Collagen has gained traction as a promising supplement in recent years, with experts claiming that it can improve our appearance, strength, and recovery. But a colossal new review has pinpointed the pros, and less clear benefits of using collagen. Here’s what you need to know.
New Review Analyzes 113 Clinical Trials on Collagen Supplements
The massive new review, coming out of Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, England, assessed claims that collagen can help with performance, anti-aging, and recovery by crunching the data from 16 systematic reviews, including 113 randomized trials involving 8,000 participants around the world. “This study brings together the strongest evidence to date on collagen supplementation,” said Lee Smith, who was a co-author of the review, and serves as a Professor of Public Health.
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The Proven Benefits of Collagen
“Collagen shows a consistent, clinically meaningful signal where connective tissue matters,” explained second co-author, Dr Roshan Ravindran. “Better skin hydration and elasticity, less osteoarthritis pain, and modest but measurable gains in lean mass and strength.” He added, “It is not a miracle product, but as an adjunct taken consistently it looks like a sensible, low risk supplement for people who want to support skin, joints and muscle as they age, provided we stay honest that benefits are real but not universal, (as the) marketing often runs ahead of the evidence.”
Why Collagen May Not Be the Performance Booster Many Athletes Expect
Despite anecdotal evidence, the case for collagen was far from proved as relates to sports performance. While the modest muscle mass gains and osteoarthritis outcomes were associated with better ageing, they were not credited with making much of a difference to elite athletes.
The research found no clear evidence that collagen improved post-exercise muscle recovery, soreness, or mechanical issues with tendons, meaning that while long term use could be of some benefit, the use of collagen as a quick fix supplement would likely be in vain.
Is Collagen Worth Adding to Your Supplement Stack?
While collagen was not found to drastically improve performance as a standalone supplement, a 2025 study found that collagen, which is rich in glycine and proline, could supercharge the ability of protein to penetrate the connective tissues in a way that is certainly beneficial to athletes. So, work now continues to find out the optimum dosages for collagen, and how it might interact when mixed with other nutrients and supplements.
“Collagen is not a cure all, but it does have credible benefits when used consistently over time, particularly for skin and osteoarthritis,” said Professor Smith. “Our findings show clear benefits in key areas of healthy aging, while also dispelling some of the myths surrounding its use. This study marks an important step towards more informed public guidance and better designed future research. We need more high-quality clinical trials, including research examining long term health outcomes, optimal dosing and differences between collagen sources.”
