arthritis<\/a> symptoms.<\/p>\nCollagen, a protein naturally abundant in the body, plays a vital role in supporting and strengthening skin, nails, bones, and connective tissues.<\/p>\n
With age, collagen production starts to decline, leading to wrinkles and stiff joints.<\/p>\n
Supplements \u2013 which can be taken as tablets, liquids or powder mixed into drinks \u2013 claim to counteract this reduction.<\/p>\n
However, \u201cbold claims\u201d have been made about their anti-ageing benefits, according to researchers.<\/p>\n
The umbrella review by experts at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) included evidence from 16 reviews and 113 trials involving almost 8,000 patients around the world.<\/p>\n
It found taking collagen supplements over a long period was linked to improvements in skin elasticity and hydration.<\/p>\n
This supports the \u201cinside-out model of skin rejuvenation\u201d, researchers said, with supplements acting as \u201cagents of deeper tissue regeneration\u201d rather than \u201csuperficial cosmetic aids\u201d.<\/p>\n
However, taking collagen did not significantly affect skin roughness, the review suggests.<\/p>\n
![\"Collagen,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/09103201-352d051e-83f5-4cc3-97c5-14b3efcdaa30.jpg\")
Collagen, a protein naturally abundant in the body, plays a vital role in supporting and strengthening skin, nails, bones, and connective tissues (Alamy\/PA)<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom a public health perspective, this distinction matters; collagen may be best positioned not as an anti-wrinkle \u201cquick fix,\u201d but as a foundational dermal support for individuals seeking holistic skin maintenance,\u201d researchers said.<\/p>\n
They added that collagen supplements should be considered \u201ca legitimate adjunct for skin ageing\u201d by clinicians, \u201cparticularly among post-menopausal or photodamaged patients\u201d when usual treatments are not suitable or too costly.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, taking collagen supplements was \u201cconsistently\u201d linked to reducing the symptoms of arthritis, such as stiff and painful joints.<\/p>\n
It was also associated with improvements in muscle health, although there was no evidence that it helps improve soreness after exercise.<\/p>\n
Lee Smith, a professor of public health at ARU, said the study, published in Aesthetic Surgery Journal Open Forum, \u201cbrings together the strongest evidence to date on collagen supplementation\u201d.<\/p>\n
He added: \u201cBold claims have been made in relation to collagen supplementation and often by those marketing the product, for example, \u201cpromises\u201d have been made by manufacturers that collagen supplementation results in significant, rapid, and full-body anti-aging.<\/p>\n
\u201cCollagen is not a cure-all, but it does have credible benefits when used consistently over time, particularly for skin and osteoarthritis.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur findings show clear benefits in key areas of healthy ageing, while also dispelling some of the myths surrounding its use.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we define anti-ageing as a product or technique designed to prevent the appearance of getting older, then I believe our findings do support this claim for some parameters.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor example, an improvement in skin tone and moisture is associated with a more youthful looking appearance.\u201d<\/p>\n
Researchers acknowledged a number of limitations in the review, and said more work is needed to explore factors such as the dose of collagen and how long it is taken, and if factors like body composition impact its effectiveness.<\/p>\n
Further studies should also explore different collagen sources, such as bovine and marine, as well as formats, such as liquids and powders.<\/p>\n
Prof Lee added: \u201cThis study marks an important step towards more informed public guidance and better designed future research.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need more high-quality clinical trials, including research examining long term health outcomes, optimal dosing and differences between collagen sources.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":507179,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[45],"tags":[102,6636,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-507178","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nutrition","tag-health","tag-nutrition","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/507178","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=507178"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/507178\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/507179"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=507178"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=507178"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=507178"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}