Does Drinking Collagen Actually Work?

With celebrities like Jennifer Aniston, Kate Hudson, and Kourtney Kardashian singing the praises of collagen to keep their skin youthful and glowy, it's safe to say that the trend of drinking collagen has been gaining popularity recently.

Collagen products have existed in the skincare space for years, but new ways of incorporating this protein into beauty routines keep popping up. Whether it's using collagen-based balms, doing a viral collagen-infused face mask, or taking collagen supplements, it seems like the latest key to wrinkle-free glass skin is collagen.  

Jennifer Aniston has been an avid collagen user for years, so much so that in 2020 she became the Chief Creative Officer of Vital Proteins, her preferred brand for collagen supplements. Kate Hudson made her own collagen powder with her company InBloom, and she has often cited collagen as a way to stave off the skin's natural aging process. Kourtney Kardashian has been taking collagen for years, and her lifestyle brand Poosh offers a matcha latte collagen supplement. With all of the buzz surrounding drinkable collagen supplements, it's important to consider whether or not the trend is actually worth it.

So what exactly is collagen? According to Harvard Medical School, collagen is "a major structural protein in our tissues. It's found in skin, hair, nails, tendons, cartilage, and bones. Collagen works with other substances, such as hyaluronic acid and elastin, to maintain skin elasticity, volume, and moisture. It also helps make up proteins such as keratin that form skin, hair, and nails." The study explains that we naturally produce collagen in our bodies based on how we break down different kinds of protein-forward foods like fish, meat, and bone broth. Remember that trend of drinking bone broth? It's popular in part because of how much collagen it contains. 

While our bodies do naturally produce collagen, the production process slows down over time due to a number of factors like aging and sun damage, which is why our skin gets less bouncy and glowy as we age—yet another reason to remember to wear sunscreen. The goal of taking collagen supplements is to increase collagen in the body to hopefully keep the skin's elasticity and moisture at a higher level.

Collagen drinks and powders are usually made up of collagen peptides that can be found in fish, chicken, cattle, or other common collagen sources. However, many collagen supplements that you can find online will also contain other vitamins and minerals that might help with skin smoothing, so it's hard to say whether or not collagen alone is responsible for the results that many people who take collagen see.

Many people who take collagen supplements have said that they noticed firmer and more smooth skin with less noticeable wrinkles. While we don't know yet if drinking collagen is the most effective way to use collagen in your skincare routine, collagen has already been proven to help reduce the aging process of skin if it's taken regularly.

There are other potential benefits to collagen than just making your skin glow, though. According to WebMD, collagen drinks may help with bone density. As bones tend to get more brittle as you age, collagen may be helpful in keeping your bones strong. 

Drinking collagen can help the long-term process of keeping up your body's collagen levels over time, but it's just as important to live a lifestyle that is conducive to healthy skin. Depending on your skincare goals, drinking collagen may or may not be the most effective way to keep your skin feeling fresh. Harvard Medical School writes, "If your goal is to improve skin texture and elasticity and minimize wrinkles, you're better off focusing on sun protection and using topical retinoids. Extensive research has already demonstrated that these measures are effective."  Ultimately, there isn't enough research yet to determine if drinking collagen alone can keep your skin smooth or your nails strong, but with the right lifestyle choices to accompany it, there's a good chance that collagen can help your skin thrive.