Can oral collagen supplements be effective?

From the Guidelines

Oral collagen supplements are not effective for wound healing, and their use is not recommended for this purpose. The most recent and highest quality study, published in 2024 1, found that collagen or alginate dressings did not improve wound healing in patients with diabetes-related foot ulcers. In fact, the study concluded that the evidence for the use of collagen or alginate dressings was moderate and the strength of the recommendation was limited to conditional, with a strong recommendation against their use (Strong; Low).

Key Points

• The study found that 9 out of 12 RCTs did not report a difference in wound healing or reduction in ulcer area at the end of the study duration 1.
• The optimal timing of initiating treatment with collagen or alginate dressings remains to be established, and the evidence for their use is considered moderate 1.
• The use of collagen or alginate dressings may not be feasible or acceptable to patients in all healthcare settings, and their cost-effectiveness is still being evaluated 1.

Recommendation

Based on the current evidence, oral collagen supplements should not be used for wound healing, and other evidence-based treatments should be considered instead. While oral collagen supplements may have potential benefits for skin elasticity, joint health, and bone strength, their use for wound healing is not supported by the current evidence 1. It is essential to prioritize treatments that have been proven to be effective in improving morbidity, mortality, and quality of life, rather than relying on unproven or ineffective interventions.

From the Research

Effectiveness of Oral Collagen Supplements

• Oral collagen supplements have shown promise in improving skin quality, with benefits including increased skin elasticity, hydration, and dermal collagen density 2.
• Studies have demonstrated that collagen supplementation can enhance skin qualities such as elasticity and hydration, although more research is needed to establish the full effects and physiologic mechanism of collagen supplementation 3, 4.
• The use of oral collagen supplements has been associated with improved skin elasticity, hydration, and wrinkle reduction, with increases in dermal density and structural proteins 5.
• A 12-week clinical study found that oral collagen peptides significantly improved skin elasticity, roughness, and dermis echo density, and were safe and well-tolerated in Middle Eastern consumers 6.

Key Findings

• Collagen hydrolysate, 2.5g/d to 10g/d, for 8 to 24 weeks, has been used to treat pressure ulcers, xerosis, skin aging, and cellulite, with notable improvements in skin elasticity and hydration 2.
• Collagen tripeptide, 3g/d for 4 to 12 weeks, has been shown to improve skin elasticity and hydration, with anti-aging efficacy proportionate to collagen dipeptide content 2.
• Good sleep quality may enhance the benefits of oral collagen supplementation, with sleep deprivation accelerating skin aging and reducing collagen production 5.

Safety and Tolerability

• Oral collagen supplements have been found to be generally safe, with no reported adverse events in some studies 2.
• A few gastrointestinal complications were reported in a 12-week clinical study, but the oral collagen peptides were found to be safe and well-tolerated overall 6.