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Oral Collagen Supplementation for Skin Hydration and Elasticity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Pedro Moltó-Balado, Andrea Simeó-Monzó
Journal of Aesthetic Medicine 2026 2(3):17

Bibliography

DOI
10.3390/jaestheticmed2030017
Funding
The authors reported no external funding.
Competing interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.

Study snapshot

DesignPRISMA random-effects review; searched through January 1, 2026; PROSPERO CRD420261285731
ModelAdults enrolled in oral hydrolysed-collagen randomized trials
Sample15 RCTs; quantitative synthesis of 5 hydration and 4 elasticity trials
InterventionMixed oral hydrolysed collagen vs placebo or no treatment
DurationVaried across included studies
EndpointsInstrumental skin hydration; Skin elasticity; Heterogeneity; Industry involvement; RoB 2

What the study showed, in plain terms

Pooled hydration and elasticity estimates favored collagen, but both had extreme between-study heterogeneity, and removing a high-leverage multi-ingredient study attenuated effects.

Key findings

Hydration SMD 0.71 (95% CI 0.08–1.34; I² 90.4%); elasticity SMD 0.78 (0.12–1.45; I² 88.9%).

What this study can and cannot tell us

Only 5 and 4 trials entered the two quantitative outcomes; risk-of-bias concerns, high heterogeneity, multi-ingredient formulations and frequent industry involvement sharply limit certainty.

Editorial review

Reviewed by the Biohack Blueprint research team

Last verified

Dr. Khaled Mahmoud, MBBChCritical Care Medicine, Longevity Science & Editorial Direction Dr. Amr Yasser, PhDCardiometabolic, Musculoskeletal, Gut & Bioavailability Dr. Abdulla Mostafa, PhDCellular Senescence, Neurological, Mitochondrial & Brain-Ageing Biology