For your skin
The protein your skin loses with age, broken down small enough to absorb. Multiple meta-analyses of RCTs show measurable wins in wrinkles, elasticity, and hydration after ~12 weeks. Most evidence is oral, but topical helps surface hydration too.
Want the science? Keep reading ↓Mechanism of action
Enzymatically cleaved collagen yielding low-MW di- and tri-peptides (Pro-Hyp, Hyp-Gly) that, when ingested, reach dermal fibroblasts and signal upregulated procollagen and hyaluronic acid synthesis; topically acts as a film-forming humectant.
Why we tier this moderate
7 cited papers across 3 countries. The mechanism is well-described and there's at least one controlled trial in the literature, but we tier this Moderate rather than Strong to stay honest about how many specific papers we cite directly.
Cited research
Reilly DM, Kynaston L, Naseem S, Proudman E, Laceby D. A Clinical Trial Shows Improvement in Skin Collagen, Hydration, Elasticity, Wrinkles, Scalp, and Hair Condition following 12-Week Oral Intake of a Supplement Containing Hydrolysed Collagen. Dermatology Research and Practice. 2024. — Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial; 12-week oral collagen supplement showed 44.6% decrease in collagen fragmentation, +13.8% hydration, +22.7% elasticity, -19.6% wrinkle index vs placebo.
Demir-Dora D, Ozsoy U, Yildirim Y, et al. The Efficacy and Safety of CollaSel Pro® Hydrolyzed Collagen Peptide Supplementation without Addons in Improving Skin Health in Adult Females: A Double Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Study. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2024 Sep 11. — Double-blind RCT (n=112); significant improvements in skin elasticity (p=0.009), hydration (p<0.001), and roughness vs placebo.
Pu SY et al., Effects of Oral Collagen for Skin Anti-Aging: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, Nutrients 2023;15(9):2080 — 26 RCTs / 1,721 patients: hydrolyzed collagen significantly improved skin hydration and elasticity vs placebo across multiple collagen sources
Dewi DAR, Arimuko A, Norawati L, et al. Exploring the Impact of Hydrolyzed Collagen Oral Supplementation on Skin Rejuvenation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Cureus. 2023 Dec. — Meta-analysis of 14 studies (n=967); significant improvements in skin moisture and elasticity vs placebo.
Bianchi FM, Angelinetta C, Rizzi G, Pratico A, Villa R. Evaluation of the Efficacy of a Hydrolyzed Collagen Supplement for Improving Skin Moisturization, Smoothness, and Wrinkles. Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology. 2022 Mar;15(3). — 52-volunteer RCT; significant improvements in skin moisturization, elasticity, and wrinkle depth at 28 days vs maltodextrin control.
de Miranda RB, Weimer P, Rossi RC, Effects of hydrolyzed collagen supplementation on skin aging: a systematic review and meta-analysis, International Journal of Dermatology 2021 — 19 RCTs / 1,125 participants: 90-day oral hydrolyzed collagen significantly reduced wrinkles and improved skin elasticity and hydration vs placebo
Evans M et al., A randomized triple-blind placebo-controlled parallel study to evaluate the efficacy of a freshwater marine collagen on skin wrinkles and elasticity, Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology 2021;20(3):825-834 — 12-week RCT: ~35% reduction in wrinkle scores and improved elasticity vs placebo
Sources: 10 clinical journals and regulatory databases across the US, EU, Korea, Japan, and China. Every entry points to a specific document. See methodology for the full list and what each outcome label means.