Nail nutrition: Why collagen may deserve a place in your nail kit

Are collagen supplements effective for nails? Ancient + Brave nutritionist, Erin Ogden, explores the evidence as she explains what collagen does for nails and shares nutritionist tips for supporting strong, healthy nail growth.

Nails: A window into our wellbeing

In recent years, nails have become an extension of our wardrobe, enjoying regular care through manicures at home and in the salon. Yet beyond appearance, their strength, texture, and growth can offer subtle clues about overall wellbeing and nutritional status.

Nails are made up of 80-90% keratin, a protein produced in the nail matrix where new cells are continuously produced and push older cells forward to form the visible nail plate (1).

This process relies on a steady supply of nutrients. Protein, vitamins, and minerals are all essential for encouraging healthy nail growth. When that support isn’t quite there, nails can become thinner, slower to grow, and more prone to breakage. It can be a sign that our bodies need a little more nutritional support.

Brittle nails: Why do they happen and what do they show?

Nails don’t change overnight - but over time, small imbalances can begin to show at the surface.

Brittleness often develops when the nail plate loses both structure and moisture, leaving it more vulnerable to splitting, peeling, and breakage.

Factors that can influence nail health: 

+ Ageing: Contributes to decreased growth rate, increasing fragility 

+ Environment: Repeated exposure to soaps, detergents, nail polishes and removers can strip moisture, leaving nails dry and prone to breakage.  

+Nutrition: Nails depend on a consistent intake of protein, vitamins, and minerals

+ Certain medical conditions: Iron deficiency, thyroid disorders and other metabolic and systemic conditions can impact nail health

+Trauma to the nail: Damage to the nail matrix or nail bed can disrupt how nails form

We are often tempted to reach for strengthening treatments, but nails are not only shaped from the outside. They are built, slowly and steadily from within.

Energy intake plays a role here too. When calorie intake is consistently too low, the body prioritises essential functions, meaning tissues like hair and nails may receive less support.

How does collagen support nail health?

When the body is lacking key nutrients, this can be reflected in nail condition. (2).

Research points to something fundamental: when the body is supported with adequate calories, protein, vitamins, and minerals, growth processes - including those that form nails - tend to function more effectively (3).

That’s where a protein-rich diet and collagen supplementation can help. The amino acids found in collagen (like glycine and proline) can help strengthen the connective tissue that underpins nail growth, supporting protein balance in the body (4), and help to create the conditions for nails to grow stronger, smoother, and more resilient over time. 

In this way, collagen acts as a subtle but steady ally, supporting the foundation from which healthy nails emerge.+ Omega-3 fatty acids found in oily fish, flaxseed and our True Omegas+ supplements can also help here by nourishing and moisturising nails from within.

Collagen for nails: What’s the evidence?

While most collagen studies to date focus on skin (because the effects are more visible and easier to quantify), many people notice stronger, healthier-looking nails over time with consistent collagen use (4,5). In fact, our landmark collagen clinical trial showed 63% reported healthier nail growth and strength after taking True Collagen for just 12 weeks (6).

While this is promising, this smaller body of evidence should be viewed as early but encouraging signals rather than definitive conclusions.

Marine vs Bovine: Which collagen is best for nails?

As experts in collagen, we’re often asked whether bovine or marine collagen is best for encouraging healthy nail growth.

For nail health, both bovine and marine collagen peptides can provide similar building blocks that support the environment where nails grow.  However, most clinical studies showing improvements in nail outcomes have used bovine-derived collagen peptides, so this source currently has the strongest research behind it (4, 5).

The key factor is consistently utilising hydrolysed collagen peptides, whether from bovine or marine sources, meaning that True or Wild Collagen may each be beneficial options for improving nail health over time.+

Whichever you choose based on your dietary preference, findings suggest that consistent collagen supplements can help support the body’s connective tissue, which may contribute to overall skin and tissue health.+ 

When to expect results from collagen nail care

While many people notice early changes in skin with collagen supplementation from 4-8 weeks, nails grow slowly, and noticeable changes in nail strength or structure can take 3-6 months or longer.

The research continues to highlight that the benefits of collagen supplementation are “duration-dependent,” meaning that collagen’s effects accumulate gradually, with consistent intake. 

How to take collagen for nail strength

At Ancient + Brave, True and Wild Collagen were created with the importance of consistency in mind. 

True or Wild Collagen were made to blend seamlessly into your daily routine, making it a ritual that you come back to each day, supporting consistent intake for gradual skin and nail benefits over time.+ 

Try adding a ritual scoop of collagen to coffee or our nail health smoothie and enjoy a variety of nutrients to support overall nail health.+ 

Skin & Nail Supportive Smoothie

½ frozen banana
150g  frozen pineapple
Handful of spinach
1 tbsp flaxseed
240ml milk of choice
1 ritual scoop of collagen
1 scoop of vanilla protein powder

Blend all ingredients and enjoy!

Final Thoughts: A holistic approach to nail health 

Supporting nail health goes beyond surface-level care. Nourishing the body from within may complement your external skincare routine, helping maintain the appearance of healthy, resilient skin and nails as you age (7). 

While collagen has been shown to support nail growth, truly healthy nails rely on more than a single “hero” ingredient. Like many aspects of wellbeing, strong nails are shaped by many factors.  Begin with the foundations: a balanced diet with sufficient calories, quality protein, and key nutrients, and stronger, healthier nails are likely to follow.

References:

1. Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG). In brief: Structure of the nails. InformedHealth.org [Internet]. Cologne, Germany: Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG); 2006–. Updated July 29, 2024. Accessed March 15, 2026. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK513133/

2. Lipner SR. Nutrition and nail disease. Clinics in Dermatology. 2021;39(5):844-851. doi:10.1016/j.clindermatol.2021.05.009

3. Prudkin L, Cedirian S, Santamaria J, Jourdan E, Piraccini BM. Exposome Impact on Nail Health. Skin Appendage Disord. 2024;10(3):186-198. doi:10.1159/000536573

4. Vleminckx S, Virgilio N, Asserin J, Prawitt J, Silva CIF. Influence of collagen peptide supplementation on visible signs of skin and nail health and aging in an East Asian population: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2024;23:3645-3653. doi:10.1111/jocd.16458

5. Hexsel D, Zague V, Schunck M, Siega C, Camozzato FO, Oesser S. Oral supplementation with specific bioactive collagen peptides improves nail growth and reduces symptoms of brittle nails. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2017;16(4):520-526. doi:10.1111/jocd.12393

6. Double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial in 60 healthy UK females aged 35-55 over 12 weeks.

7. Ravindran R, Pizzol D, López-Gil JF, Rahmati M, Boyer L, Fond G, Butler L, Stellato A, Gawronska J, Barnett Y, Keyes H, Soysal P, Eren R, Onal B, Yon DK, Smith L. Collagen supplementation for skin and musculoskeletal health: an umbrella review of meta-analyses on elasticity, hydration, and structural outcomes. Aesthet Surg J Open Forum. 2026;8:ojag018. doi:10.1093/asjof/ojag018