Do collagen or hyaluronic acid supplements really help aging or wrinkled skin?

Answer:

Adults lose about 1% of the collagen in their skin each year, which contributes to thinning and wrinkling in aging skin. This loss of collagen may be more evident at an earlier age in women, who have lower collagen density in their skin than men. Hyaluronic acid (also called hyaluronan) is another component of skin that decreases with age. Many supplements containing collagen and/or hyaluronic acid, such as, NeoCell Derma Matrix Collagen Skin Complex, Life Extension Hair, Skin and Nails Rejuvenation Formula, Lindberg Skin Rejuvenator, and Natural Factor's Hyabest® Hyaluronic Acid, are promoted to improve the skin and some contain branded collagen ingredients such as VERISOL and BioCell Collagen or Hyabest Hyaluronic Acid, which have been tested in studies.

But can taking collagen and/or hyaluronic acid supplements, in the form of capsules, tablets, or powders, actually increase the collagen in skin, or improve the skin's appearance? The evidence suggests that some products may have modest effects, but the evidence for other products is weak. For details, see the Aging Skin and Wrinkles section of the Collagen Supplements Review, which includes our Top Picks for collagen supplements for skin.