Beyond the Hype: Your Guide to Collagen Supplements

Until recently, skincare mainly revolved around topical products such as creams, serums, and masks designed to moisturise, hydrate, and protect the skin. But lately, there’s been a noticeable shift. As more people start to connect the dots between internal health and glowing skin, there has been a growing interest in supporting skin health from within. That’s where collagen supplements come in. They’ve quickly become a popular choice for promoting healthy, youthful-looking skin, and even contribute to stronger hair and nails by providing essential structural proteins.

But with so many options out there, the question remains: which of these collagen supplements actually work, and what does the science say about their benefits?

I’m Vedika, a Pharmaceutics student with a background and knowledge in supplement formulation. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at collagen and its importance in maintaining not just skin, but also hair and nail health. We’ll also compare various collagen supplements available today, highlighting their specific benefits to help you choose the right collagen supplement that fits your personal needs and dietary preferences.

Collagen is the most prevalent structural protein in our skin, making up 80% of its dry weight. Its special triple-helix structure, formed by repeating amino acids such as proline and glycine, gives collagen its strength and elasticity, the key qualities for firm skin and fewer wrinkles. Collagen serves as the framework of the skin’s extracellular matrix, helping tissue repair and preserving a youthful appearance.

But as we age, our natural collagen production slows down due to reduced fibroblast activity and a decrease in the number of blood vessels in the skin. This leads to dryness, fine lines, and wrinkles. While creams and injectables can help, they have their limitations, like poor absorption or side effects. That’s where collagen supplements come in, offering a simple, non-invasive way to support skin health from within.

When picking a collagen supplement, the source of the collagen plays a major part. It influences both how effective the supplement is and how well it fits your individual needs. So, is marine collagen better than bovine? And what about vegan or eggshell collagen? Do they offer different benefits? Each source has its own advantage, and choosing the right one really depends on your skin and wellness goals.

Marine collagen, derived from sustainably sourced fish skin and scales, is highly valued for its superior bioavailability and remarkable ability to stimulate the body’s natural collagen synthesis. Its small, hydrolysed peptides ensure efficient absorption, allowing it to penetrate deeply and activate fibroblasts for new collagen generation.

But the benefits extend further. Marine collagen also offers antioxidant protection, shielding your skin from daily environmental stressors like pollution and UV rays. What’s more, studies show that Marine collagen can boost insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), a crucial hormone for your skin’s natural repair and regeneration.

For an excellent example of these benefits in practice, take a look at Vida Glow Natural Marine Collagen Peach Flavour. This formula really stands out as it’s made with pure, straightforward ingredients, featuring collagen that’s activated through a natural hydrolysation process, which gives superior absorption and a truly high impact on your skin.

Key benefits:
1. Supports the structural integrity of hair and nails
2. Significantly enhances skin elasticity
3. Firms and plumps the skin, reducing visible signs of ageing

Bovine collagen, derived from the bones, skin, and connective tissues of cows, is a widely recognised supplement for its extensive wellness and beauty benefits. Oral intake of its specific peptides is shown to actively reduce wrinkles and boost skin elasticity by stimulating the extracellular matrix. Loaded with type I and III collagen, it also significantly supports joint health by aiding cartilage repair and easing discomfort, while contributing to stronger bones and a healthier gut.

Recent clinical trials show that bovine collagen can also influence body composition and satiety in overweight adults, with supplementation leading to reduced body weight, BMI, and improved fat-free mass.

To see these bovine collagen benefits in action, let’s explore Totally Derma, a premium supplement designed for comprehensive wellness. A key feature setting it apart is its substantial daily dose of 10,000 mg of hydrolysed bovine collagen (Arthred®), offering a significantly higher concentration than many standard options in the market.

It’s a fact that women can lose up to 30% of their skin collagen in the first five years after menopause. This makes solutions like Totally Derma even more vital. What’s truly impressive are the results: clinical trials and user reports confirm visible improvement in skin plumpness and reduction within just 8 weeks, with many also noting stronger hair and nails in around 6 weeks.

Key benefits:
1. Boosts natural skin collagen production, visibly reducing signs of ageing
2. Actively supports the repair of damaged skin cells
3. Targets joint health by reducing inflammation and promoting flexibility
4. Specifically recognised for alleviating menopausal dryness
5. Offers prebiotic benefits, clinically proven to improve gut health

Vegan collagen is a plant-based or fermentation-derived alternative to traditional animal-sourced collagen, designed to support skin, hair, nail and joint health. Unlike animal collagen, vegan collagen typically contains amino acids such as glycine, proline, lysine and plant extracts to stimulate the body’s own collagen production, offering a cruelty-free and sustainable option for beauty and wellness.

Fermentation technology using yeast and bacteria is also used to produce true vegan collagen, which is structurally similar to animal collagen and can be incorporated into skincare and supplements.

With the science of vegan collagen in mind, here’s an excellent product example called Zenii Beauty Glow Vegan Collagen. This high-quality liquid supplement uses a smart amino acid formula designed to act like Type 1 collagen. Unlike many other vegan options, this supplement gives your body the exact building blocks it needs to make collagen effectively.

Beyond these key amino acids, it also has a powerful mix of other beauty nutrients such as hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, biotin, etc for the best results. This combination is quickly recognised and absorbed by the body and proves to be an effective choice for those following a plant-based diet.

Key benefits:
1. Actively nourishes and strengthens your skin, hair, and nails from within
2. Helps prevent brittle nails and improves the appearance of thinning hair
3. Visibly decreases signs of ageing, including the look of fine lines and wrinkles.

Below is a comparison of leading collagen supplements:

Collagen is fundamental to our body’s structure and vitality, essential for keeping our skin firm, hair strong, and joints flexible. With so many great supplements now available, each with unique sources and formulations, it’s about finding the perfect match. It’s about choosing the one that best suits your body, daily routine, and personal wellness goals.

1. Campos LD, Santos Junior VA, Pimentel JD, Carregã GLF, Cazarin CBB. Collagen supplementation in skin and orthopedic diseases: A review of the literature. Heliyon. 2023;9(4):e14961. Published 2023 Mar 28. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14961

2. Rahman A, Rehmani R, Pirvu DG, Huang SM, Puri S, Arcos M. Unlocking the Therapeutic Potential of Marine Collagen: A Scientific Exploration for Delaying Skin Aging. Mar Drugs. 2024;22(4):159. Published 2024 Mar 30. doi:10.3390/md22040159

3. Proksch E, Zdzieblik D, Oesser S. The Oral Intake of Specific Bovine-Derived Bioactive Collagen Peptides Has a Stimulatory Effect on Dermal Matrix Synthesis and Improves Various Clinical Skin Parameters. Cosmetics. 2025; 12(2):79. https://doi.org/10.3390/cosmetics12020079

4. Proksch E, Segger D, Degwert J, Schunck M, Zague V, Oesser S. Oral supplementation of specific collagen peptides has beneficial effects on human skin physiology: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Skin Pharmacol Physiol. 2014;27(1):47-55. doi:10.1159/000351376