Collagen. Worth taking or a waste of money?
Oct 12, 2026Collagen seems to be everywhere at the minute.
Powders for your skin. Drinks for your joints. Supplements promising healthier hair, stronger nails and everything in between.
So is collagen genuinely worth taking?
Or are we all just buying very expensive powder?
The answer is somewhere in the middle.
Collagen sits in an awkward place because there is enough research to make it interesting, but not enough to justify treating it like a miracle powder.
Some earlier reviews have reported improvements in outcomes such as skin hydration and elasticity.
But a 2025 meta-analysis found that the apparent skin benefits disappeared when the researchers looked specifically at higher-quality trials or studies without pharmaceutical-company funding.
Other recent reviews have reached more positive conclusions for some skin and musculoskeletal outcomes.
In other words, the literature is not completely settled.
Which is why my advice is pretty simple:
Food first.
If you are not eating enough protein, strength training, moving, sleeping and looking after the big pieces of your health, collagen is unlikely to be the thing that changes your life.
If you enjoy taking it and can comfortably afford it, fine.
But would I obsess over collagen before I’d sorted a members protein, training and overall diet?
No. Get the big wins in place first.
"Collagen may have benefits, but the evidence is mixed enough that it belongs in the “optional extra” box, not the “health essential” box."
- Danielle Frost
RESEARCH / USEFUL SOURCES
