Hydrolyzed collagen supplements and skin hydration and elasticity
What it found
In 14 randomized trials in people, hydrolyzed collagen supplements improved skin hydration and elasticity compared with placebo.
The authors say the evidence is promising but more large trials are needed.
What they found
Studies in people
Skin hydration
Pooled results from the trials showed better skin hydration with hydrolyzed collagen than with placebo. This was seen across studies lasting 4 to 12 weeks.
Skin elasticity
Skin elasticity also improved with hydrolyzed collagen compared with placebo in the combined analysis. Subgroup analyses by collagen source and duration showed similar improvements.
Wrinkles and water loss
The analysis found a notable improvement in wrinkles and in transepidermal water loss (water escaping through the skin) with hydrolyzed collagen compared with placebo.
Firmness and radiance
For skin firmness and radiance, the results did not clearly favor hydrolyzed collagen over placebo.
Animal and lab studies
How it might work
After being swallowed, hydrolyzed collagen travels in the blood as small peptides that reach the skin. There they may stimulate fibroblasts to make more collagen and hyaluronic acid, and increase natural moisturizing factors in the outer skin layer.
Studies in people and animals
Side effects and allergies
No side effects from consuming collagen were reported in the reviewed studies. The authors note that people allergic to beef, fish or poultry could react to collagen from those sources, and one case report described anaphylaxis after a fish collagen supplement.
What the authors conclude
“The review results show that HC positively affects skin elasticity and hydration, thereby contributing to overall skin rejuvenation.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that hydrolyzed collagen positively affects skin elasticity and hydration, contributing to overall skin rejuvenation.
- They advise that large-scale randomized controlled trials are still needed, including healthy living habits as a factor, to assess how well oral collagen supplements rejuvenate the skin.
- They state that a safe and effective dose for skin rejuvenation is 300 mg to 5 grams of hydrolyzed collagen peptides daily, and that benefits appear if consumed for more than four weeks.
How it was done
The authors wanted to gather and examine the existing research on hydrolyzed collagen supplements and human skin, to help people make informed decisions about taking them.
They searched four databases for randomized, double-blind, controlled trials published from 2017 to 2023 that gave healthy people hydrolyzed collagen by mouth and measured skin aging signs. They combined 14 trials with 967 participants, where supplementation lasted 4 to 12 weeks.
What it can’t tell you
- The trials used different collagen sources, doses, and measurement tools, so the results cannot be combined into one exact effect.
- The studies mostly involved women, and the effects may differ in men, teenagers, adults, and post-menopausal women.
- The review cannot show whether lifestyle habits like diet and hydration affect how well collagen supplements work.
Who paid
- Conflicts
- The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
- Authors work at
- The Republic of Indonesia Defense University, IDN; Gatot Soebroto Army Hospital, IDN; Andalas University, IDN
The paper
- Title
- Exploring the Impact of Hydrolyzed Collagen Oral Supplementation on Skin Rejuvenation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
- Type
- ReviewThe authors read earlier studies and describe what they found. It isn’t a new study.
- Evidence
- Studies in people · animals · lab
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Dewi DAR, Arimuko A, Norawati L, et al (2023). Exploring the Impact of Hydrolyzed Collagen Oral Supplementation on Skin Rejuvenation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Cureus. doi:10.7759/cureus.50231Free full textPubMed 38192916DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error