{"id":869240,"date":"2026-08-26T16:40:12","date_gmt":"2026-08-26T16:40:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/869240\/"},"modified":"2026-08-26T16:40:12","modified_gmt":"2026-08-26T16:40:12","slug":"collagen-vs-collagen-peptides-which-supplement-is-better","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/869240\/","title":{"rendered":"Collagen vs. Collagen Peptides: Which Supplement Is Better?"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019ve ever stood by a shelf or paused mid-scroll to debate the merits of collagen vs. collagen peptides, welcome to the club. Ever since the role of collagen\u2014a key protein in the skin that effectively serves as its scaffolding, keeping it firm and smooth\u2014came to the forefront, it\u2019s become a sought-after ingredient in both topical skin-care products<\/a> and oral supplements<\/a> alike. That\u2019s because your own natural stores of collagen break down over time, destroyed by years of sun exposure, sugar consumption<\/a>, and natural wear-and-tear. It\u2019s understandable, then, that you might want to replace it.<\/p>\n

However, re-upping your skin\u2019s natural supply of collagen isn\u2019t quite as simple as ingesting or slathering oneself in more collagen. Here\u2019s what you can do to bolster your skin\u2019s natural stores of the sought-after protein.<\/p>\n

Vogue\u2019s Favorite Products to Stimulate Collagen ProductionWhich is better to take, collagen or collagen peptides?<\/p>\n

Experts have long been reluctant to wholeheartedly endorse collagen supplements<\/a>, but the tide may finally be turning. \u201cI\u2019ve become more open to collagen supplementation as the research has accumulated,\u201d says Melanie Palm, M.D.<\/a>, a board-certified dermatologist in La Jolla, CA. While there haven\u2019t been any strong or definitive studies showing that oral collagen\u2014which itself is a large molecule and likely gets broken down into amino acids and other byproducts in the gut\u2014has any impact on skin, the evidence on collagen peptides is more compelling.<\/p>\n

Unlike collagen supplements, collagen peptides typically use \u201chydrolyzed\u201d collagen, meaning it\u2019s been broken down into peptides<\/a> (molecules that, in general, are important for stimulating collagen and elastin production, boosting hyaluronic acid levels, and carrying out other tasks in skin). And \u201cseveral studies and reviews have found that hydrolyzed collagen peptides taken consistently may modestly improve skin hydration and elasticity and, in some studies, the appearance of fine lines or wrinkles,\u201d says Dr. Palm. However, she adds, the key word is \u201cmodestly.\u201d Drinking collagen for a month won\u2019t transform your skin.<\/p>\n

It helps to know what happens when you actually take a collagen supplement. Once you drink it, your digestive system breaks down that collagen, \u201cproviding the body with amino acids that can be used as building blocks for collagen synthesis,\u201d says Jenna Queller, M.D.<\/a>, a board-certified dermatologist in Boca Raton, FL. Your body can then use those building blocks to renew and strengthen your skin, your muscle, your bones, or other tissues\u2014but there\u2019s no guarantee that they\u2019ll go straight to your laugh lines, for example.<\/p>\n

As a result, both dermatologists stress that collagen peptide supplements<\/a> are nowhere near a substitute for a thoughtful skin-care and wellness routine. \u201cI consider it an adjunct, not a replacement for a balanced diet, sunscreen, retinoids, or other evidence-based skincare,\u201d says Dr. Palm.<\/p>\n

How to Get More Collagen<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re aiming for firmer skin, your best bet is to pair collagen peptide supplements with a collagen-minded skin-care routine. However, it\u2019s worth being discerning in this arena as well. \u201cCollagen molecules are generally too large to penetrate deeply into the skin and directly replace the collagen that is lost with aging,\u201d explains Dr. Queller. Again, hydrolyzed collagen is more likely to absorb\u2014but even so, these ingredients \u201care primarily supporting hydration and the appearance of the skin rather than rebuilding the deeper collagen matrix,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"If you\u2019ve ever stood by a shelf or paused mid-scroll to debate the merits of collagen vs. collagen…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":869241,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[22819,116510,116511,1670,22820,64,63,5424,137,532,22821,7240,55786,49342,1672],"class_list":["post-869240","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nutrition","tag-_commerce","tag-_presets_commerce_vogue","tag-_presets_commerce_vogue_beauty","tag-_seo","tag-_syndication_noshow","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-beauty","tag-health","tag-nutrition","tag-onecolumn","tag-shopping","tag-storytypecategory-guide-comparison","tag-textabovecenterfullbleed","tag-web"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/869240","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=869240"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/869240\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/869241"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=869240"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=869240"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=869240"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}