“Collagen” is a popular buzzword today, and for good reason, considering the plethora of benefits associated with it. With its potential to boost your skin, hair and bone health,1,2 collagen is now being marketed as a “must-have” supplement, and many manufacturers are jumping on the bandwagon. According to a forecast by Mordor Intelligence, the collagen supplement market is expected to reach $8.59 billion by 2029.3
But did you know that you can take a “food-first” approach to boost your collagen levels? Certain foods offer high amounts of this protein, and increasing your intake may be a better strategy than immediately resorting to supplements.
Collagen 101 — What Can It Do for You?
The word collagen comes from two Greek words, “kola,” which means “gum,” and “gen,” which means “producing.” Collagen is a type of protein — your body needs protein for building and repairing tissues, including muscles and organs. You also need protein for the proper functioning of enzymes, hormones and your immune system.
Being the main structural protein in the tissues of your skin, tendons and bones, collagen plays a crucial role to your body functions.4 In fact, 30% of your body’s total protein is composed of collagen.5 Collagen acts as the primary building block of your skin, bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments and connective tissues. It’s also found in your organs, blood vessels, and even your hair and nails.
By providing structural scaffolding for your tissues, collagen allows them to stretch and flex while maintaining integrity. According to an article in Bulletproof:6
“[T]hink of collagen as the frame of your mattress. Much like a frame supports a mattress, collagen supports the skin’s structure. Since collagen is the most abundant protein in the body, so many parts of the body make use of its benefits.”
There are different types of collagen; 28 types have been identified in the human body, with Types 1 to 5 being the most common. Type 1 is the most dominant one, and makes up more than 90% of the collagen in the body, mainly because it’s densely packed in almost all connective tissues, giving them structure.7 Below are where the other collagen types are found in the body, according to Cleveland Clinic:8
- Type 2 is in elastic cartilage, where it provides joint support.
- Type 3 is in the arteries, muscles and organs.
- Type 4 is in your skin layers.
- Type 5 is located in the cornea of your eyes, some skin layers, hair and tissue of the placenta.
Glycine — This Amino Acid’s Benefits Go Far Beyond Connective Tissue Health
As a protein, collagen is mainly composed of amino acids, and the three primary ones are proline, glycine and hydroxyproline.9 Of these three, glycine is the most abundant, making up 30% of the amino acids in collagen.10 Glycine is mostly responsible for many of the health advantages that collagen offers, as it is required for collagen synthesis.
In particular, this amino acid helps support the aging process. According to esteemed biohacker and longevity expert Siim Land:11
“Glycine also has a very important role in antiaging directly by helping to reduce wrinkles, and collagen synthesis … The less collagen or glycine you consume, the slower your collagen turnover is.
Slow collagen turnover increases the damage that occurs to your collagen, such as glycation and oxidation, and reduces collagen deposition into tissues.”
Glycine is also found to have anti-inflammatory benefits. In a 2023 study,12 researchers investigated the various functions of this amino acid in different organs and tissues. They noted that apart from being a protein precursor, it also has adjudicating functions, which include antioxidant, immunomodulator, anti-inflammatory and healing benefits. It may also have neuroprotective and neurotransmitter effects. According to the researchers:
“Dietary supplementation with glycine has been proposed as a potential way to treat conditions with low-grade inflammation, such as obesity. This approach has been proposed due to its ability to increase the mRNA expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines, such as adiponectin and IL-10, and because glycine can inhibit the production of proinflammatory cytokines like TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6.”13
Land also notes that glycine induces autophagy — a “self-eating” process wherein your body digests damaged cells — and mimics the longevity benefits of methionine restriction. These effects are related to an enzyme called glycine N-methyltransferase (GNMT).
Glycine is a receptor for GNMT, and the GNMT converts glycine to sarcosine, a metabolite that induces autophagy. GNMT also plays a role in methionine clearance. Methionine is involved in cancer cell growth and metabolism, and restricting methionine has been shown to:14
- Inhibit cancer cell growth
- Extend lifespan
- Lower levels of insulin, glucose and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1)
- Reduce liver damage after exposure to dangerous amounts of acetaminophen
- Reduce frailty
Considering its many health benefits, getting enough glycine from your diet can go a long way toward improving your health and life span. Aside from eating collagen-rich foods, you can increase your glycine levels by consuming foods rich in taurine. Animal products like organic, grass fed dairy, pasture-raised poultry, and shellfish like clams, mussels and scallops are good glycine sources.15
Lack of Collagen Can Lead to Skin Aging, Hair Loss and Poor Joint and Bone Health
When you have optimal collagen levels, your skin will appear soft, smooth and firm, as this protein works to repair and renew your skin cells. However, your body’s collagen production begins to wane as you age. Hence, your skin, soft tissue, muscle and connective tissue become weaker and less elastic as the cells cannot renew themselves.
You may notice symptoms like the appearance of wrinkles, dry sagging skin and lackluster hair as a result of poor collagen levels. By the time you reach your 60s, your collagen levels will be about half the collagen you had in your youth. And when enter your 80s, your collagen levels will be about four times less; you’ll then notice radical changes not only in your skin, but other areas of your health as well.
Hair loss is another effect that’s being linked to poor collagen levels. When whole collagen gets into your body, your body works to break it down into peptides so it can be absorbed by the gut. Once broken down further, peptides transform into building blocks, including keratin, which is essential in hair formation.16 One study supports this, saying that, “both marine and bovine CPs [collagen peptides] may help to prevent hair loss and maintain healthy hair.”17
Collagen may also help lower your risk of osteoporosis (brittle bone).18 According to ABC15 Health Insider Dr. Shad Marvasti, adding 10 to 15 grams of collagen a day has been shown to improve bone health in as little as eight weeks.19
This is important, especially since connective tissues like fascia, ligaments, tendons and cartilage get weaker and less elastic with age; without enough collagen to rebuild them, you may become prone to injuries that can take a long time to heal. The good news is there are ways you can slow the rate of diminishing collagen levels, or even build them back up — and it starts with your diet.
Don’t Confuse the Protein from Red Meat with Collagen
Collagen is found in animal food sources, so if you’re following a vegetarian or vegan diet, you might find it difficult to get sufficient amounts from your meals. However, some people mistakenly think that all they need to do is eat red meat (like beef) to meet their protein needs, including collagen.
However, don’t confuse the protein you get from red meat/muscle meat with collagen; rather you need to strike the right balance between collagen and red meat intake to ensure you’re reaching your optimal protein requirement. What’s more, there’s a certain difference between the amino acid composition of the protein from muscle meat, such as beef, and collagen. The chart below gives you an overview:
As you can see, red meat contains very little of the health-promoting amino acids (highlighted in green), meaning relying only on muscle meat will be insufficient for building strong connective tissues and maintaining bone strength. And while the three primary amino acids in collagen are associated with anti-inflammatory and other health benefits, those found abundantly in red meat (highlighted in red) actually promote inflammation.
Interestingly, collagen (and gelatin) is extraordinarily low in these amino acids. This is why I personally shoot to have about one-third of my protein as collagen or gelatin. I have cut down my egg and meat intake by 50% and replaced the protein with gelatin and collagen. One of the reasons I did this was based on the late Ray Peat’s take on the importance of balancing these important amino acids.
How to Boost Your Collagen Intake
Ancestral diets were naturally rich in collagen due to widespread whole-animal consumption practices. These practices, born of necessity and cultural tradition, ensured minimal waste and maximum nutritional benefit. Various cultures showcased this approach:
- Asian cuisines frequently featured bone broth, a collagen-rich liquid produced by long-simmering of animal bones.
- European culinary traditions included collagen-dense dishes like aspic, a savory jelly made from meat.
- North American indigenous peoples practiced nose-to-tail eating, consuming organ meats and bone broths.
- African tribes utilized entire animals, including collagen-rich tendons and ligaments.
In stark contrast, the contemporary Western diet has largely abandoned these nutrient-dense animal parts in favor of muscle meats and processed foods, which contain little to no collagen.
If this sounds like you, consider incorporating more collagen-rich foods, such as bone broth and meat cuts like oxtail and shanks that are higher in connective tissue. These meats provide a more balanced amino acid profile that includes collagen. Other collagen-rich foods include:
• Gelatin-based dishes and snacks — Create homemade jellies or puddings using gelatin (cooked collagen). Add fruits for flavor and extra nutrition. Please note that I’m not referring to ready-to-eat gelatin snacks like JELL-O — They contain no gelatin whatsoever, and in fact use carrageenan, which is associated with digestive side effects20 and can induce disease-causing inflammation.21
And while Jell-O powder22 does contain gelatin, sugar is its No. 1 ingredient. It also contains food coloring and questionable preservatives. Instead, I recommend looking for a pure gelatin powder without sugar and other additives
• Collagen smoothies — Add a scoop of collagen powder to your morning smoothie
• Slow-cooked meats — Use a slow cooker to break down collagen in tougher meat cuts. Try pot roasts, pulled pork, or slow-cooked chicken
• Skin-on poultry — Cook poultry with skin intact to preserve natural collagen. Slow cooking maximizes nutrient retention and absorption
The Benefits of Bone Broth
Bone broth is perhaps the easiest way to boost your collagen intake. It’s easily digestible, has anti-inflammatory benefits and helps heal the lining of your gut. This natural and accessible source of collagen beats out any collagen supplement in the market, as it is cost-efficient, customizable and versatile — you can sip it heartily or add it to your recipes.
Bone broth is also rich in plenty of healthy fat and nutrients like calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulfur and trace minerals, along with the broken down material from cartilage and tendons, such as chondroitin sulphates and glucosamine. Like collagen, chondroitin and glucosamine are both sold as supplements, and bone broth can replace the need for all of them at a fraction of the price.
The only drawback with making bone broth through the traditional method is it can be time-consuming and energy inefficient, as you’ll need to simmer the bones overnight (which could be dangerous as well). The best solution for this is to use a pressure cooker like the Instant Pot, which will radically increase energy efficiency and safety, and reduce the hassle factor.
Simply place the bones in the Instant Pot, fill the pot with pure, filtered water — just enough to cover the bones — add salt and other spices to taste, and set it to cook on high for four hours, if organic and grass fed. Personally, I recommend only using organic, grass fed animal bones, but if you have no choice but to use bones from animals raised in confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs), then cook them for only two hours, as to prevent any heavy metals from leaching into the broth.
Once done cooking time and the broth has cooled down, you can remove the bones and transfer the broth into quart glass Mason jars, sealing them with a lid. When you put them in the refrigerator it will cause them to become vacuum sealed. Additionally, the fat that comes to the surface will also seal the broth, keeping it good for 10 to 12 weeks in the fridge.
Make sure to skim the fat off before using the broth. You can discard the fat or feed it to your chickens. Beef bones and chicken feet, which are high in collagen,23 are your best choices for making bone broth. For more tips in preparing bone broth and ways you can add it to your meals, I recommend reading my article, “The Ultimate Guide to Bone Broth: Nature’s Collagen Supplement.”
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