Bridget Benelam, a nutrition scientist at the British Nutrition Foundation, said diet was also important for skin health.
“Vitamin C helps with collagen formation and so ensuring you get enough from foods such as citrus fruits, berries, green vegetables, peppers and tomatoes may help. Zinc, found in meat, poultry, cheese, some shellfish, nuts, seeds and wholegrains, also helps the body produce collagen.
“Dietary sources of collagen and many collagen supplements are made from animal products and so not suitable for vegan diets. However, the body makes its own collagen from the amino acids found in dietary protein and so protein from sources such as beans and lentils can provide the amino acids needed for collagen production. There are also vegan supplements available.”
Dr Tamara Griffiths, president of the British Association of Dermatologists, welcomed the research but recommended more: “Further data with targeted, robust dermatological studies are required to build on the promise raised by this systematic review.”