Collagen Has Anti-Aging Properties. Here’s Why You Need to Add it to Your Diet

It would be easy to confuse collagen with a simple powder you can buy at your local health store. In fact, collagen comes in a variety of forms, like creams, gummies, and – yes – powders.

As our bodies age, our ability to produce collagen declines over time, potentially worsening our skin health and joint function. This is why it is useful to include collagen in your diet. But what is the best way to do this? Several Reddit users are wondering the same thing: Is all the hype around collagen really worth it?

In this guide, we’ll look at collagen, its benefits, and what you should consider before adding it to your diet. It is important to note that when adding something to your diet or lifestyle, it is best to consult a healthcare professional first.

What is collagen?

Before discussing its benefits, what is collagen? In short, collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body and makes up a third of all proteins. It serves as a connective element that holds your muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones, and skin together. It holds your muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones, skin together and promotes healthy joints and connective tissues.

There are nearly 30 known types of collagen, but type I is the most common (it exists in all connective tissues and makes up 90% of all collagen in the body). Types II, III, and IV are also common and found in various parts of the body, including the joints, kidneys, ears, and blood vessels.

All of this brings us to another pertinent question: what is collagen used for? Your body naturally produces collagen by combining several amino acids (like proline and glycine) with zinc, vitamin C and copper. As you age, production slows and the existing collagen in your body begins to break down more quickly.

When this happens, you may notice that your skin becomes more wrinkled, your tendons and ligaments become less flexible, and your muscles shrink. To prevent or delay these effects, some people make up for what their body has lost by eating collagen-rich foods or collagen supplements.

Add Collagen to Your Diet

If you’re looking to increase your healthy collagen production, you need to make sure your diet includes foods containing these essential ingredients:

• Bone Broth
• Fish and shellfish
• Chicken
• Pigskin
• Eggs
• Beans
• Citrus
• Peppers
• Nut

Eating a balanced diet with a combination of these foods is the best way to boost collagen protein in your body. You may also consider taking collagen supplements (usually collagen powder or capsules) if your diet alone isn’t providing you with enough collagen.

For best results, experts advise taking a collagen supplement an hour before working out, but always check the label and talk to your doctor before starting any new wellness routine.

Learn more: Our 7 Favorite Supplements for Joint Health in 2025

Benefits of Collagen

Now that we’ve covered the fundamentals, let’s explore some of the benefits of collagen supplementation.

Builds Stronger Bones

Bones are full of collagen, but as you age, protein begins to deteriorate—and so does bone health—leading to a decrease in bone strength and density. By incorporating collagen supplements into your diet, you may be able to prevent some bone loss and reduce your risk of bone problems, including osteoporosis and fractures.

Reduces joint pain

Collagen also works together with cartilage to keep your joints functioning properly. Over the years, as it wears out, it can lead to stiff, painful joints and put you at higher risk of osteoarthritis. The good news is that taking collagen supplements has been shown to reduce joint pain in physically active people. It can also serve as a pain reliever for people with existing joint problems.

Improves the skin

Your skin also contains collagen, which gives it elasticity and hydration when you’re young. As you age, your skin becomes saggier and more wrinkled due to decreasing collagen levels. Interestingly, studies have shown that adding more collagen to your diet can improve skin elasticity, firmness, and hydration, visibly reducing the effects of aging.

Promotes healthy hair

Collagen is created with some of the same amino acids that are used to build keratin, the protein that makes up your hair. Because of this connection, there is evidence that consuming more collagen can help your hair health by promoting growth, reducing thinning, and slowing aging.

Adds muscle mass

Muscle tissue contains up to 10% collagen. When your body’s collagen begins to break down, you could lose muscle mass and potentially develop a condition called sarcopenia (age-related muscle loss). Fortunately, studies have shown that taking a collagen supplement, combined with increased protein intake and regular resistance exercise, can help people with sarcopenia regain muscle strength.

Disadvantages of Collagen Supplements

Despite these benefits, collagen supplements also have a few drawbacks that you should keep in mind before incorporating them into your routine.

They contain animal products (and sometimes allergens)

Traditional collagen supplements, and all dietary supplements in general, are made from animal products, so they are not suitable if you are following a plant-based diet. There are vegan collagen options on the market, but it’s not clear how they compare to those made from animal products. Likewise, if you have food allergies, be sure to read the label on your collagen supplements carefully. In some cases, they may contain common allergens like fish or eggs.

Regulation is a gray area

Collagen supplements are regulated as foods (not drugs) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, meaning their ingredients and production are not overseen by an official governing body. These products are not subject to the same regulations and strict approval process as pharmaceutical products. This can make it difficult to find out about the quality, purity and safety of ingredients.

Efficacy studies are limited

While there have been studies on the effectiveness of collagen (many of which were cited above), more research needs to be done. Additionally, some of the existing studies were funded by companies that produce collagen supplements, which may raise ethical questions regarding bias.

Collagen-like supplements

It’s difficult to find other supplements that replicate the effects of collagen because its amino acid composition is different from other proteins. You can try increasing your intake of glycine and proline, the key amino acids involved in creating collagen. They are most commonly found in protein-rich foods like meat and poultry, but they are also available in supplement form.

If you’re particularly interested in how collagen can help improve your hair, nails, and skin, you might consider keratin or biotin, which typically come in the form of shampoos and salon treatments but are also sold as dietary supplements. Biotin is also found in certain foods, including legumes, egg yolks, nuts and avocados.

For more supplement advice, here are five fitness supplements proven to work. Plus, check out these three melatonin alternatives for better sleep without drowsiness the next day.