Researcher criticizes collagen supplements as ineffective for skin aging

Andrea Heinz, a researcher specializing in skin aging and a lecturer at the University of Copenhagen's Institute of Pharmacy, has stated that popular collagen supplements are a waste of money. Despite the trend of using collagen in pill, powder, or cream form to combat aging, Heinz argues that the body does not process these supplements in a way that restores large collagen fibers in the skin.

While collagen is a natural protein that maintains skin structure, supplements typically contain much smaller protein fragments. These fragments are broken down into amino acids, which the body uses to build various proteins rather than specifically rebuilding skin collagen. Heinz notes that scientific studies on these supplements are often flawed and fail to provide sufficient evidence of their effectiveness.