Non-Cochrane · intervention · PM41809116
Collagen Supplementation for Skin and Musculoskeletal Health: An Umbrella Review of Meta-Analyses on Elasticity, Hydration, and Structural Outcomes.
Ravindran Roshan, Pizzol Damiano, López-Gil José Francisco, et al. · Aesthetic surgery journal. Open forum · 2026 · PubMed · doi:10.1093/asjof/ojag018
Findings
59 findings
| Population | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Participants in RCTs of collagen supplementation (muscle, tendon and exercise-recovery outcomes) | Collagen supplementation | Placebo or no collagen supplementation | Muscle architecture | SMD 0.39 [0.15, 0.63] Moderate 5 studies · 183 participants |
| Participants in RCTs of collagen supplementation (muscle, tendon and exercise-recovery outcomes) | Collagen supplementation | Placebo or no collagen supplementation | Muscle soreness (48 hours) 48 hours | SMD 0.10 [-0.41, 0.60] Low 5 studies · 122 participants |
| Participants in RCTs of collagen supplementation (muscle, tendon and exercise-recovery outcomes) | Collagen supplementation | Placebo or no collagen supplementation | Tendon mechanical properties | SMD 0.04 [-0.57, 0.64] Low 4 studies · 127 participants |
| Participants in RCTs of collagen supplementation (muscle, tendon and exercise-recovery outcomes) | Collagen supplementation | Placebo or no collagen supplementation | Maximal strength recovery (48 hours) 48 hours | SMD 0.30 [-0.05, 0.65] Low 4 studies · 114 participants |
| Participants in RCTs of collagen supplementation (muscle, tendon and exercise-recovery outcomes) | Collagen supplementation | Placebo or no collagen supplementation | Reactive strength recovery (24 hours) 24 hours | SMD 0.26 [-0.09, 0.61] Low 4 studies · 114 participants |
| Participants in RCTs of collagen supplementation (muscle, tendon and exercise-recovery outcomes) | Collagen supplementation | Placebo or no collagen supplementation | Tendon morphology | SMD 0.65 [0.04, 1.26] Low 4 studies · 127 participants |
| Participants in RCTs of collagen supplementation (muscle, tendon and exercise-recovery outcomes) | Collagen supplementation | Placebo or no collagen supplementation | Maximal strength | SMD 0.18 [0.02, 0.34] High 11 studies · 533 participants |
| Participants in RCTs of collagen supplementation (muscle, tendon and exercise-recovery outcomes) | Collagen supplementation | Placebo or no collagen supplementation | Immediate muscle soreness immediately post-exercise | SMD -0.21 [-0.57, 0.15] Low 4 studies · 104 participants |
| Participants in RCTs of collagen supplementation (muscle, tendon and exercise-recovery outcomes) | Collagen supplementation | Placebo or no collagen supplementation | Reactive strength recovery (48 hours) 48 hours | SMD 0.26 [-0.09, 0.61] Low 4 studies · 114 participants |
| Participants in RCTs of collagen supplementation (muscle, tendon and exercise-recovery outcomes) | Collagen supplementation | Placebo or no collagen supplementation | Maximal strength recovery (24 hours) 24 hours | SMD 0.26 [-0.09, 0.61] Low 4 studies · 114 participants |
| Participants in RCTs of collagen supplementation (muscle, tendon and exercise-recovery outcomes) | Collagen supplementation | Placebo or no collagen supplementation | Muscle soreness (24 hours) 24 hours | SMD -0.06 [-0.45, 0.33] Low 4 studies · 114 participants |
| Participants in RCTs of collagen supplementation (muscle, tendon and exercise-recovery outcomes) | Collagen supplementation | Placebo or no collagen supplementation | Fat-free mass | SMD 0.48 [0.21, 0.75] Moderate 8 studies · 454 participants |
| Participants in RCTs of collagen use (oral health and periodontal outcomes) | Collagen supplementation | Placebo or no collagen supplementation | Keratinized mucosa width (KMW) parameter | SMD -0.42 [-1.05, 0.20] Moderate 7 studies · 266 participants |
| Participants in RCTs of collagen use (oral health and periodontal outcomes) | Collagen supplementation | Placebo or no collagen supplementation | Participant aesthetic satisfaction | SMD 6.42 [-6.32, 19.16] Very low 2 studies · 100 participants |
| Participants in RCTs of collagen use (oral health and periodontal outcomes) | Collagen supplementation | Placebo or no collagen supplementation | Probing depth parameter | SMD -0.08 [-0.21, 0.05] Moderate 4 studies · 184 participants |
| Participants in RCTs of collagen use (oral health and periodontal outcomes) | Collagen supplementation | Placebo or no collagen supplementation | Gingival thickness parameter | SMD -0.44 [-0.71, -0.17] Low 3 studies · 110 participants |
| Participants in RCTs of collagen supplementation (body composition and cardiometabolic outcomes) | Collagen supplementation | Placebo or no collagen supplementation | HDL-c | SMD 2.73 [-1.43, 6.90] Moderate 4 studies · 267 participants |
| Participants in RCTs of collagen supplementation (body composition and cardiometabolic outcomes) | Collagen supplementation | Placebo or no collagen supplementation | Body fat mass (%) | SMD -0.55 [-1.47, 0.36] Moderate 5 studies · 329 participants |
| Participants in RCTs of collagen supplementation (body composition and cardiometabolic outcomes) | Collagen supplementation | Placebo or no collagen supplementation | Body fat mass (kg) | SMD -1.21 [-2.13, -0.29] Moderate 4 studies · 254 participants |
| Participants in RCTs of collagen supplementation (body composition and cardiometabolic outcomes) | Collagen supplementation | Placebo or no collagen supplementation | Fat free mass (kg) | SMD 0.67 [-0.26, 1.59] Moderate 4 studies · 254 participants |
| Participants in RCTs of collagen supplementation (body composition and cardiometabolic outcomes) | Collagen supplementation | Placebo or no collagen supplementation | Fat free mass (%) | SMD 1.49 [0.57, 2.42] Low 3 studies · 192 participants |
| Participants in RCTs of collagen supplementation (body composition and cardiometabolic outcomes) | Collagen supplementation | Placebo or no collagen supplementation | Body mass index | SMD -1.01 [-2.15, 0.12] Moderate 6 studies · 388 participants |
| Participants in RCTs of collagen supplementation (body composition and cardiometabolic outcomes) | Collagen supplementation | Placebo or no collagen supplementation | Fasting blood glucose | SMD -7.18 [-19.60, 5.25] High 5 studies · 338 participants |
| Participants in RCTs of collagen supplementation (body composition and cardiometabolic outcomes) | Collagen supplementation | Placebo or no collagen supplementation | DBP | SMD -0.05 [-2.73, 2.63] Moderate 4 studies · 285 participants |
| Participants in RCTs of collagen supplementation (body composition and cardiometabolic outcomes) | Collagen supplementation | Placebo or no collagen supplementation | HbA1c | SMD -0.24 [-0.72, 0.24] Very low 2 studies · 156 participants |
| Participants in RCTs of collagen supplementation (body composition and cardiometabolic outcomes) | Collagen supplementation | Placebo or no collagen supplementation | SBP | SMD -4.03 [-8.89, 0.83] Moderate 4 studies · 285 participants |
| Participants in RCTs of collagen supplementation (body composition and cardiometabolic outcomes) | Collagen supplementation | Placebo or no collagen supplementation | LDL-c | SMD -1.08 [-8.65, 6.50] Moderate 4 studies · 267 participants |
| Participants in RCTs of collagen supplementation (body composition and cardiometabolic outcomes) | Collagen supplementation | Placebo or no collagen supplementation | TG | SMD -4.67 [-13.10, 3.76] Moderate 4 studies · 267 participants |
| Participants in RCTs of collagen supplementation (body composition and cardiometabolic outcomes) | Collagen supplementation | Placebo or no collagen supplementation | Total Cholesterol | SMD -1.24 [-11.33, 8.86] High 6 studies · 368 participants |
| Individuals with osteoarthritis in RCTs of collagen supplementation | Collagen supplementation | Placebo or no collagen supplementation | Pain reduction | SMD -0.35 [-0.47, -0.22] High 25 studies · 2687 participants |
| Individuals with osteoarthritis in RCTs of collagen supplementation | Collagen supplementation | Placebo or no collagen supplementation | WOMAC (pain) | SMD -0.74 [-1.61, 0.14] High 10 studies · 1086 participants |
| Individuals with osteoarthritis in RCTs of collagen supplementation | Collagen supplementation | Placebo or no collagen supplementation | Lesquene index | SMD -2.71 [-5.68, 0.26] Very low 2 studies · 80 participants |
| Individuals with osteoarthritis in RCTs of collagen supplementation | Collagen supplementation | Placebo or no collagen supplementation | WOMAC (stiffness) | SMD -0.53 [-0.83, -0.23] High 7 studies · 595 participants |
| Individuals with osteoarthritis in RCTs of collagen supplementation | Collagen supplementation | Placebo or no collagen supplementation | Adverse events (osteoarthritis) | OR 1.66 [0.99, 2.79] Moderate 4 studies · 474 participants |
| Individuals with osteoarthritis in RCTs of collagen supplementation | Collagen supplementation | Placebo or no collagen supplementation | WOMAC (functional limitation) | SMD -1.96 [-5.87, 1.94] High 8 studies · 969 participants |
| Individuals with osteoarthritis in RCTs of collagen supplementation | Collagen supplementation | Placebo or no collagen supplementation | WOMAC (index) | SMD -7.24 [-10.24, -4.23] High 18 studies · 1322 participants |
| Individuals with osteoarthritis in RCTs of collagen supplementation | Collagen supplementation | Placebo or no collagen supplementation | VAS (score) | SMD -10.13 [-19.88, -0.38] High 7 studies · 572 participants |
| Participants in RCTs of collagen supplementation (skin elasticity, hydration and roughness) | Collagen supplementation | Placebo or no collagen supplementation | Skin hydration (arbitrary unit) | SMD 0.32 [-0.50, 1.14] Very low 2 studies · 37 participants |
| Participants in RCTs of collagen supplementation (skin elasticity, hydration and roughness) | Collagen supplementation | Placebo or no collagen supplementation | Cutaneous hydration (arbitrary unit) | SMD 0.31 [-0.51, 1.13] Very low 2 studies · 37 participants |
| Participants in RCTs of collagen supplementation (skin elasticity, hydration and roughness) | Collagen supplementation | Placebo or no collagen supplementation | Skin hydration (µm) | SMD 0.72 [0.19, 1.26] Moderate 5 studies · 275 participants |
| Participants in RCTs of collagen supplementation (skin elasticity, hydration and roughness) | Collagen supplementation | Placebo or no collagen supplementation | Skin elasticity | SMD 1.01 [0.44, 1.59] High 20 studies · 1217 participants |
| Participants in RCTs of collagen supplementation (skin elasticity, hydration and roughness) | Collagen supplementation | Placebo or no collagen supplementation | Skin roughness | SMD -0.73 [-1.55, 0.09] High 8 studies · 513 participants |
| Participants in RCTs of collagen supplementation (skin elasticity, hydration and roughness) | Collagen supplementation | Placebo or no collagen supplementation | Cutaneous elasticity (%) | SMD -0.27 [-2.30, 1.77] High 6 studies · 384 participants |
| Participants in RCTs of collagen supplementation (skin elasticity, hydration and roughness) | Collagen supplementation | Placebo or no collagen supplementation | Skin hydration (%) | SMD 2.56 [-2.56, 7.67] Very low 2 studies · 184 participants |
| Participants in RCTs of collagen supplementation (skin elasticity, hydration and roughness) | Collagen supplementation | Placebo or no collagen supplementation | Cutaneous elasticity (arbitrary unit) | SMD 0.31 [-0.54, 1.15] Moderate 4 studies · 161 participants |
| Participants in RCTs of collagen supplementation (skin elasticity, hydration and roughness) | Collagen supplementation | Placebo or no collagen supplementation | Adverse events (skin) | RR 0.76 [0.50, 1.15] High 6 studies · 555 participants |
| Participants in RCTs of collagen supplementation (skin elasticity, hydration and roughness) | Collagen supplementation | Placebo or no collagen supplementation | Skin hydration | SMD 0.71 [0.44, 0.99] High 19 studies · 954 participants |
| Participants in RCTs of collagen supplementation (skin elasticity, hydration and roughness) | Collagen supplementation | Placebo or no collagen supplementation | Cutaneous elasticity | RR 1.20 [-0.81, 3.22] High 13 studies · 767 participants |
| Participants in RCTs of collagen supplementation (skin elasticity, hydration and roughness) | Collagen supplementation | Placebo or no collagen supplementation | Cutaneous elasticity (MPa) | SMD 4.67 [-0.04, 9.38] Moderate 4 studies · 342 participants |
| Participants in RCTs of collagen supplementation (skin elasticity, hydration and roughness) | Collagen supplementation | Placebo or no collagen supplementation | Cutaneous hydration (µm) | SMD 0.86 [0.27, 1.45] Moderate 4 studies · 244 participants |
| Participants with skin wounds or ulcers in studies of collagen (collagen dressing) | Collagen | Placebo, standard care or no collagen | Area reduction (%) | SMD 1.11 [0.34, 1.87] Low 4 studies · 187 participants |
| Participants with skin wounds or ulcers in studies of collagen (collagen dressing) | Collagen | Placebo, standard care or no collagen | Adverse events (during healing) | OR 0.72 [0.45, 1.13] High 5 studies · 493 participants |
| Participants with skin wounds or ulcers in studies of collagen (collagen dressing) | Collagen | Placebo, standard care or no collagen | Complete wound healing | OR 1.66 [0.89, 3.11] High 7 studies · 1534 participants |
| Participants with skin wounds or ulcers in studies of collagen (collagen dressing) | Collagen | Placebo, standard care or no collagen | Wound healing rate | RR 1.43 [1.24, 1.64] High 11 studies · 961 participants |
| Participants with skin wounds or ulcers in studies of collagen (collagen dressing) | Collagen | Placebo, standard care or no collagen | Wounds closed (%) | OR 3.78 [0.90, 15.83] High 7 studies · 1492 participants |
| Participants with skin wounds or ulcers in studies of collagen (collagen dressing) | Collagen | Placebo, standard care or no collagen | Area reduction (wound) | SMD 0.61 [0.11, 1.11] Very low 2 studies · 78 participants |
| Participants with skin wounds or ulcers in studies of collagen (collagen dressing) | Collagen | Placebo, standard care or no collagen | Wound relative reduction (%) | SMD 13.49 [4.87, 22.10] Moderate 4 studies · 173 participants |
| Participants with skin wounds or ulcers in studies of collagen (collagen dressing) | Collagen | Placebo, standard care or no collagen | Recurrence of ulceration | RR 0.39 [0.12, 1.25] Moderate 3 studies · 425 participants |
| Participants with skin wounds or ulcers in studies of collagen (collagen dressing) | Collagen | Placebo, standard care or no collagen | Healing velocity | SMD 4.02 [-1.22, 9.26] Very low 2 studies · 91 participants |
Included primary studies 15
Open in Studies| Study | Year | Also included by | Outcomes it informs here | Trial data |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chen 2023 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | 4 other reviews | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Kumar 2023 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | 1 other review | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Zhang 2021 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | 1 other review | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Bischof 2024 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Chicone 2018 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Chowdhry 2022 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| de Miranda 2021 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Garcia-Coronado 2019 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| García-Coronado 2019 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Jalili 2023 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Liang 2024 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Moraschini 2020 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Simental-Mendia 2025 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Simental-Mendía 2025 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Van Vijven 2012 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
Overlap with other reviews
Reviews that include the same primary studies are not independent evidence. Shared counts match studies by PMID, DOI or NCT, and otherwise by author and year (a probable match). Only the non-Cochrane dental reviews have study lists, so overlap with Cochrane reviews is not counted yet.
Review question
| Element | Planned (methods) | Found (results) |
|---|---|---|
| Population | Any human participants | Human participants (n=7983 across 113 RCTs); muscle, oral health, cardiometabolic, osteoarthritis, skin and wound outcomes |
| Intervention | Any collagen supplementation | Collagen supplementation (16 systematic reviews with meta-analysis) |
| Comparison | Placebo or no collagen supplementation | Placebo or no collagen supplementation |
| Outcomes | All health outcomes | Muscle, oral health, cardiometabolic, osteoarthritis and skin outcomes (59 pooled estimates) |
| Study designs | Systematic reviews with meta-analysis of RCTs | RCTs (n=113); a few wound estimates also included case-control or cohort studies |
| Timing | Not specified | Not specified |