Collagen Peptides: Should You Take Them?

October 8, 2026

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5 min read

Collagen Peptides: Should You Take Them?

The internet is awash with influencers promising that a scoop of collagen peptides will give you baby-soft skin, stronger nails, faster recovery from injuries, and even better digestion. But when host Wendy Zuckerman and the Science Vs team dug into the research, they found the story is far more complicated—and far less miraculous—than the wellness industry would have you believe. What they discovered is a tale of broken-down proteins, clever marketing, and a surprising hack that might actually work, but only under very specific conditions.

The Collagen Craze and What It Actually Is

Collagen is the most abundant protein in your body—it's the structural "glue" that holds your skin, tendons, bones, and even the corneas of your eyes together. Professor Claire Collins, a nutrition and dietetics expert at the University of Newcastle in Australia, describes collagen's unique shape as "three slinkies joined together" in a triple helix, giving it the stretchy, bouncy quality that keeps youthful skin springy and joints resilient. As we age, we produce less collagen, and UV damage accelerates its breakdown. That's why your face doesn't bounce back like a baby's cheeks, and why the collagen supplement industry—now worth about $5 billion globally—has exploded with promises to turn back the clock.

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What you'll learn

1 (00:04) **The Collagen Craze** - Wendy introduces the booming popularity of collagen peptides and the big claims from influencers: better skin, stronger nails, faster injury recovery.
2 (03:34) **What Is Collagen?** - Professor Claire Collins explains what collagen is and why it’s so important for the body.
3 (05:58) **Why We Lose Collagen** - The reason our skin loses its bounce as we age, and why people seek supplements.
4 (06:48) **Can Creams or Injections Work?** - A quick look at topical and injectable collagen, which are quickly dismissed.
5 (07:44) **The Skin Studies: A Promising Start** - An overview of the research on eating collagen for skin health, which initially seems positive.
6 (10:07) **The Wrinkles in the Research** - A deeper look reveals major flaws in the skin studies, casting doubt on the results.
7 (13:13) **Real Alternatives for Skin** - Dermatologist Natalia shares what actually works for skin collagen.

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Show Notes

Collagen peptides!! Can they make you look younger and be healthier? It feels like everyone wants to be bursting with collagen, and apparently the way to do it is by scooping up that white powder of collagen peptides and guzzling it down. Do that, and — according to the wellfluencers — not only will your skin be as bouncy as a baby's bottom, but you'll also be stronger and you'll heal from injuries faster. But of course, not everyone is on the collagen train. There are the collagen haters, who say that eating collagen is a load of baloney. So who's right? To find out, we talk to dietetics Professor Clare Collins, dermatologist Dr. Natalia Spierings, exercise physiologists Professor Luc van Loon and Professor Keith Baar, neutromuscular physiologist Dr. Robert Erskine, as well as sports performance consultant Dr. Dana Lis.

Find our transcript here: https://tinyurl.com/ScienceVsCollagen

In this episode, we cover:

(00:00) Collagen peptides are EVERYWHERE

(02:52) Why is collagen important?

(05:25) What are collagen "peptides"?

(05:54) Do collagen peptides in creams or injections work?

(06:40) Can eating collagen improve your skin?

(12:35) What happens to collagen after you eat it?

(18:45) How to build more collagen

(24:56) Can eating collagen improve sports performance?

(28:31) Should you take collagen supplements?(31:47) What are the risks of collagen peptides?

This episode was produced by Wendy Zukerman, with help from Rose Rimler, Ekedi Fausther-Keeys, Meryl Horn and Michelle Dang. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Fact checking by Marlowe Starling. Additional research from Isabel Gil. Video editing and sound mix by Bobby Lord. Music written by Bumi Hidaka, Peter Leonard, Emma Munger and Bobby Lord. Thanks to Humdinger Studios in Melbourne and Wolff Island Studios in New York City. Thanks to the researchers we spoke to for this episode, plus a big thanks to Joseph Lavelle Wilson and the Zukerman family.

Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find us on YouTube, TikTok and Instagram.

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