Why does the collagen category keep growing? Why is it so important and one of the most dominant supplement categories in many brands’ portfolios?

Collagen is a structural protein with multiple uses. In fact, it’s the most abundant protein in the human body, acting as a support structure that provides firmness, strength, and elasticity to tissues. Its versatility has made it a star ingredient.

The main uses of collagen—both in supplements and cosmetics—focus on its ability to support key structural tissues: the skin and the joints.

Multiple Structural Benefits

Collagen’s benefits can be grouped into several health areas, with different collagen types being more relevant for each:

Skin (Hydrolyzed Type I Collagen: Marine or Bovine)

• Improves skin elasticity and smoothness.
• Reduces the appearance of wrinkles and increases hydration.
• Supports tissue repair after environmental exposure (sun, pollution).

Joints and Mobility (Types I and II)

• Helps reduce discomfort in knees, hips, shoulders, and hands.
• Contributes to cartilage regeneration and reduces mild inflammation.
• Improves joint function in active individuals and older adults.

Bones

• Provides amino acids needed for bone formation.
• Improves bone mineral density when combined with vitamin D and calcium.
• Useful for postmenopausal women or individuals at risk of osteoporosis.

Other Key Uses

Collagen is also vital for:

• Hair and nails: Strengthens brittle nails and supports stronger, healthier hair growth thanks to proline, glycine, and arginine.
• Sports performance and recovery: Provides key amino acids for protein synthesis in tendons and ligaments, helping improve muscle recovery and reducing injury risk.
• Gut health: Some studies suggest it may help reinforce intestinal epithelium and support “leaky gut” integrity via glycine, though evidence is still preliminary.
• Wound healing: Plays an important role in healing wounds or after surgery, supporting connective tissue regeneration.

The Importance of Classification: Not Everything That Looks Like Collagen Is Collagen

It’s essential to underline that not everything labeled “collagen” is actually collagen. There is major confusion because the term is used for very different ingredients.

Types of Real, Functional Collagen

1. Native (Undenatured) Collagen

• Triple helix intact.
• Not absorbed—acts through oral tolerance, highly specific to joint health.
• Mechanism: Reduces the immune response that damages cartilage, modulates inflammation, and helps protect your own collagen.
• Think of it as protecting the building instead of supplying bricks.

2. Hydrolyzed (Peptide) Collagen

• Proteins broken down into peptides and amino acids.
• Easily absorbed; supports skin, joints, and bones.
• Mechanism: Provides raw materials for structure. Effective only if the body has vitamin C, minerals, and physiological need (movement, etc.).

3. Gelatin

• Fully denatured collagen.
• Lost its original structure (no triple helix, no specific peptides).
• Not “functional collagen” in the same sense—just generic amino acids, with fewer bioactive signals and lower effectiveness.

The “Fake Collagens”

So-called “plant or vegan collagen” doesn’t exist: these are only boosters or ingredients that mimic or support internal production. Same with synthetic or bioengineered versions, which still lack solid evidence.

Clear definitions and differentiation are crucial so professionals and consumers can understand mechanisms and choose better.

Collagen for Joint Health: Native vs. Hydrolyzed

Two main ingredients are used for joint support, with very different mechanisms:

The Unicorn Ingredient: Native Type II Collagen

If we had to highlight one ingredient shaping the future of joint supplementation, it would be this one.

It has earned its reputation by:

• Working at microdoses (40 mg/day)
• A unique oral tolerance mechanism
• High versatility for product formats (capsules, gummies, etc.)

It pairs extremely well with other ingredients like Boswellia or hydrolyzed collagen.

The Big Challenge: Poor Adherence to Supplements

Consistency is everything: the best supplement is the one we actually take every day.

Current challenges for collagen are clear:

• Very high doses (5–10 g) for hydrolyzed collagen
• Inconvenient formats (daily powders)
• Results that take 2–3 months

The solution isn’t “more collagen,” but better product design: gummies, shots, bars, film-strips… formats that integrate supplementation into daily routines effortlessly.

At Yaba, we work across multiple collagen formats to suit different needs—from high-dose liquid hydrolyzed collagen to multi-collagens in powder for multidisciplinary benefits.

As with all nutrition, rigor is essential:

• Educate: The industry must explain clearly what type of collagen is being offered and why.
• Promote prevention: Communicate the value of caring for joints before pain appears.
• Improve adherence: Choose low-dose ingredients and convenient formats.
• Bet on science: Only evidence-based solutions will thrive.

The collagen market will continue growing because it responds to a real need: taking care of our structural tissues in a world where we live longer—and subject our bodies to new forms of physical and environmental stress.

But the future won’t belong to brands that simply “put collagen in everything,” but to those that:

• Explain clearly what type of collagen they use and why
• Educate without myths or empty promises
• Design experiences that make consistency easy
• Prove their results

Between hype and science, collagen still has much to offer—but only if we treat it as what it is: a powerful tool that deserves rigor, not hype.