Want to Boost Your Collagen?
March 2025
What to Know About Stimulating Collagen Production Naturally and with Vitamins and Supplements.
Collagen is a protein responsible for strengthening and supporting our skin, but it decreases as we age, leading to the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and laxity.
Starting in early adulthood, collagen begins to decrease by 1% each year, and according to the American Academy of Dermatology, women lose 30% of their collagen in the first five years following menopause. And because collagen makes up about 70-80% of the skin’s tissue, the effects of decreased collagen are typically very visible.
There are ways to boost your collagen and help your skin look smoother and younger, and this article explains your options and what you should know before changing your skincare regimen.
Boost Your Collagen Naturally
The natural approach to boosting your collagen is all about your diet and lifestyle. While research on the direct impact of dietary changes on collagen production is still evolving, certain nutrients—such as amino acids, vitamin C, and antioxidants—are thought to support the body’s ability to produce collagen. Including collagen-rich or collagen-supporting foods in your diet may contribute to healthier-looking skin over time.
Amino acids, which your body uses to produce collagen, are found in protein-rich foods such as poultry and beef, fish and shellfish, eggs, dairy, soy, and legumes.
Vitamin C plays an important role as well, as it helps amino acids convert to collagen, and helps protect collagen. Leafy greens, bell peppers, citrus fruits, berries, and tomatoes are great vitamin C-rich foods.
Antioxidants in foods like dark chocolate, tomatoes, blueberries, and spinach, can go after free radicals in the body that damage collagen.
Zinc and copper are also involved in the body’s natural production of collagen, so eating nuts and seeds, which are rich in zinc, and chickpeas, beans, and cashews, which are rich in copper, can support collagen synthesis.
Conversely, there are several factors that can speed up collagen decline.
Smoking and caffeine have been shown to damage collagen in the body, and excessive alcohol use can impair the body’s ability to produce collagen.
Exposure to the sun and environmental pollution, and a lack of sleep and exercise can all also lead to collagen decline due to overall negative impacts on the body and skin.
It is certainly not a myth that diet and lifestyle can affect your body in major ways, and stimulating or protecting collagen is one potential outcome of eating the right foods and avoiding more harmful factors.
However, just like losing weight or tackling a health issue, seeing results from changing your diet takes time and requires commitment. You can potentially pack more of a punch by combining your healthy diet and lifestyle with other collagen-boosting options.
Stimulating Collagen Production with Vitamins and Supplements
There’s a huge market for vitamins and supplements claiming to improve everything from hair growth to skin health. Being able to take a pill and pause or reverse a biological condition is certainly exciting – but it’s important to have all the facts before starting a vitamin or supplement designed for any specific result.
Vitamins for collagen production are based on the specific nutrients in the body that are involved in collagen synthesis – zinc, vitamin C, and copper. You can also find supplements containing antioxidants and amino acids to help support collagen production.
You should always be aware of any possible side effects or risks associated with the particular vitamin or supplement you’re taking, and it’s important to understand that vitamins or supplements alone may not generate the results you’re looking for – or any results at all.
For collagen production, it’s recommended to combine the right vitamins and supplements with a healthy diet and lifestyle for the best outcome.
What About Collagen Supplements?
There are a number of different collagen supplements, and there is some evidence that collagen supplements can have a positive outcome for skin health; however, they may not be particularly effective on their own.
Once you take a collagen supplement, it is dissolved into the body. While some of it may be used to make new collagen, it likely is used for other purposes as well, which is why you’re more likely to see improvements in skin health when you use supplements in conjunction with a healthy diet and lifestyle.
If you do decide to take a collagen supplement, the one you choose should be based on your health goals and desired outcome.
Collagen Type I is best for skin health – Collagen Type I is the protein that makes up the largest percentage of the body’s collagen and supports the structure and integrity of tissue in the bones, ligaments, joints, tendons, cartilage, and skin.
You may also see supplements for Collagen Type II and Collagen Type III – these offer the collagen needed to support bones, joints, arteries, organs, and muscles, and will not have much if any impact on skin health.
Collagen peptides are another option that are often considered most effective at improving collagen production. Unlike Collagen Type I, which is a complete protein, peptides are made by breaking down whole collagen proteins into smaller pieces, making them easier for the body to absorb.
Like vitamins and other supplements, it’s important to read labels and fully understand what you’re taking before you take it. There are some risks and side effects associated with collagen supplements, including digestive issues, hypercalcemia, headaches, fatigue, and possible kidney stones.
Go Natural, Take a Supplement, and See a Dermatologist
There is no single solution to stopping or reversing collagen decline, but there are numerous options that can make positive changes in your skin over time.
Even if you’re adopting a collagen-friendly diet and taking a vitamin or supplement, don’t overlook other options for achieving healthy, younger-looking skin.
Optima Dermatology offers a number of safe, non-invasive treatments that can boost collagen production and have more immediate results. These include:
- Dermal fillers
- Microneedling
- Laser or light therapy
- Chemical peels
- Sculptra injection
These options use different approaches to stimulate the skin’s natural collagen production, promote tissue growth, add volume, and add definition to areas of the face suffering from a collagen reduction.
With minimal downtime and side effects, cosmetic dermatology treatments can give you the results you’re looking for and complement your other efforts toward stimulating collagen production.
Plus, your dermatologist can also help guide you in your diet and supplement options, and answer questions you may have.
Find the approach to increasing your collagen production that works for you. Request an appointment and meet with a board-certified dermatologist to discuss your goals and the best approach to get you there.