What is Collagen? Everything You Need to Know

All the influencers are pushing collagen pretty hard these days. They make bold claims that it’s essential for skin, hair, joints, and even your muscles!

Can collagen really support all that? Not exactly. As it turns out, collagen has some interesting qualities, but has been done dirty by exaggerated claims. 

What Is Collagen?

Collagen is the most abundant and varied protein found within the human body. In total, there are approximately 28 types of collagen with unique benefits.¹ 

When we hear “protein”, we usually think of muscles. However, collagen is primarily found in your connective tissue including; 

• Skin
• Tendons
• Ligaments
• Bones
• Organs
• Blood vessels
• And even muscles!

As you can see, it’s a busy and essential protein! You’re also probably thinking that it sounds a lot different than other proteins…let’s discuss that.

What Are The Functions Of Collagen?

You may still be wondering "what is collagen for?" The short answer is lots!

Collagen fibers act to provide shape and strength to various structures. Having healthy collagen levels can do things such as form fibroblasts in your dermis (middle skin layer), aid in replacing dead skin cells, provide a protective layer around organs, and play a role in blood clotting.

In addition, a few other notable functions include:

• Supports joint health and mitigates joint pain

• Gives structure, strength, and elasticity to your skin

• Provides protection for your kidneys and organs

• Supports a healthy cardiovascular system

Collagen Triple Helix 

Why is collagen so important anyways? 

That has to do with its “Triple Helix” , a unique combination of 3 amino acids that combine to make its structure.² These amino acids include;

• Glycine

• Proline

• Hydroxyproline

Many makeup products have used this famous collagen structure on their product packaging as it’s responsible for giving collagen its unique properties to form;

• Skin

• Ligaments

• Tendon

Comparing muscle to tendon helps depict the difference and importance of the Triple Helix

• Muscles have very low levels of collagen as it needs higher elastic properties. This allows them to stretch into lengthened positions without snapping.

• Tendons (Collagen) can't be overly "stretchy" as its primary job is to stabilize the joints. It must keep things tight and solid, while still maintaining the ability to stretch a small amount.

Different Types Of Collagen

As mentioned, there are 28 types of collagen found in the body¹. We'll go over the 5 main collagen types here.

• Type I: This is the most abundant type of collagen, making up 90% of your body's total amount. It's used to provide structure to your skin, bones, tendons, and ligaments.

• Type II: Found in elastic cartilage (joint support).

• Type III: Found in muscles, arteries, and organs.

• Type IV: Found in the layers of your skin.

• Type V: Found in the cornea of your eyes, as well as the placenta's skin, hair, and tissue.

Is Collagen A Complete Protein?

Protein is made up of 20 different amino acids;

• Non-Essenital (5): These amino acids are synthesized internally with sufficient amounts so that you do not need to eat from your diet.

• Conditionally Essential (6): These amino acids are usually synthesized internally with sufficient amounts. However, under certain conditions (times of stress) you may need to eat through your diet.

• Essential (9): These amino acids can not be synthesized internally and must be eaten through your diet.

Collagen is composed of just 19 amino acids meaning it’s missing one. That amino acid is tryptophan and is one of the essential amino acids. 

Therefore, collagen is an incomplete protein.³

What Are Collagen Peptides?

A protein is simply a long strand of amino acids, specifically 50+. And have you heard of a “peptide”? That’s just a string of less than 50 amino acids.

So, when you hear “collagen peptides”, this is just collagen protein that has had its chain of amino acids broken down into smaller amino acids.

Is Collagen A Good Source Of Protein?

This depends on what you’re actually referring to when you say “good”. Protein can have many different functions - it may be good with some things but not the other.

And this is where the main problem with collagen lays. Influencers and social media posts make so many claims about collagen – it’s good for:

• Skin

• Hair

• Joints

• Ligaments

• And Muscle!

Now, when people usually ask if collagen is a good protein, they’re referring to its role in muscle growth. In that regard, collagen protein is a poor choice.

We’ll get into why below.

Collagen Is An Incomplete Protein

As we went over above, collagen is an incomplete protein as the essential amino acid  tryptophan is virtually non-existent

While it’s not as famous as leucine or your BCAAs (we’ll discuss those below) in terms of muscle building, it’s still an important building block.

At the same time, it plays a major role in several processes. Here are some points to understand.

• Has the lowest reserve of all amino acids in your body. This makes it essential to get in all of your protein. 

• It plays a crucial role in the production serotonin 

• Research has shown that low levels play a role in sarcopenia in older adults.

Regardless, by its nature as an incomplete protein, we already know it’s lacking. 

Does Collagen Have BCAAs?  

Your BCAAs, Branch Chained Amino Acids, are a special group of 3 Essential Amino Acids that are essential for muscle growth. In fact, the BCAA content of a protein is a major determinant of if it’s a good protein or not.

Now, all proteins have BCAAs so the real question is, how much do they have?

When it comes to collagen protein, the answer is, “not much”. Consider these 3 points.

1. Very, Very Low In BCAA. Research shows that collagen protein contains just 9% BCAAs. Compare that to whey protein which is around 20-25%....that’s more than twice as much!⁴

2. It’s Also Very Low In Leucine- Leucine is one of your BCAAs so we know it’s low. However, leucine is easily the most important. It’s the primary amino acid that actually triggers muscle protein synthesis by directly activating the mTor Pathway which regulates cell growth.

Leucine makes up just 2.9% of collagen protein. Compare this to the 10% leucine content found in whey – 3X as much!⁴

3. Total EAAs Are Low- Your EAAs are your 9 essential amino acids . As you could guess, the EAA value in collagen is very low making up just 16% of collagen protein. In comparison, whey makes up about 40-50% EAAs.

4. Collagen Is Mostly Glycine, Proline & Hydroxyproline. About 60% collagen is made of these 3 amino acids – this is what makes it so unique. However, it doesn’t leave a lot of room for other amino acids.⁵ 

Is Collagen Good For Building Muscle?

If any trainer or influencer tells you that collage is good for building muscle, DO NOT buy their collagen supplement they’re probably selling! 

When it comes to things like skin and connective tissue, there’s some room for debate. However, when it comes to building muscle, the answer is clear – collagen is not good for muscle growth. 

In fact, there’s a good chance it’s the worst protein source for muscle growth!

We are putting the breakdown of 4 different studies at the bottom of this article. However, here is a quick synopsis.

• Study 1: Compared to collagen, whey produced greater muscle protein synthesis after acute supplementation and long-term supplementation.⁶ 
• Study 2: Whey produced greater muscle growth in the biceps and quadriceps when compared to collagen. This occurred even though leucine was added to the collagen.³  
• Study 3:  Both whey and pea protein produced greater muscle protein synthesis at dosing given by the RDA as well as increased dosing.⁷ 
• Study 4: Whey protein increased muscle protein synthesis rates while collagen did not. Further, neither increased connective protein synthesis rates.⁸
  

How Can I Boost Collagen Naturally?

Remember that collagen protein is the most abundant structural protein in your body, making up around 30% of all protein content. So in terms of having enough, you have plenty.

Assuming you have the right nutrients, your body is able to synthesize new collagen relatively easy.

However, there are some things you can do to boost your natural collagen production..

Lifestyle Behaviors That Affect Natural Collagen

Losing collagen is a part of the aging process and is seen with things like developing wrinkles or sore joints. 

However, you don’t have to just lay down and let Father Time beat you! In fact, some of your daily habits can either increase, or decrease collagen breakdown. 

If you’re trying to minimize collagen loss and keep your youthful glow, follow these daily habits.

• Stay out of excessive sunlight

• Limit alcohol consumption

• Stop smoking cigarettes

• Get adequate amounts of quality sleep 

• Follow a diet that focuses on whole foods

• Limit overly processed foods

• Drink plenty of water

• Get involved in a regular exercise program

As you see, none of this is too crazy. Simple changes like following the 80-20 rule diet and finding a workout split you enjoy makes a difference in your collagen production.

Foods That Boost Collagen Production

As there are foods that increase collagen loss (like heavily processed foods), there are also foods that can increase your collagen levels. These are the foods you need in your diet to support collagen production.

1. Protein-Rich Foods:

Once your body has broken down a protein source, it's left with amino acids. Your body can then use these amino acids as needed, regardless of where they came from.

In other words, eating plenty of muscle-building foods, such as eggs, steak, and chicken, will provide your body with amino acids to synthesize collagen.

2. Foods Rich In Vitamin C, Zinc, & Copper:

Without enough vitamin C, collagen production is weak, leading to issues like fragile skin, gums, or joints. 

It activates enzymes that link the amino acids proline and lysine to form collagen’s strong, triple-helix structure.—key steps that stabilize collagen fibers⁹.

In fact, vitamin C is the most important nutrient, in addition to amino acids, to produce collagen.

Other foods high in vitamin C include;

• All citrus

• Acerola cherry

• Strawberries 

• Peppers

• Broccoli

• Kale

Two other minerals that play an important role are zinc and copper. Get these from;

• Oysters

• Cashews

• Sunflower seeds

• Dark chocolate (just a few squares!)

3. Certain Seafoods:

Have you ever felt a jellyfish? Firm, smooth, kind of squishy, but still taut? When you think about it, it's kind of like perfect skin! 

Following this reasoning, it should come as no surprise that jellyfish are actually full of quality collagen. This makes it popular both within the cosmetic community and the medical industry. 

For example, in 2021, a paper was published highlighting the collagen in jellyfish and its potential use for osteoarthritis and other joint disorders.¹⁰

Other seafood that can boost collagen production include; 

• Fish with skin

• Shark

• Various shellfish

4. Bone Broth:

The foods with the highest amount of collagen are the structures in the animals that contain the most collagen. This includes;

• Ligaments

• Tendons

• Bones

• Skin 

While eating things like knuckles aren't that common in the west, your best bet is to eat skin or bone broth.

There are actually many products on the market that specialize in broth with collagen peptides and is one of the most common ways to consume collagen. Or, you can cook skin in bone broth!

What to Know About Collagen Supplements

Collagen supplements are huge these days – everywhere you look there are ads. But do you really need it?

As we mentioned above, there’s no reason to take collagen for muscle growth. However, there are other reasons someone might take collagen so it depends on why you’re taking it and your specific situation. 

When it comes to answering "what is the best collagen supplement?" there isn't necessarily one answer and you should consider your personal situation. 

We can say that at the very least, it wouldn’t hurt to add collagen protein to your regime if you’re taking for your connective tissue. Many people do claim they can tell a difference so take that as you will. 

1) Oral Collagen Supplements vs Topical Treatments:

Most collagen supplements fall under topical or oral collagen supplements. 

Generally speaking, topical supplements are used to improve things such as; 

• Skin elasticity

• Skin hydration

• Sometimes joint pain

The idea is you are able to direct where you want help as the skin can absorb it. However, the molecular weight of collagen peptides is too large for your skin to absorb. This makes it difficult basic creams.¹¹ However, it does seem to work well as a moisturizer. 

On the other hand, oral supplements can be used for "general purposes." This can include things such as collagen peptide powders, bone broth, and pills or tablets.

2) Collagen Peptides (Hydrolyzed Collagen):

Hydrolyzed collagen is a form of collagen protein that has already been processed down to collagen peptides. This is also sometimes called collagen hydrolysate.

Similar to hydrolyzed protein, collagen protein is taken and broken down into smaller parts.¹² This basically allows the body to "skip" a bunch of steps so it can absorb the amino acids faster.

3) Collagen Bioavailability:

Just as with other proteins, different sources of collagen have different levels of bioavailability. This measures how well your body can utilize a compound.

For example, let's pretend there's a protein source that's 99% protein but requires a rare enzyme to digest it. As you don't have this enzyme, the bioavailability of the protein is very low since your body can't reach the vast majority.

Studies have shown that the collagen from fish and seafood has the best bioavailability. The extent to how much this matters is still unclear. Bone broth is another great source for those who aren't fans of seafood.

Signs You May Need A Collagen Supplement

Collagen can't be measured in a blood test, but there are signs to look for that indicate your collagen level is decreasing.

These signs and symptoms include:

• Aging skin

• Wrinkled skin

• Hallowing in and around your eyes and face

• Shrinking, weakening muscles, and muscle aches

• Stiffer, less flexible tendons and ligaments

• Joint pain or osteoarthritis due to worn cartilage

• Loss of mobility due to joint damage or stiffness

• Gastrointestinal problems due to thinning of the lining of your digestive tract

• Problems with blood flow

How Your Body Utilizes Collagen Supplements:

When we eat collagen, that collagen doesn't go directly to our joints or wherever we need it. Instead, the collagen is broken down into its amino acids.

If you take collagen peptides, your body still doesn't shoot it straight over to your joints. Rather, your body breaks it down into amino acids, with all the other amino acids, and then shuttles it to where it needs.

How Much Collagen Do You Need Per Day?

Research on how much collagen to take per day is somewhat scarce. Being so, it's difficult to pin down a specific amount to take.

A review from 2019 found that various studies reported an array of benefits from eating anywhere between 2-30 grams a day⁵! 

This is certainly not the most scientific explanation but it seems that the "harder" a structure is, the more collagen it needs.

For example:

• To improve human skin physiology including skin elasticity, you may only need 2.5 grams.

• To strengthen connective tissues and improve joint health, you might need 40 milligrams a day for long-term use (>6 months). To get faster results, 2 grams a day seems to work.

• Improving bone mineral density takes a bit more, at around 5 grams per day.

• Some studies show that 20+g of collagen is needed for muscle support. It's important to note that whey or casein protein is a much better option for muscle support, as is adding veggie protein sources to your diet.

Further, it’s still not clear if you even need to actually eat collagen if your protein intake is high enough and you’re eating the other essential nutrients (vitamin C, zinc & copper)

Whey Vs. Collagen: Breakdown Of Research 

Study 1: Whey Protein Vs. Collagen Peptides (2020). This research really demonstrates how powerful whey is when it comes to muscle protein synthesis (collagen not so much). 

It had 22 older women consume either whey protein or collagen peptides and then follow a 6-day unilateral training program. After consuming their protein, measurements were taken of both the working and rest legs. This was then repeated on the 6th day.

This is a summary of the results.

Acute Muscle Protein Synthesis (MPS) Response

• Whey Protein 

• At rest: MPS increased by 0.017%/h

• With exercise: MPS increased more, 0.032%/h
  

• Collagen Protein 

• At rest: No significant increase in MPS

• With exercise: Small but significant increase, 0.012%/h
  

Long-Term MPS (Daily Synthesis Rate)

• Whey Protein 

• At rest: MPS increased 0.063%/day

• With exercise: MPS increased 0.173%/day
  

• Collagen Protein 

• At rest: No significant change (0.011%/day)

• With exercise: Very modest change (0.020%/day), not significant

Interesting comparisons:

• The initial protein intake increased MPS in the rest leg of the whey group while none was seen in the collagen group. 

• On the first day, the whey group saw approximately 3X more MPS than collagen on the exercise leg.

• After 6 days, the whey group saw 8.65x greater MPS than collagen on the exercise leg.

Study 2: Whey Protein Vs. Leucine Equated Collagen (2022). This study is really interesting. 

One of the big drawbacks of collagen in terms of muscle growth is its lower level of leucine. Well, this study tried adding supplementary leucine to collagen so it had equal amounts as whey. 

22 untrained participants were put on a 10-week training program then supplemented with either whey or leucine-enriched collagen. Both the quadriceps and biceps were measured and after the 10-weeks, whey came out on top – biceps saw about 1.7x more growth and the quads saw 1.5x. 

Both saw similar improvements in strength which you’d expect as they were untrained.

Study 3: Collagen Vs. Whey Vs. Pea (2024)³ - This one really demonstrates collagen’s shortcomings in terms of muscle protein synthesis as it compares collagen, pea and whey protein. 

It wanted to see the differences in MPS when these 3 proteins were consumed at RDA value then with an extra 50g of supplementary protein.

31 older men drank 25g-servings, two times a day (50g total) of either whey, pea or collagen protein for 7 days. On the 7th day, both whey and pea protein saw around a 10% increase from RDA value to supplementary. In comparison, collagen saw no significant increase.

Study 4: Collagen Protein Vs. Whey Protein on MPS and Muscle Connective Protein Synthesis Rates - This study compared acute changes in muscle protein synthesis rates after consuming whey or collagen protein following a single training session. 

The rates for whey, collagen and placebo were 0.041, 0.036 and 0.032 with only whey having significant increase compared to the placebo.

So, we already knew that. However, this study also measured any changes in muscle connective protein synthesis rates. However, neither whey or collagen made any significant changes. 

What is Collagen? A Summary

Consuming an adequate amount of protein is an essential aspect of well-balanced nutrition. However, it’s still not clear if this needs to specifically include collagen protein, let alone how much collagen protein you should eat.

There’s definitely those who suggest that following an active lifestyle that includes a whole food diet that concentrates on high amounts of quality protein and nutrients (vitamin C, copper, zinc) is enough. 

However, some people may find that taking collagen peptide supplementation is beneficial for counteracting skin aging, hair loss, and joint issues. And seeing as there are no observed adverse effects to taking it, if you're interested, give it a shot. It just might provide you with the results you're looking for.

Just be cautious if you anyone makes claims that seem a little too good to be true as it probably is.

Now that you know what collagen is, be sure to check out our article that answers the question: Does Collagen Help With Weight Loss?

References:

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3. Jacinto JL, Nunes JP, Gorissen SH, et al. Whey Protein Supplementation Is Superior to Leucine-Matched Collagen Peptides to Increase Muscle Thickness During a 10-Week Resistance Training Program in Untrained Young Adults. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. 2022;32(3):133-143. doi:10.1123/ijsnem.2021-0265 https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/ijsnem/32/3/article-p133.xml
4. Giglio BM, Schincaglia RM, da Silva AS, et al. Whey Protein Supplementation Compared to Collagen Increases Blood Nesfatin Concentrations and Decreases Android Fat in Overweight Women: A Randomized Double-Blind Study. Nutrients. 2019;11(9):2051. Published 2019 Sep 2. doi:10.3390/nu11092051 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6770102/
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6. Oikawa SY, Kamal MJ, Webb EK, McGlory C, Baker SK, Phillips SM. Whey protein but not collagen peptides stimulate acute and longer-term muscle protein synthesis with and without resistance exercise in healthy older women: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2020 Dec 10;112(6):1656. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/nqaa275.]. Am J Clin Nutr. 2020;111(3):708-718. doi:10.1093/ajcn/nqz332 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31919527/
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8. Aussieker T, Hilkens L, Holwerda AM, et al. Collagen Protein Ingestion during Recovery from Exercise Does Not Increase Muscle Connective Protein Synthesis Rates. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2023;55(10):1792-1802. doi:10.1249/MSS.0000000000003214 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37202878/
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