Collagen

Dr. Andrew Huberman Recommends for Skin Health

Huberman covers collagen across 5 substantive videos, with a dedicated AMA comparing collagen vs. whey protein and a full skin health episode. He recommends collagen specifically for skin, not muscle — noting that whey is superior for muscle growth due to higher leucine content, while collagen shows 'potential benefits for skin elasticity and appearance.' He provides a dosage of 15g daily for skin and a broader range of 5-30g daily for skin thinning. He recommends pairing collagen with vitamin C, niacinamide, and hyaluronic acid for skin rejuvenation.

…are not valuable at all? No, I didn't say that. So when are bone broth and collagen proteins valuable? So this has also come up in several Huberman Lab podcast episodes, namely the episode that I did with Dr. Lane Norton, also the episode that I did about skin health. Because there are some data, not a ton, but there are some data showing that people who regularly ingest collagen protein can observe some improvements in skin elasticity and appearance. Now, are these dramatic effects? Not so much. But are these significant effects? That is, are they statistically significant as compared to a control condition of either no collagen protein or a different protein source?

▶ 07:06 · AMA #19: Collagen vs. Whey Protein, Creatine, Smelling Salts, Stimulants & More

3 more clips

• 03:48 · AMA #19: Collagen vs. Whey Protein, Creatine, Smelling Salts, Stimulants & More
• 63:16 · How to Improve Skin Health & Appearance
• 03:33 · AMA #18: Cold Therapy Advice, Skin Health Tips, Motivation, Learning Strategies & More

Dr. Peter Attia Skeptical — Low-Quality Protein

Attia is the most skeptical expert on collagen supplementation. In a dedicated clip with protein researcher Dr. Luc van Loon, he explains that collagen does not significantly increase connective tissue protein synthesis compared to whey or casein. He calls collagen a 'low-quality protein' due to its imbalanced amino acid profile and notes it should not replace high-quality proteins. He acknowledges it may be useful as a supplementary source of glycine and proline for those recovering from connective tissue injuries. His broader content discusses collagen extensively in the context of skin aging (UV damage, retinoids, radiofrequency), bone structure, and disc health — but from a structural biology perspective rather than supplementation advocacy.

4 more clips

• 00:00 · Are collagen supplements effective and worth taking? | Peter Attia and Luc van Loon (Guest: Luc van Loon)
• 01:43 · Are collagen supplements effective and worth taking? | Peter Attia and Luc van Loon (Guest: Luc van Loon)
• 03:37 · Are collagen supplements effective and worth taking? | Peter Attia and Luc van Loon (Guest: Luc van Loon)
• 143:46 · Optimizing muscle protein synthesis: protein quality and quantity (Guest: Luc van Loon)

Dr. Rhonda Patrick Uses Personally in Smoothie

Patrick uses hydrolyzed collagen powder personally in her smoothie, providing the clearest mechanistic explanation of collagen's amino acid benefits among the experts. She highlights glycine and proline as vital for collagen synthesis, wound healing, and anti-inflammatory signaling. A guest on her show (Dr. Luc van Loon) notes collagen peptides may benefit connective tissues 'especially after injury or surgery' while acknowledging limited evidence for muscle protein synthesis. She also discusses vitamin C's critical role in maintaining collagen and preventing skin aging.

D inflammation is a major cause of Aging we have inflammatory molecules that are being produced constantly as we age did you know that omega-3 can actually reduce the expression of genes that are involved in inflammation people take your fish oil white tea white tea can actually reduce the expression of genes that are involved in the growth of new fat cells you may want to grab a cup of tea next time instead of your cup of coffee in the morning the egcs are very very potent antioxidants and those antioxidants and white have been shown to reduce the expression of elastases and collagenases which break down collagen yes UV radiation is a very…

▶ 03:26 · How Your Lifestyle Can Change Your Genetics

2 more clips

• 07:49 · Smoothie #2: Prebiotics, Phytochemicals
• 63:43 · Dr. Luc Van Loon: Optimizing Protein Intake & Distribution for Muscle Growth (Guest: Luc Van Loon)

Bryan Johnson Daily in Blueprint Protocol

Johnson is the strongest collagen advocate, including collagen peptides as a core daily component of his Blueprint protocol. He takes it in his 'Green Giant' morning drink alongside spermidine, creatine, and cocoa flavanols, and in his breakfast for skin and joint health. Beyond supplementation, he actively pursues external collagen-stimulating interventions: Sculptra for collagen stimulation (as part of 'Project Baby Face'), radiofrequency devices for collagen production and skin tightening, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy which 'led to dramatic visual improvements in skin health, evidenced by increased collagen and elastin fiber density.' He also describes collagen as 'the rebar' of bone structure.

…cardio flexibility and balance while working out I'll rotate listening to music books podcasts on the weekends I'll play pickle ball ride a bike climb hang out with friends next for breakfast I will have blueprint longevity protein and Berry nut mix collagen peptides extra virgin olive oil and 100% pure cacao with a few dozen pills after breakfast I will squeeze in a few additional therapies daily I do red and near infrared light therapy 6 minutes a day currently I have two additional therapies one is hyperbaric oxygen therapy and second is focused Shockwave therapy which I'm doing for my entire body first in world next I will jump…

▶ 01:27 · My 2025 Longevity Protocol | FULL DAY

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Dr. Mark Hyman Favors Bone Broth as Food Source

Hyman takes a food-first approach to collagen, advocating for bone broth as a gut-healing food rich in connective tissue. He hosted Marco Canora for a dedicated bone broth episode discussing its role in gut health. For microbiome repair, he uses collagen peptides alongside polyphenols and prebiotics. He emphasizes collagen preservation — how chronic stress (cortisol), sugar, and UV exposure break down collagen and thin the skin — rather than focusing primarily on supplementation. He recommends slow-cooking cheaper cuts of meat to preserve collagen for nutrient density. He does note that bone broth can trigger histamine issues in sensitive individuals.

4 more clips

• 16:51 · Is Bone Broth Worth the Hype? with Marco Canora (Guest: Marco Canora)
• 01:07 · EAT THESE FOODS To Heal Your Body & LIVE LONGER!
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• 26:48 · What To EAT FOR BRAIN HEALTH & LONGEVITY | Max Lugavere (Guest: Max Lugavere)

What do experts agree on about collagen?

4 of 5 experts support collagen for skin and connective tissue health, but Attia is notably skeptical — citing research showing collagen does not outperform whey protein for connective tissue synthesis. Johnson is the strongest advocate, taking collagen peptides daily in his Blueprint protocol.

Where do the experts disagree on collagen?

Attia considers collagen a 'low-quality protein' that does not outperform dairy protein for connective tissue synthesis, while Huberman, Patrick, and Johnson actively recommend collagen supplementation for skin and connective tissue benefits. Huberman's own guest (Dr. Soleymani) discusses 'limitations of collagen supplements,' suggesting the evidence is not universally accepted even among his show's experts. Hyman favors a food-first approach via bone broth rather than isolated collagen peptide supplements, while Johnson uses highly processed collagen peptide powder as part of his optimized protocol.

How strong is the expert consensus on collagen?

The consensus on collagen scores 3.9/5 — a strong level of agreement across Huberman, Attia, Patrick, Johnson, and Hyman, based on their public videos.