8 frustrating collagen myths busted by experts

At Ancient + Brave, our expert team of nutritionists and scientists have been working with collagen for long enough to have heard every claim going. Some make us smile. Some…not so much. And right now, with collagen misinformation at an all-time high, we think it's time to clear a few things up.

We’ve curated our most frequently asked collagen myths to bring you an evidence-based guide to what really matters. From whether collagen really needs vitamin C to work, to whether you really need Types I, II and III in your collagen supplement, we’re sharing the science behind the supplement so that you can choose your collagen with clarity.

Why is there so much misinformation around collagen?

The science behind collagen is compelling and growing, so it's understandable to feel confused when the conversation around supplementation seems to pull in so many directions.  

Part of that confusion comes from the sheer volume of products on the market, each with its own formulations, claims and combinations of ingredients.

And that’s not the only reason…

Some of it also comes down to formulation complexity. You'll often see vitamin C added alongside collagen, and while the two are linked in the body's collagen synthesis pathways, the relationship is more nuanced than it might appear in clever marketing. It's a good example of how a kernel of science can become a formulation convention, repeated widely enough that it starts to feel like settled wisdom.

8 collagen myths busted

At Ancient + Brave, we understand that oversimplifying the science of collagen and overstating the benefits makes it hard to know who to trust. That’s why we only create collagen products rooted in research, invest in rigorous clinical trials and share the results with you.

As a team with nutritionists and scientists who spend their days understanding how nutrients work in the body, we’ve mythbusted some of the most confusing collagen claims that we’ve seen.

Collagen myth: You can get all the collagen you need from eating protein

We're big advocates of getting enough good-quality protein across the day from whole food sources. Collagen works best as part of a genuinely nourishing diet, not as a replacement for one. 

However, it's important to understand that collagen is unusually rich in specific amino acids - glycine, proline and hydroxyproline - that the body uses to build its own. Supplementing with collagen helps provide these building blocks in meaningful amounts. 

Mechanism matters too. Collagen doesn't travel directly to your skin intact. It gets broken down into amino acids (the building blocks of protein) and peptides (small chains of these amino acids) during digestion. Hydrolysed collagen peptides, such as those used in True and Wild collagen, are small enough to be absorbed intact into the bloodstream. Once here, the proposed mechanism is that they act as signalling molecules, essentially carrying a message to your fibroblasts, the cells responsible for producing collagen, to produce more collagen. 

“A double mechanism, the right signals and the right raw materials. That's what sets quality collagen apart from just eating more protein.” Jo Woodhurst, director of Nutrition and Education at Ancient + Brave.

Collagen myth: You need vitamin C to absorb collagen supplements 

You don't. And this collagen misunderstanding has been amplified by marketing claims that have muddied the water considerably. 

Collagen peptides are absorbed independently. Vitamin C's role in collagen synthesis happens inside your tissues, where it activates the enzymes that stabilise collagen once it's formed. 

A 2025 study published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology found that dietary vitamin C intake (from 2 kiwis a day) directly influences collagen production and skin renewal. Rather than an add-in to a supplement, Vitamin C needs to be consistently present in the body, which is why a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables matters, not necessarily taken alongside your supplement at the same moment.

Collagen myth: You need all the different ‘types’ of collagen in one supplement

Not true. Let’s break down the science.

Different ‘types’ of collagen exist depending on where they're found in the body and what role they play; Type I in skin and bone, Type II in cartilage and so on. When collagen is hydrolysed (broken down into the peptides and amino acids your body can absorb), the ‘type’ no longer matters. The body works with the peptides and amino acids it's given. 

A collagen containing Types I through V is likely oversimplifying the science by describing the raw material before it gets processed into the collagen powder, not necessarily what ends up in your body.

The one genuine exception is undenatured Type II collagen, which is deliberately not broken down and works via a completely different mechanism specific to joint health. It's a separate ingredient entirely, often best suited to capsule form, not simply another type to mix in, which is why we offer Noble Collagen, our targeted Type II joint care supplement.

Collagen myth: You need to take both bovine and marine collagen together

Marine and bovine collagen are easily confused, with some believing that marine is best for skin and bovine is the best choice for joints.

The truth is, they both deliver benefits for skin, hair and whole-body health and therefore do not need to be taken together. Once hydrolysed, the body can't tell the difference between collagen from a fish or a cow. Both are broken down into the same building blocks before your body uses them, and we are not aware of any clinical evidence that combining both sources offers any advantage. 

The most important thing is that whichever you take, you take a high-quality dose (within the daily recommended limits) and take it consistently. That aside, the choice between marine and bovine is a genuine and personal one, shaped by dietary preferences, ethical values and what you prefer to add to your drinks. Both are excellent. Neither is essential over the other.

Collagen myth: Collagen doesn't survive heat, so what's the point?

This one particularly surprises us. Hydrolysed collagen is specifically designed to withstand the journey through digestion, and can certainly survive your cup of morning coffee. The process and hydrolysis itself involve carefully controlled temperatures at multiple stages to ensure the peptides arrive at the right molecular weight for optimal absorption. 

That said, collagen isn't indestructible; it's a natural ingredient, and extreme heat will eventually have an effect. However, research published in the Biophysical Journal found that collagen did not begin to degrade until around 300°C - boiling water sits at 100°C, and so you can confidently add collagen to hot tea, hot coffee, or even hot cacao. Our neutral-tasting collagen dissolves beautifully into all three. 

Collagen myth: Collagen is just broken down into amino acids anyway, so there’s no point in taking it 

This actually is the point. Collagen being broken down during digestion isn't a problem; it's what we want to happen. 

True Collagen and Wild Collagen are already hydrolysed, meaning the collagen has been broken down into peptides and amino acids that the body can absorb efficiently. 

Research suggests some of those peptides are absorbed intact into the bloodstream and signal the body to support its own collagen production, which is what makes hydrolysed collagen different from simply eating protein. 

A 2024 randomised controlled trial published in Frontiers in Nutrition confirmed this, finding that significant amounts of collagen peptides do reach the bloodstream intact after ingestion. Our hydrolysed collagen peptides sit within the 2000- 5000 Da range, shown to best support absorption and collagen synthesis.

Collagen myth: There's no science on collagen supplements, and what science exists is industry-funded, so it doesn't count

The research on collagen has expanded considerably over the past decade, and the most robust evidence isn't where most brands spend their time talking. It's in joint health, bone density, sarcopenia, sports recovery, cardiovascular markers, and even fall prevention in older adults, areas where multiple independent and industry-funded randomised controlled trials point in the same direction. This is where the science is strongest, and it's why we've always led with whole-body health. 

On skin specifically, the picture is more nuanced. The majority of clinical evidence is positive, but most of those trials are industry-funded. It doesn't mean collagen doesn't support skin health; the biological mechanism is sound, and we stand behind our own clinical trials. But the independent evidence for skin is still growing, in comparison to joint and musculoskeletal health.

Which brings us to the funding question itself. We were all taught to interrogate industry-funded research, and rightly so. Some bad actors have historically manipulated findings and eroded public trust, and that legacy is important. Healthy scepticism is absolutely encouraged.

But here's the reality of nutrition research: without industry funding, much of what we know about collagen, probiotics, omega-3s and vitamin D simply wouldn't exist. Public research budgets are finite and fiercely competitive. Preventive health isn't where the big independent grants go. Which means that for areas like joint support, gut integrity, and yes, skin health, industry funding isn't a red flag…it's often the only reason the research exists at all.

What actually matters is how rigorously a study was designed, and that randomised controlled trials have built-in mechanisms to account for bias. We know this intimately because we completed one ourselves.

"Yes, many collagen studies are funded by the companies that produce them - including ours. 

But this isn’t unique to collagen. Industry-funded research is common practice across the entire field of nutrition, from probiotics to omega-3s to vitamin D. That’s because public funding bodies rarely prioritise food-based interventions, despite their potential for population-level impact [1]. Without industry support, many of the advances we now take for granted would not exist. What matters isn’t who funds a study, but how the study is conducted. And in that regard, collagen science has come a long way." Dr Jenna Macciochi - Director of Science and Innovation.

Collagen myth: You can’t target where collagen goes, so if it's not going to your skin, what's the point?

The confusion here comes from collagen often being labelled as a cosmetic product when really it is a whole-body supplement. The body, in its intelligence, will always direct resources to where they're needed most, whether that be joints, gut lining, or connective tissue. We can nourish that process, not instruct it. 

That said, research, such as our own collagen clinical trial, also demonstrates that collagen does support multiple markers of skin health.  These benefits compound over time, which is why consistency matters far more than any single dose. That's the whole point.

Closing thoughts

You don’t need to stack multiple types, combine sources, or use a formula full of filler ingredients. Its beauty lies in its simplicity. Consistency and quality are the key

Collagen supplementation is about providing the right building blocks and signals to support your body’s natural processes. Choose an evidence-backed supplement, pair it with a balanced diet, and give it time. After all, collagen isn’t designed to be a quick fix - this is the long game.