Collagen for Menopause – What Can It Really Do for You?

Collagen for menopause may offer more benefits than you might expect. As oestrogen levels fall, the body loses collagen more rapidly: within the first five years after menopause, the skin can lose as much as 30 per cent of its collagen! Clinical studies show that regular supplementation with hydrolysed collagen can improve skin elasticity and hydration, as well as reduce joint discomfort. The first results are usually visible after about three months of daily use.

On the 18th of October, we’ll be celebrating World Menopause Day - the perfect time to take a closer look at the changes that occur quietly but very consistently in the body after the age of forty. Skin that seems to get thinner and less supple with each passing month. Morning stiffness in the hands. Knees that protest ever more loudly on the stairs. Sound familiar? Find out exactly what happens to collagen during the menopause, what the science says, and how to choose a supplement that really makes a difference.

During menopause, collagen begins to be lost from the body significantly faster than before. The decreased levels of oestrogen slow down its production while accelerating its breakdown, which is why the skin loses as much as 30 per cent of its collagen in the first five years after the menopause, and then a further 2 per cent or so each year subsequently. The effects are not only visible in the mirror: collagen loss during menopause also affects cartilage, tendons and bones.

The rapid decline in oestrogen is to blame for all of this. Oestrogen receptors are found directly in the skin, cartilage, tendons and muscles. Oestrogen keeps tissues hydrated, supports their regeneration and has anti-inflammatory effects. When its levels drop drastically during perimenopause, the tissues lose their protection: collagen breaks down more quickly, regeneration slows down and micro-inflammation appears.

As collagen is the main structural protein in both the skin and connective tissue, its decline during menopause makes itself noticeable in many ways. In the mirror, you can see thinner, drier and less firm skin. Every day, you feel morning stiffness, a ‘creaking’ sensation in your joints and knees that don’t cushion as well as they used to. The good news? Collagen levels after menopause can be effectively supported, and research into supplementation is more promising than many women realise.

Yes, there is a solid research evidence base for collagen during menopause. It is during this period that the body loses collagen at the fastest rate, and clinical studies show that regular collagen supplementation can genuinely support the tissues most affected by falling oestrogen levels: the skin, joints and bones.

The strongest evidence comes from the largest review of collagen research to date, published in 2026 in the journal *Aesthetic Surgery Journal Open Forum*. In it, researchers analysed 113 randomised clinical trials involving nearly 8,000 people. The conclusions are unequivocally positive, particularly with regular, long-term use.

How does it work? Hydrolysed collagen consists of short peptides that enter the bloodstream and reach the tissues. There, they act as a signal to the cells responsible for building connective tissue, stimulating them to increase their own collagen production.

Promising results also apply to bones, which is particularly significant after the menopause. In a study by König et al. (2018), 131 postmenopausal women took 5 g of collagen peptides daily for 12 months. They showed an increase in bone mineral density in the spine and femoral neck compared with the placebo group.

How exactly does collagen during menopause help with skin and joints? We explain below.

Collagen for joint pain during menopause is a solution with increasingly strong scientific evidence. In clinical trials, collagen peptides reduced joint pain during everyday activities and improved mobility. The best results are achieved by combining supplementation with regular strength training.

Joint pain is one of the most common, though still little-known, symptoms of menopause. According to a 2020 meta-analysis, as many as 71 per cent of women in the perimenopausal period report experiencing it. In 2024, experts writing in *Climacteric*, the official journal of the International Menopause Society, introduced the term ‘Musculoskeletal Syndrome of Menopause’ (MSM) to describe this cluster of symptoms. According to their estimates, over 70 per cent of women experience musculoskeletal symptoms during the menopausal transition, and in around 25 per cent of cases, these symptoms are serious enough to cause difficulties in daily life.

The most commonly affected areas are the small joints of the hands and the base of the thumb, as well as the shoulders, hips and knees, which lose their natural ‘cushioning’ during menopause due to reduced hydration and cartilage degradation.

In a randomised study by Schulze et al. (2024) involved 182 healthy adults experiencing discomfort in their knees and hips during everyday activities. Taking 5 g of specific collagen peptides daily for 12 weeks led to a reduction in pain during everyday activities and significantly improved the ability to perform squats compared with a placebo.

Collagen for joints during menopause works best when combined with exercise. Resistance training with weights or resistance bands strengthens the muscles, which form a natural ‘support structure’ that takes the strain off painful joints. However, if you notice swelling, redness in a joint or morning stiffness lasting longer than 30 minutes, consult your GP.

Collagen during menopause supports not only the skin and joints, but also the hair and nails, which often become thinner, weaker and more brittle during this period. Clinical studies show that regular supplementation with collagen peptides can increase hair thickness and improve the condition of brittle nails, with the first effects usually becoming apparent after a few months.

The drop in oestrogen levels affects more than just the skin and joints. Many women notice during this period that their hair loses volume and becomes thinner, whilst their nails split and break more frequently. This is another sign that the body needs support from within.

In a 2020 study, 44 women aged 39–75 took 2.5 g of collagen peptides daily for 16 weeks. The collagen group showed a marked increase in hair thickness, whilst in the placebo group the hair became slightly thinner. Meanwhile, in a study by Hexsel et al. (2017), women with brittle nails took collagen for 24 weeks. Their nails grew 12 per cent faster, and the frequency of breakage fell by as much as 42 per cent.

When choosing collagen for hair during menopause, it is worth looking out for ingredients that provide additional support for hair and nails. A good choice would be collagen with zinc and biotin, which provides 12,000 mg of collagen peptides in a single serving. Zinc helps maintain healthy hair and nails, whilst biotin helps maintain healthy hair.