amino acid
Collagen
Hydrolyzed protein supporting skin elasticity, joint cartilage, and gut lining.
What it’s good for
Collagen for Joint Pain
Solid3 studies · 3 supporting · 0 against
5 safety notes
Supplies the building blocks cartilage is made from.
Dose: 10–15 g
Collagen for Skin Elasticity & Wrinkles
Mixed5 studies · 4 supporting · 1 against
5 safety notes
Small collagen fragments reach the bloodstream and are thought to tell skin cells to make more collagen.
Dose: 1–5 g
Tested as: hydrolyzed collagen peptides; most positive trials used the patented bioactive collagen peptide Verisol (GELITA AG) at 2.5-5 g/day for 8 weeks; one independent-brand trial used 1 g/day of a different, fish-derived low-molecular-weight collagen peptide for 12 weeks
Collagen for Slow Recovery
Evidence2 studies · 2 supporting · 0 against
5 safety notes
May supply what tendons need to rebuild — though it seems to need training alongside it to do anything.
Dose: 5–15 g
Tested as: specific collagen peptides (GELITA-patented blends, e.g. PeptENDURE/TENDOFORTE), 5-15 g daily for 12 weeks, always paired with a structured exercise/loading program -- never tested as a stand-alone recovery aid
Collagen for Brittle Nails
Evidence2 studies · 1 supporting · 0 against
5 safety notes
Supplies the building blocks nails are made from, and speeds how fast they grow.
Dose: 2.5–5 g
Tested as: specific bioactive collagen peptides, 2.5 g/day
Collagen for Dry Skin
No Benefit3 studies · 2 supporting · 1 against
5 safety notes
How it was tested: In 69 women, collagen improved skin elasticity. The moisture gain was less clear-cut.
The idea is that collagen fragments reach the skin and prompt it to make more of its own.
Dose: 2.5–10 g
Collagen for Chronic Inflammation
No Benefit1 study · 0 supporting · 1 against
5 safety notes
How it was tested: Over 180 days, neither inflammation marker moved. Both groups stayed in the normal range throughout.
There is no established route by which swallowed collagen would lower inflammation in the body.
Dose: 3–15 g
Tested as: no trial has tested collagen peptides against chronic inflammation as a primary outcome; hs-CRP/ESR have only been measured as secondary outcomes inside osteoarthritis and muscle-recovery trials at 3-15 g/day
Collagen for Back Pain
Not verified1 study · 0 supporting · 0 against
5 safety notes
Why it gets suggested: The same idea as for joints, applied to spinal discs. Not shown for the back.
Dose: 10 g
Tested as: collagen peptide drink, 10 g daily for 12 weeks, in adults reporting lower-back discomfort (not a diagnosed spinal condition)
Why we could not verify it: We read the research behind this and none of it concluded that it works for this. That is a finding about the papers, not a verdict that it does nothing.