Collagen is the most common type of protein in your body. More than 30% of your body’s vital proteins are collagen molecules (1).

The primary function of collagen is a building block that makes up your connective tissues. As you can guess from the name, this is the tissue that keeps everything in your body together. 

Collagen supports the shape and structure of every human organ and keeps them healthy. Some body parts are made almost entirely of connective tissue - joints, tendons, bones, blood vessels, skin, nails, hair, etc.

Collagen is the “glue” that helps connective tissue bind together. It also gives it strength by forming triple helix structures called fibrils. According to some researchers, gram-for-gram, this structure is five to ten times stronger than steel (2).

Despite the strength of the collagen molecules, they eventually get damaged by various stressors such as active radicals, UV light, inflammation, and aging.

Thankfully, your body can replace the damaged molecules by producing all the different types of collagen. To do so, it uses the proteins and amino acids you consume in your diet.

Unfortunately, natural collagen production declines as you age. Thus, you can stimulate the process by consuming more collagen besides eating enough protein and essential amino acids.

That’s because your body breaks collagen into smaller chains of amino acids called peptides. The process of breaking down collagen into peptides is called hydrolyzation.

Using collagen hydrolysate instead of different amino acids, your body can produce new collagen faster. 

Collagen supplements contain hydrolyzed collagen peptides that get digested much faster and help speed up your endogenous collagen production and connective tissue repair processes.

What are the types of collagen in your body?

Not all collagen molecules are created equal. Scientists have discovered 28 types of collagen which differ depending on their amino acid sequence and fibrillar structure (3). They are named using Roman numerals such as I, II, V, X, etc.

Type I collagen is the most abundant in your body (4). With less abundant types of collagen, such as type III and type V collagen, type I collagen plays a crucial role in the structure of your skin, blood vessels, tendons, ligaments, bone tissue, and gastrointestinal tract.

For example, type I, type III, and type V collagen all support the normal structure of your skin (5). 

Normal collagen formation in the skin is also ensured by the protective effects of vitamin C, the primary antioxidant in human skin. Thus, increasing your vitamin C intake alongside collagen supplementation is essential for optimal skin health. Your need for vitamin C increases in case of high physical activity, tobacco smoking, etc.

Type I and type III also support the structure of tendons, internal organs (lungs, liver, intestines, etc.), and blood vessels such as arteries.

Type I collagen is also the main protein in your bones. It gives your skeleton strength, resilience, and elasticity. Type X is another type of collagen found in bone tissue. Its primary role is facilitating bone tissue formation and healing.

On the other hand, type II collagen can be found inside the joints, as it is the main structural component of cartilage. The role of cartilage is to cushion your bone surfaces, act as a shock absorber, and ensure frictionless motion. The rest of your joint comprises type I collagen, such as the capsule, fibrous cartilage, and ligaments.

Collagen is vital for your skin elasticity and texture. However, aging reduces your ability to synthesize it, leading to drier skin, reduced elasticity, and wrinkles.

That’s where supplementation can help. Taking type I collagen hydrolysate will give your body the building block to make new collagen faster and do wonders for skin elasticity and hydration.

Since aging skin also needs type III and type V collagen, taking a combination of peptides may increase the benefits for your skin integrity. 

Most collagen supplements are “bovine-derived,” which means they contain bovine collagen produced from beef products. 

Bovine collagen is an excellent source of type I, type III, and type V fibers. Bovine collagen is also used to produce gelatin in commercial products.

In addition, type I collagen supplements can also be derived from fish. This type of collagen is called “marine-derived.” Unfortunately, marine collagen may not be suitable for people with seafood allergies.

Several studies have shown that supplementing with hydrolyzed peptides containing type I collagen can help improve the skin’s elasticity and reduce wrinkles.

For example, a trial in 64 women compared the effectiveness of collagen peptides against a placebo for 12 weeks and reported significant improvements in skin hydration, elasticity, and wrinkling (6). 

Another study also reports that 8 weeks of supplementation was sufficient to boost the collagen formation in the skin of 114 middle-aged women (7). 

The collagen peptides promoted a statistically significant 20% reduction in eye wrinkle volume compared to the placebo. Faster collagen production can also improve the quality of your hair and nails.

Animal experiments report that supplementation with hydrolyzed collagen peptides can increase the production of hyaluronic acid inside the skin (8). The higher hyaluronic acid levels can improve skin hydration and elasticity (9).

Furthermore, the peptides can stimulate the growth and migration of fibroblasts (10). Those progenitor cells play a crucial role in skin healing and repair after damage. Thus, supplementation may speed up skin healing after injuries and trauma.