Whether you are looking to level up your skin care routine or are interested in longevity, you\u2019ve likely noticed the growing buzz around collagen supplements and drinks, a booming market projected to grow from $2.4 billion in 2024 to $3.5 billion in 2033, according to one report.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Katie Vasenina, an assistant professor in the University of Tampa\u2019s Health Science and Human Performance Department, felt compelled to study whether collagen supplementation could improve exercise recovery \u201cbecause it was becoming this hype,\u201d she says. \u201cYou see it all over social media. People are saying that it\u2019s helpful for nails, muscles<\/a>, skin \u2014 all of that.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Is the hype warranted? Experts say it depends on your overall diet and health status, and not all products are the same. Plus, as dietary supplements, they skirt the level of Food and Drug Administration approval required for over-the-counter<\/a> and prescription meds, so they can be contaminated or make false claims about what they contain.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cCollagen is only part of the story,\u201d says Dr. Kseniya Kobets, director of cosmetic dermatology and an assistant professor of dermatology at Montefiore Einstein in New York. It\u2019s not like it will make you look 10 years younger in eight weeks, she says. \u201cIt\u2019s more of a sidekick to your antiaging game.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Potential benefits of collagen supplements\u00a0<\/p>\n According to the Cleveland Clinic,collagen is the most prevalent protein in the body, responsible for supporting and strengthening your skin, muscles, bones<\/a>, connective tissues and more. It helps replace dead skin cells, protect your organs and clot your blood.\u00a0<\/p>\n While the body naturally makes collagen from amino acids in protein-rich foods like meat, bone broth, egg whites and spirulina, its natural quality and quantity decline with age, especially among postmenopausal women, the Cleveland Clinic says.\u00a0Given its role in skin elasticity and wrinkle reduction<\/a>, \u201cit makes sense that if you somehow can increase it, it\u2019s going to make a difference to how we look,\u201d Vasenina says.\u00a0<\/p>\n