Collagen Peptides

What are Collagen Peptides?

Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body — accounting for approximately 30% of total protein content. It provides the structural scaffolding for skin, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, bones, and blood vessels. There are at least 28 types of collagen, with types I, II, and III being the most abundant and health-relevant.

Collagen production begins declining at approximately age 25 — at a rate of about 1% per year. By age 40, production has typically declined by 15-20%, and by age 60, by 30-40%. This progressive decline is directly responsible for wrinkle formation, joint stiffness, reduced skin elasticity, and bone density loss.

Collagen peptides are collagen that has been hydrolysed — broken down into short amino acid chains (peptides) that are small enough to be absorbed intact through the gut wall and distributed to target tissues throughout the body.

How Collagen Peptides Work

When collagen peptides are absorbed, they accumulate in skin and cartilage tissue and stimulate resident fibroblasts to produce new collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid. They also provide the specific amino acids — particularly glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline — that the body requires for collagen synthesis but which are largely absent from modern muscle-meat-dominated diets.

Research-Backed Benefits

Skin Elasticity and Anti-Aging

A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial published in Skin Pharmacology and Physiology found that women taking 2.5g of collagen peptides daily for 8 weeks showed a 20% reduction in eye wrinkle depth and significant improvements in skin elasticity and moisture content compared to placebo. Effects were maintained for 4 weeks after supplementation ended, suggesting stimulated endogenous collagen production.

Joint Health and Osteoarthritis

A randomised controlled trial published in Current Medical Research and Opinion found that athletes taking collagen hydrolysate experienced significantly less joint pain during activity compared to placebo. Type II collagen specifically targets cartilage and has shown benefits in osteoarthritis in multiple clinical trials.

Bone Density

A 12-month study in Nutrients found that postmenopausal women taking collagen peptides with calcium and vitamin D had significantly greater improvements in bone mineral density than those taking calcium and vitamin D alone.

Choosing a Quality Collagen Supplement

• Source: Marine collagen (fish) is predominantly type I — best for skin. Bovine collagen provides types I and III — good for skin, gut, and tendons. Chicken collagen is richest in type II — best for joint cartilage.
• Form: Hydrolysed peptides (also called collagen hydrolysate) are best absorbed. Look for molecular weight under 5,000 Daltons.
• Vitamin C: Vitamin C is essential for collagen synthesis — take with a vitamin C source or choose a product that includes it.
• Dose: Research doses range from 2.5-15g daily. 10g daily is a common and well-evidenced dose for skin and joint benefits.