Is it really effective to eat collagen to fight against skin aging?

This protein naturally present in the human body contributes to the elasticity of the skin and the proper functioning of the joints. Its production decreases with age.

It is a fashion carried in particular by social networks. The consumption of collagen in powder or capsule form is a growing trend to fight against skin aging. But is it really effective? Given the increased presence of its food supplements on the market, and the interest the subject arouses on the internet, this question deserves to be asked.

Collagen is a protein naturally present in the human body. It is the majority compound of connective tissues such as skin, bones, ligaments, tendons, cartilage. The production of this protein, which contributes to the elasticity of the skin and the proper functioning of the joints, actually decreases with age, particularly after 25 or 30 years.

The idea of ​​strengthening this stock of collagen through dietary intake may seem logical except that when this collagen is digested, it is degraded like all other proteins into amino acids to be able to pass the intestinal barrier. It does not pass as a large protein into the blood. Once assimilated, “these amino acids can certainly be re-used to build proteins, but not specifically more collagen”, reminds Inserm on its website.

A “limited” effect

This does not mean that consuming it is useless. “The effect is not zero”estimates Doctor Martine Baspeyras, of the French Society of Dermatology, “but it remains limited”. Some studies show that after three months of daily treatment, there can be a 5-10% improvement in skin hydration or elasticity. However, for this expert,“This addition of collagen is just the icing on the cake.” Knowing that the cake, which allows you to maintain beautiful skin, is a set of well-known habits: sufficient sleep, regular hydration, balanced diet, absence of tobacco and protection against UV rays from the sun. We are therefore far from a miracle product.

Collagen is also found in food, as many food supplements, which the UFC Que Choisir association also recently denounced.. You can also simply rely on foods rich in collagen. This is particularly the case for marrow bones, eggs, legumes or certain fruits such as kiwi.