There are certain things I take because I am deeply committed to my health and wellbeing. There are other things I take because I have reached the age where my body has started sending me increasingly passive-aggressive reminders that it would appreciate some maintenance.
Collagen falls somewhere between the two.
I started taking it because, well, I am in my forties and I have eyes. I can see what happens to skin as collagen production declines. But somewhere along the way, I became equally interested in what collagen might be doing for everything underneath the skin too, particularly joints and connective tissue.
The collagen I use is Beauty Gen Naked Collagen Complete Type I, II & III. I take one scoop most mornings, usually stirred into my coffee. This isn’t because collagen has some magical affinity with coffee or because I have been told I need to take it before 9am. It is simply because I know myself. If I don’t attach a supplement to something I already do every single day, there is a very good chance I simply won’t remember to take it at all.
My morning coffee is therefore collagen delivery system number one. And, as I don’t put milk in the coffee I make at home, the collagen powder gives my coffee a slightly creamier texture, which I actually really like. It is flavourless and dissolves easily, so it doesn’t feel like I am drinking a cup of coffee that has been interfered with by a wellness supplement. It still tastes like coffee, which is important. There are limits to my commitment to ageing well.
I also add it to my high-protein shake. If you’ve read my recipe for my go-to high-protein shake, you’ll know that I am very fond of making food work a little harder for me. The collagen makes the shake super creamy, which is another reason I don’t mind having it in there.
And yes, I am aware that adding collagen to a protein shake sounds like a very 2026 thing to do. But there is actually a reason I like the combination. Collagen is a source of protein, but it isn’t a complete protein and I wouldn’t use it as a replacement for a proper protein powder. I think of it as an addition rather than the main event.
So, what exactly is collagen?
Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body and is a major structural component of things including skin, bones, tendons and cartilage. Think of it as some of the scaffolding that helps give our bodies their structure and strength.
Unfortunately, collagen production doesn’t remain at its youthful peak forever.
As we get older, our natural collagen production declines, which is one of the reasons the skin becomes thinner and less elastic and wrinkles become more noticeable. And, because apparently getting older wasn’t already offering us enough plot twists, collagen isn’t just about your face. It is also involved in the connective tissues that help keep your joints, bones, tendons and cartilage functioning.
This is where collagen supplements get interesting.
The idea isn’t that you swallow collagen and it marches directly to your forehead and fills in a wrinkle like tiny biological builders. Your digestive system breaks collagen down into peptides and amino acids, which your body can then use.
There is some genuinely encouraging research around this. A 2023 systematic review and meta-analysis of 26 randomised controlled trials involving 1,721 participants found that hydrolysed collagen supplementation significantly improved skin hydration and elasticity compared with placebo, although the researchers also noted limitations and called for larger, better-quality trials.
More recent research remains encouraging but isn’t a reason to throw away your moisturiser and declare collagen the fountain of youth. A 2026 systematic review of 25 randomised controlled trials found improvements in several measures of skin health, including hydration, elasticity and wrinkle depth, while also concluding that the evidence is not completely consistent and that more research is needed.
So I am very much in the camp of promising, but not magic.
What does vitamin C have to do with collagen?
This is one of those things you will see mentioned constantly when you start looking into collagen, and there is a good reason for it.
Vitamin C is essential for the body’s normal collagen synthesis. It acts as a cofactor for enzymes involved in the formation and stabilisation of collagen. In other words, your body needs vitamin C to make collagen properly. A review published in the Archives of Dermatology explains the important role of ascorbic acid, or vitamin C, in collagen biosynthesis.
But I would be careful with the way this is sometimes described online.
You will often hear that you should take vitamin C with collagen because it “helps your body absorb the collagen”. That is a bit of an oversimplification. Vitamin C isn’t necessarily making the collagen powder magically absorb better. It is helping provide one of the nutrients your body needs to make and stabilise its own collagen.
There is also no need to panic if your collagen powder doesn’t contain vitamin C. You can get vitamin C perfectly well from your diet through foods such as citrus fruit, berries, peppers, broccoli and tomatoes.
Interestingly, a randomised controlled study comparing collagen peptides with and without vitamin C found that adding 500 mg of vitamin C did not produce an additional significant improvement in skin hydration or elasticity compared with collagen alone.
So my takeaway isn’t “Collagen must be taken with a giant vitamin c tablet”. It is simply that I want to make sure I am getting enough vitamin C as part of my overall diet because my body needs it for collagen synthesis anyway.
And if you want to have your collagen with a source of vitamin C, that’s a perfectly sensible combination. You just don’t need to turn it into another complicated wellness ritual.
And then there are the different types of collagen
This is where buying collagen can become unnecessarily confusing.
You’ll see Type I, Type II, Type III, Type V, Type X and approximately seventeen thousand claims about which one will apparently transform your life, your skin, your knees and possibly your relationship.
The three you are most likely to encounter in a supplement are Types I, II and III.
Type I is the big one. It is the most abundant type of collagen in the human body and is particularly important in skin, bones, tendons and connective tissue. When people are talking about collagen supplements for skin, firmness, elasticity and the general business of trying to look like you get eight hours of sleep, Type I is usually the one being discussed.
Type III tends to hang out alongside Type I. It is found in skin and other connective tissues and contributes to their structure and elasticity. This is why Types I and III are often combined in supplements rather than treated as completely separate things.
Type II is the slightly different one. It is particularly associated with cartilage, which is why you will see it mentioned in supplements aimed at joints and mobility.
The collagen I use contains Type I, II and III collagen, with the product containing hydrolysed collagen peptides from bovine and aquatic sources, as well as standardised chicken cartilage providing undenatured Type II collagen. One serving provides 9.996g of hydrolysed collagen peptides plus 40mg of the chicken cartilage ingredient. The manufacturer’s product information gives the full breakdown.
And that is actually one of the reasons I chose a Type I, II and III product rather than simply buying a collagen powder marketed for skin.
I am not only interested in what is happening to my face. My knees, ankles and other assorted bits of connective tissue would also like a seat at the table.
Which collagen type do you actually need?
If your main interest is skin, hair, nails and general connective tissue support, I would look for a product containing Type I, with Type III being a useful addition.
If joint and cartilage support is your primary concern, Type II is the one worth paying attention to. But don’t assume that seeing “Type II” on the front of a tub automatically means you’ve found a superior joint supplement. Look at what form of Type II it contains and how much of it is actually present.
And if, like me, you’re interested in the whole package rather than trying to solve one very specific problem, a product containing Types I, II and III is a fairly straightforward option.
The important thing is not to get sucked into the idea that you need all three simply because a label has made them sound like the collagen equivalent of the Holy Trinity. There are different types because they have different roles in the body. More types does not automatically mean more effective.
Why I became particularly interested in collagen
I actually noticed my skin changing during my second pregnancy.
And yes, I know pregnancy does all sorts of things to your body. Hormones, fluid shifts, sleep deprivation, nutritional demands and the small matter of growing an entire human being are all going to have an impact. But I genuinely felt as though the collagen had been sucked straight out of my face.
I was also what the medical world rather politely calls of “a geriatric pregnancy”.
Suddenly I was seeing wrinkles in places where there hadn’t been wrinkles before. My skin looked different. Older, somehow. It wasn’t just that I had less sleep or looked exhausted. There seemed to be a genuine change in the structure and quality of my skin.
You know the saying that girls are still their mother’s beauty?
Well, my baby apparently decided to take a rather aggressive withdrawal from the account.
And it wasn’t subtle.
Now, nine months after giving birth, having continued with collagen, I can honestly say that I feel as though some of that lost plumpness and freshness is coming back. I am not going to tell you that collagen has magically erased my wrinkles because that would be nonsense. I have also been through pregnancy, postpartum life, sleep deprivation and approximately 400,000 other things that affect how my face looks.
But I can see a difference in my skin, and I like what I am seeing.
Whether collagen is responsible for all of it? I obviously can’t tell you that. But the research suggesting that oral hydrolysed collagen can improve skin hydration and elasticity makes my experience feel considerably less fanciful.
There are also individual clinical trials showing encouraging results. For example, a 2024 randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial found improvements in measures including skin collagen, hydration and elasticity after 12 weeks of a supplement containing hydrolysed collagen and vitamin C.
That doesn’t prove that the same thing will happen to everyone. It does, however, make me feel a little less ridiculous for looking in the mirror nine months postpartum and thinking, Oh. You seem to be coming back.
And then there are my joints
There is another reason I am quite interested in the joint side of collagen.
When my first child was a baby, I developed a very specific parenting problem.
I would put him down to sleep, creep out of his room and make it approximately three steps towards the door before my ankles would go click, click, click. Without fail.
If you’re an older mother, you know exactly what I am talking about.
There is nothing quite like successfully getting a baby to sleep, spending ten minutes convincing yourself that you are now free to do something incredibly exciting like eat a meal while it is still warm, and then having your own joints loudly announce your escape attempt.
Those creaky joints will set you up to fail every single time.
I can’t tell you that collagen has transformed my joints or that every little click has disappeared. Bodies are considerably more complicated than that. And while there is research into collagen and joint health, I wouldn’t use my personal experience as proof that collagen is a treatment for joint problems.
What I can say is that joint health has become something I pay much more attention to as I get older, and it is one of the reasons I like taking a collagen that includes Type II rather than thinking of collagen purely as an anti-wrinkle powder.
Because at forty-something, I would quite like my face to look good and my ankles to keep their chirps to themselves.
What should you look for when buying collagen?
The first thing I would look at is how much collagen you are actually getting.
A tub can have a beautiful label, a woman with impossible skin on the front and the words “premium collagen complex” written in enormous letters, but that doesn’t necessarily tell you much. Turn the tub around and look at the actual serving size and the amount of collagen in it.
I also prefer hydrolysed collagen peptides for general supplementation. Hydrolysis breaks collagen down into smaller peptides, which are readily digested and absorbed. Research into oral collagen has found that collagen-derived peptides can appear in the circulation after ingestion, although exactly how these peptides contribute to the effects seen in different tissues is still being investigated. A systematic review of oral collagen supplementation discusses this mechanism in detail.
The next thing I would check is where the collagen comes from.
Collagen can be bovine, marine or chicken-derived, among other sources, and this matters if you have allergies, dietary preferences or simply want to know what you’re putting into your body. My particular collagen contains bovine and aquatic collagen peptides as well as chicken cartilage-derived Type II collagen, so it is definitely worth checking the ingredient list rather than assuming that “collagen powder” is just collagen powder.
And don’t confuse “marine collagen” with automatically being better collagen. Marine, bovine and other sources have different collagen profiles and may suit different products and dietary preferences, but more expensive does not automatically equal more effective. The 2023 meta-analysis I mentioned earlier did not find significant differences in skin elasticity outcomes based on collagen source.
I would also be suspicious of collagen products that promise absolutely everything.
If a powder claims it will erase wrinkles, rebuild your joints, grow your hair, strengthen your nails, fix your gut, burn fat and generally reverse the ageing process, I would put the tub down and slowly back away.
Collagen may be useful. It isn’t sorcery.
One thing collagen won’t do
This is worth mentioning because collagen is often thrown around as though it is interchangeable with protein powder.
It isn’t.
Collagen is protein, but it isn’t a complete protein source. It doesn’t provide all of the essential amino acids in the proportions you need, so I wouldn’t replace your normal high-protein foods or protein powder with collagen.
For me, that’s why it works particularly well in my morning routine. I can have my collagen in my coffee, have my high-protein shake later, eat proper meals and generally get my protein from a variety of sources.
It’s an addition to my diet, not a shortcut around it.
Do you need to take collagen forever?
This is another area where I think the internet gets slightly carried away.
You don’t need collagen powder in order to age. Humans have been doing this quite successfully without little white tubs of peptides for thousands of years.
But if you like taking it, tolerate it well and feel that it makes a difference to your skin or joints, there is nothing particularly complicated about making it part of your routine.
For me, consistency is much more important than finding the “perfect” time of day.
Morning coffee works because I will actually remember it.
That’s my highly sophisticated supplement strategy.
A few things I would be wary of
Collagen supplements are generally well tolerated in clinical studies, but they are still supplements, not magical little clouds of wellness. Check the ingredient list carefully if you have allergies, particularly if the product contains fish, chicken, bovine or other animal-derived ingredients. My particular collagen contains aquatic and chicken-derived ingredients, so this is definitely something I would check rather than assuming that “collagen powder” is just collagen powder.
I’d also be cautious about taking collagen while pregnant or breastfeeding without checking with your healthcare professional. The manufacturer specifically advises pregnant and nursing women to consult a healthcare practitioner before using this product.
And finally, don’t let the promise of beautiful skin distract you from the boring things that actually form the foundation of healthy ageing. Eating enough protein, getting a decent range of nutrients, protecting your skin from UV exposure, sleeping when you can and not smoking are considerably less glamorous than adding a scoop of powder to your coffee, but they matter.
Collagen is the accessory. It isn’t the entire outfit.
So, will I keep taking it?
Yes. Partly because I like the way my skin looks now. Partly because I like the creaminess it adds to my coffee and my high-protein shake. And partly because I have reached the age where I am no longer willing to wait until my joints start making noises before I consider looking after them.
But mostly, I think, because collagen makes sense to me as part of the bigger picture of ageing.
I’m not interested in pretending that my body is going to stay exactly as it was at 25. It isn’t. My face has changed. My skin has changed. My joints have changed. My metabolism has changed.
What I am interested in is giving my body the building blocks it needs as I get older and seeing what happens.
And nine months after having a baby, when I look in the mirror and feel as though some of the collagen that my pregnancy apparently stole has started to return, I’m quite happy to keep doing whatever I’m doing.
Even if the only completely scientifically proven benefit is that my coffee is now slightly creamier.
I’ll take it.
Collagen Powder FAQs
What is collagen powder?
Collagen powder is a dietary supplement made from collagen that has usually been broken down into smaller peptides, making it easier to digest and absorb. Collagen itself is the most abundant protein in the human body and provides structure to skin, bones, cartilage, tendons and other connective tissues. As we get older, our natural collagen production declines, which is one reason collagen powder has become such a popular supplement for ageing skin and joint support.
What are the benefits of collagen powder?
Research suggests that taking hydrolysed collagen peptides may improve certain aspects of skin health, particularly hydration and elasticity. There is also research looking at collagen supplementation and joint health. The evidence isn’t conclusive for every claimed benefit, but there is enough promising research that I think collagen powder is worth considering as part of an overall healthy ageing routine. A 2023 systematic review and meta-analysis of 26 randomised controlled trials found significant improvements in skin hydration and elasticity among people taking hydrolysed collagen compared with placebo.
Which type of collagen powder is best for skin?
If your main reason for taking collagen powder is your skin, Type I is the one I’d pay the most attention to. Type I is the most abundant collagen in the body and is particularly important in skin, bones, tendons and connective tissue. Type III is also found in skin and commonly occurs alongside Type I, which is why the two are often combined in collagen supplements.
What is Type II collagen powder good for?
Type II collagen is particularly associated with cartilage, so it is the type you’ll most often see in collagen supplements aimed at joints and mobility. If your main reason for taking collagen powder is joint support, Type II is therefore worth looking for. Just remember that the type of Type II collagen and the amount included in a product can vary considerably.
Should I take Type I, II and III collagen powder?
That depends on what you’re looking for. If your main focus is skin, Type I and III are the most relevant. If you’re also interested in joints and cartilage, Type II may be useful. I take Beauty Gen Naked Collagen Complete Type I, II & III because I like the idea of covering all three rather than trying to decide which part of my body gets the collagen.
That doesn’t mean that everyone needs all three, though. More types of collagen doesn’t automatically mean a product is better.
Does collagen powder help with wrinkles?
There is some encouraging evidence that hydrolysed collagen supplementation can improve skin hydration and elasticity, and some clinical trials have reported improvements in measures of skin ageing, including wrinkle appearance. That doesn’t mean collagen powder will erase wrinkles or reverse ageing. I think it’s much more realistic to view it as something that may support skin quality over time.
A 2023 systematic review and meta-analysis found improvements in skin hydration and elasticity across 26 randomised controlled trials, although the researchers also noted limitations in the available evidence.
Does collagen powder help with your joints?
There is promising research into collagen and joint health because collagen is an important component of cartilage and connective tissue. However, the evidence depends on the particular type and formulation being studied, so I wouldn’t describe collagen powder as a treatment for joint problems.
For me, joint support is simply one of the reasons I like taking a collagen product containing Type II rather than thinking about collagen purely as a beauty supplement.
Does vitamin C make collagen powder work better?
This one gets slightly muddled online. Vitamin C is essential for your body’s own collagen production, so getting enough vitamin C is important. It isn’t quite accurate, however, to say that vitamin C simply makes collagen powder absorb better.
Vitamin C acts as a cofactor in the processes your body uses to produce and stabilise collagen. So I think of vitamin C as supporting the body’s collagen-making machinery rather than as some sort of absorption booster.
A review of vitamin C and collagen biosynthesis explains the important role vitamin C plays in collagen formation.
Do I need to take vitamin C with collagen powder?
Not necessarily. If you’re already getting enough vitamin C through your diet, you don’t need to take a separate vitamin C supplement simply because you’re taking collagen powder.
Foods such as citrus fruit, berries, peppers, broccoli and tomatoes are all good sources of vitamin C. And interestingly, a randomised controlled trial comparing collagen peptides with and without vitamin C did not find a significant additional benefit to adding vitamin C to the collagen supplement.
So yes, vitamin C is important for collagen production. No, you don’t need to turn taking collagen into a complicated morning supplement ceremony involving six different powders.
Is collagen powder a complete protein?
No. This is an important distinction if you’re using collagen alongside your protein intake. Collagen is a protein, but it isn’t a complete protein because it doesn’t provide all of the essential amino acids in the proportions your body needs.
That’s why I don’t use collagen powder as a replacement for my normal protein powder or high-protein foods. I see it as an addition to my diet rather than my primary source of protein.
When is the best time to take collagen powder?
There doesn’t appear to be a magical time of day when collagen suddenly becomes more effective. The best time to take it is probably the time you will actually remember to take it consistently.
I have mine with my morning coffee for exactly this reason. If I don’t attach a supplement to something I already do every day, there is a very good chance I’ll forget about it completely.
How long does collagen powder take to work?
Don’t expect to see a difference after three days. Most studies investigating collagen and skin have looked at supplementation over several weeks, often around 8–12 weeks or longer.
That doesn’t mean everyone will notice a difference at exactly 12 weeks. It simply gives you an idea of the timescale researchers are generally working with. Consistency is probably more useful than worrying about the precise time of day you take it.
Can I put collagen powder in coffee?
Yes. Collagen peptides are generally easy to mix into hot drinks, although it’s always worth following the instructions for the particular product you’re using.
I put mine into my morning coffee and actually like the slightly creamier texture it gives it. I don’t add milk to my coffee at home, so this is an unexpected bonus. It means my collagen powder is doing double duty: potentially supporting my ageing body while also making my coffee more enjoyable.
Can I put collagen powder in a protein shake?
Absolutely. This is another one of my favourite ways to use it. I add collagen powder to my high-protein shake, where it makes the shake exceptionally creamy.
Just remember that collagen shouldn’t replace your usual complete protein source. I use it alongside protein powder and a generally protein-rich diet rather than instead of them.
Is marine collagen better than bovine collagen?
Not necessarily. Marine and bovine collagen come from different sources and can have different collagen profiles, but “marine” doesn’t automatically mean “better”.
When choosing a collagen powder, I’d be more interested in which types of collagen it contains, how much collagen you’re actually getting per serving, the form it’s in and whether the ingredients suit you than simply whether the word “marine” appears on the tub.
What should I look for when buying collagen powder?
This is where I’d ignore the marketing on the front of the tub and turn it around.
Look at the amount of collagen per serving, the types of collagen included, whether it is hydrolysed, where the collagen comes from and what other ingredients have been added.
I’d also be wary of collagen powders making enormous promises. If one product claims it will erase your wrinkles, rebuild your joints, grow your hair, strengthen your nails, burn fat and reverse ageing all at once, I’d be putting that tub firmly back on the shelf.
Collagen may be useful. It isn’t sorcery.
Are there any reasons to be cautious when taking collagen powder?
The first thing I’d check is the source. Collagen powders can be made from bovine, marine, chicken and other animal sources, so check the ingredient list carefully if you have allergies, dietary restrictions or simply want to know exactly what you’re taking.
I’d also check the dosage rather than assuming that a giant tub automatically means you’re getting a meaningful amount of collagen. And if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, it’s sensible to speak to your healthcare professional before taking a collagen supplement. The manufacturer of the collagen I use specifically recommends this.
Can I take collagen powder every day?
Collagen supplements are commonly taken daily, and many of the studies looking at collagen and skin have involved daily supplementation over several weeks or months. Follow the serving instructions for the particular product you’re using rather than assuming that more is better. For me, daily makes sense because it removes the need to remember whether today is a collagen day. It is simply part of my morning coffee.
Does collagen powder really work?
This is probably the question I’d ask before spending money on it. My honest answer is I think the research is promising, but collagen powder isn’t magic and the evidence isn’t conclusive for every claim made about it. There is reasonably good evidence that hydrolysed collagen can improve measures such as skin hydration and elasticity, but studies vary in their collagen sources, formulations, doses and quality. A 2023 meta-analysis found encouraging results for skin hydration and elasticity, while more recent research continues to investigate how significant and consistent these effects are. And then there’s my completely unscientific contribution to the evidence base: I’m nine months postpartum, I’ve continued taking collagen, and I genuinely feel as though my skin is looking more like itself again. Can I prove collagen did that? No. Am I going to stop taking it? Also no.