Collagen

Collagen is the most abundant protein in your body. It makes up roughly a third of total protein and forms the structural scaffolding of skin, bone, tendon and cartilage.^[1] Your body produces less of it from your mid-twenties onward. The drop accelerates around perimenopause when oestrogen falls.^[1]

If you have heard you should take collagen for skin, hair or joints, this page covers the forms that work, the doses used in research and what the evidence shows.

Forms of collagen

Collagen comes in 28 types. Three matter for nutrition.^[1]

Type I dominates skin, bone and tendon. It is the type most studied for skin elasticity and wrinkles. Type II is concentrated in cartilage and used in joint products at very low doses. Type III sits alongside Type I in skin and blood vessels. Most bovine supplements deliver Type I and III together.

The animal source matters less than the processing. Bovine (cow hide) is the most common and most studied. Marine (fish skin) delivers Type I with a slightly smaller peptide profile. Chicken sternal cartilage is the usual source of Type II.^[1]

What you swallow matters more than the animal source. Whole collagen is too large to absorb intact. Gelatin is partly broken down by heat. Collagen peptides (collagen hydrolysate) are enzymatically cut into short chains, typically under 5 kilodaltons. These are absorbed as small peptides like Pro-Hyp that signal fibroblasts to make new collagen.^[3] Lower molecular weight means faster absorption. nōuxx uses grass-fed bovine peptides.

How much you need

There is no official requirement for collagen because your body can make it from other dietary protein. Trials that show skin effects typically use 2.5 g to 15 g of collagen peptides per day for at least 8 to 12 weeks.^[2][3]

nōuxx Cycle Routine delivers a much higher dose because collagen also serves as the protein base of the formula. Around 18 to 22 g per sachet covers the clinical range several times over and contributes more than 20 g of protein per serving. Collagen is naturally low in tryptophan. A small amount of L-tryptophan is added to round out the amino acid profile.

The science on women's health

Skin elasticity and hydration

Skin is where the collagen evidence is strongest. A 2026 systematic review and meta-analysis of 19 randomised controlled trials in 1,341 participants found that oral collagen peptides significantly improved skin hydration and brightness, with a smaller pooled effect on wrinkle reduction. Effects on elasticity and skin density were less consistent.^[2]

A 2023 trial gave 100 women aged 30 to 60 a low-molecular-weight collagen peptide at 1,650 mg per day for 12 weeks. Hydration improved within 4 weeks. Elasticity and wrinkles improved by week 12, all significantly versus placebo.^[3] A 2024 trial in 87 women aged 40 to 65 used 5 g of hydrolysed collagen plus vitamin C for 16 weeks. Dermis density and skin texture improved. Wrinkle severity reduced. The same study did not find a measurable effect on elasticity or hydration.^[4]

Most trials report visible changes between week 4 and week 12.

Hair and nails

The hair and nail evidence is thinner. A 2025 review of antiaging skin and hair supplements rated the controlled clinical data on collagen for hair growth and nail strength as limited. The mechanism is plausible. Collagen provides amino acids for keratin synthesis. Trial data with hard endpoints like hair density or nail growth rate is sparse.^[5]

A 2025 cross-sectional survey of 171 oral collagen users reported modest self-rated improvements in hair, nails and skin, with the strongest effects after 4 to 8 weeks of consistent use.^[6] Self-report data is not the same as a controlled trial. The pattern is worth noting alongside the harder skin evidence.

EU authorised health claims

Under EU law, no specific health claim is currently authorised for collagen as an ingredient. The EU register has no entry for collagen at any dose. The relevant skin claim sits with vitamin C, which under EU Regulation 432/2012 contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of skin, bones, cartilage, gums, teeth and blood vessels.^[7] nōuxx Bloody Berry carries this claim through its acerola-sourced vitamin C.

Research suggests oral collagen peptides may improve skin elasticity and hydration, mostly in women aged 40 and over.^[2][3] The hair and nail evidence is thinner. Until larger trials across all life stages confirm an effect at typical supplemental doses, we do not make formal health claims for collagen.

References

[1] León-López A, Morales-Peñaloza A, Martínez-Juárez VM, Vargas-Torres A, Zeugolis DI, Aguirre-Álvarez G. Hydrolyzed collagen: sources and applications. Molecules 2019;24(22):4031. doi.org/10.3390/molecules24224031

[2] Nukaly HY, Halawani IR, Irtaza HM, et al. Oral and topical peptides for skin aging: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Frontiers in Medicine 2026;13:1618306. doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2026.1618306

[3] Lee M, Kim E, Ahn H, Son S, Lee H. Oral intake of collagen peptide NS improves hydration, elasticity, desquamation, and wrinkling in human skin: a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study. Food & Function 2023;14(7):3196-3207. doi.org/10.1039/d2fo02958h

[4] Žmitek K, Žmitek J, Hristov H, Rogl Butina M, Keršmanc P, Pogačnik T. The effects of dietary supplementation with collagen and vitamin C and their combination with hyaluronic acid on skin density, texture and other parameters: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Nutrients 2024;16(12):1908. doi.org/10.3390/nu16121908

[5] Shing V, Aragon Sierra A, Shah AA. Benefits and risks of hair, skin, and nail supplements in older adults. International Journal of Women's Dermatology 2025;11(4):e236. doi.org/10.1097/JW9.0000000000000236

[6] Goresh HK, Almarwani SH, Alhomidani F, et al. Assessing the significance and awareness of oral collagen in enhancing health and beauty among consumers in Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study. Cureus 2025;17(8):e91149. doi.org/10.7759/cureus.91149

[7] Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 establishing a list of permitted health claims made on foods. Official Journal of the European Union, 25 May 2012. eur-lex.europa.eu