamin A and Carotenoids. Office of Dietary Supplements.
Jenn Randazzo, MS RD, the associate director of education at Vital Proteins
Oral supplementation of specific collagen peptides has beneficial effects on human skin physiology: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Skin Pharmacology Physiology.
Effects of Oral Collagen for Skin Anti-Aging: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients.
