The claimEvidence C · limited
Drinking collagen / bone broth replaces your own collagen
The evidence
Oral collagen is broken into amino acids in the gut, not shipped intact to skin or joints (Paul 2019); hydrolyzed peptides show a weak signal, but Myung 2025 found no effect in non-industry-funded studies — and bone broth's dose is a blind box.
The mechanism, in brief
This is the island's most important mechanism: the collagen you eat is not shipped intact to your face or your knees.
Sources (2)
- Paul, C., Leser, S., & Oesser, S. (2019). Significant amounts of functional collagen peptides can be incorporated in the diet while maintaining indispensable amino acid balance. Nutrients, 11(5), 1079.
- Skov, K., Oxfeldt, M., Thogersen, R., Hansen, M., & Bertram, H. C. (2024). Absorption of bioactive peptides following collagen hydrolysate intake: a randomized, double-blind crossover study in healthy individuals. Frontiers in Nutrition, 11, 1416643. Pro-Hyp and Hyp-Gly dipeptides are absorbed intact and peak in blood 60-120 min after intake.