{"id":750811,"date":"2026-08-26T23:32:11","date_gmt":"2026-08-26T23:32:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/750811\/"},"modified":"2026-08-26T23:32:11","modified_gmt":"2026-08-26T23:32:11","slug":"collagen-vs-collagen-peptides-which-supplement-is-better","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/750811\/","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 versus 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 decline and degrade over time, due to aging as well as factors like sun exposure and excess sugar<\/a>. 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 on 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 for Supporting CollagenWhat\u2019s the Difference Between Collagen and Collagen Peptides?<\/p>\n

Experts have long been reluctant to endorse collagen supplements<\/a> wholeheartedly, but the tide may finally be turning. \u201cI\u2019ve become more open to collagen supplementation as the research has accumulated,\u201d says Melanie Palm, MD<\/a>, a board-certified dermatologist in La Jolla, California.<\/p>\n

Most collagen supplements studied for skin contain hydrolyzed collagen, also known as collagen peptides<\/a>, or short chains of amino acids. Hydrolysis breaks collagen\u2014a large protein\u2014into smaller peptide fragments that are easier to digest and absorb. Research on oral hydrolyzed collagen peptides has produced promising but mixed results.<\/p>\n

\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 Dr. Palm says. However, she adds, the key word is modestly; drinking collagen for a month won\u2019t transform your skin. Some recent reviews have also raised questions about the quality and potential industry funding of the available research.<\/p>\n

It helps to know what happens when you actually take a collagen supplement. Once you ingest 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, MD<\/a>, a board-certified dermatologist in Boca Raton, Florida. Your body can then use those amino acids for protein synthesis throughout the body, including the synthesis of collagen\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 skin care,\u201d says Dr. Palm.<\/p>\n

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

If you\u2019re aiming for firmer skin, collagen peptide supplements are best considered an addition to\u2014not a replacement for\u2014a collagen-minded skin-care routine. However, it\u2019s worth being discerning in this arena too. \u201cCollagen molecules are generally too large to penetrate deeply into the skin and directly replace the collagen that is lost with aging,\u201d Dr. Queller explains. Smaller hydrolyzed collagen fragments may penetrate the outer layers of skin more readily than intact collagen\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 versus collagen…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":750812,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[45],"tags":[15264,77098,77099,26225,15266,712,102,6636,15267,1758,30976,30975,56,54,55,307],"class_list":["post-750811","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-beauty","tag-health","tag-nutrition","tag-onecolumn","tag-shopping","tag-storytypecategory-guide-comparison","tag-textabovecenterfullbleed","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom","tag-web"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/750811","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=750811"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/750811\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/750812"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=750811"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=750811"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=750811"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}