Whether you’re just starting to see fine lines stick around or you’ve had deeper wrinkles for decades, a collagen supplement can support the skin’s natural aging process and appearance. And while plenty of people claim that collagen supplements are just hype, research shows that, when used in the correct form and dose, that’s not necessarily the case.
“Hydrolyzed collagen is pre-digested so it does not go through that first-pass digestion in the GI tract,” board-certified dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, M.D., previously told mbg. “The collagen fragments can be absorbed as is and circulate throughout the body to exert their effects.”
More specifically, studies show that these collagen peptides are able to support skin elasticity and dermal collagen density4. How? Well, hydrolyzed collagen peptides have been shown to help promote the body’s natural production of collagen5 and other molecules that make up the skin, like elastin and fibrillin.
However not every collagen supplement comes in a high-quality form. And if you’re going to invest in a product, you should know that it’s going to, well, work—so here’s a list of nine A+ options, all backed by a nutrition Ph.D., if you’re ready to shop.