Do Collagen Supplements Work? The Science of Beauty Supplements

Written By Zoe Rom

Do collagen supplements actually work? What about biotin for hair growth, or greens powders for glowing skin? The beauty supplement industry is worth $70 billion, and it's built on a foundation of insecurity, pseudoscience, and promises your liver already keeps for free.

This week, Zoë and Kylee trace the century-long history of "inner beauty" products, from Lydia Pinkham's alcohol-laced "female vitality" tonics to today's Instagram-ready collagen lattes and glow powders. Along the way, they dissect the actual science behind collagen peptides, biotin, hyaluronic acid, greens powders, and antioxidant blends, and ask why the beauty industry has repackaged the same insecurities for every generation of women.

Spoiler alert: that skin smoothness score isn't peer-reviewed, industry-funded collagen studies are wildly biased (a 2024 meta-analysis found independent research shows no effect on skin aging), and your biotin supplement might actually be interfering with your thyroid tests. But don't worry—Kylee has the receipts on what actually supports skin health (hint: it involves eating enough protein, sleeping, and wearing sunscreen, not gargling chicken cartilage).

This episode also digs into the psychology of wellness marketing, why "glow" replaced "thin" as the coded language of virtue, and how the rise of preventative Botox among people in their twenties (almost 30% of Botox patients are now under 30) reflects a culture terrified of normal human aging. Plus: the lipstick indicator, the gut-skin axis (real science, grifty applications), and why Zoë's improv group gave her a yoga gift certificate.

If you've ever Googled "do beauty supplements work" or wondered whether that $90 Athletic Greens is doing anything besides lightening your wallet, this one's for you.

The beauty supplement industry is worth $70 billion, and it's built on a transaction as old as advertising itself: selling control to people who feel like they have none. From Lydia Pinkham's alcohol-and-herb tonic promising "female vitality" in 1875 to today's collagen lattes and adaptogen sex dust, the packaging has evolved but the fundamental pitch hasn't changed. Companies pathologize normal biological processes—menstruation, aging, existing—and then sell you the cure.

In this episode, Zoë and Kylee trace the surprisingly political history of beauty supplements, from post-World War II "beauty breads" marketed to women returning to domesticity, through the 1994 deregulation that opened the floodgates, to the current era of Instagram face and "that girl" aesthetics. Along the way, they break down what's actually in these products, what the science says (spoiler: mostly industry-funded studies with subjective outcomes like "skin smoothness scores"), and why the glow that matters has nothing to do with a $90 greens powder.

The celebrity of beauty supplements is collagen, which Kylee gets asked about constantly—usually framed as "will this help my tendon injury?" but often with an underlying hope about skin and aging. The reality is less glamorous than the marketing: collagen supplements are made from cow hides, chicken cartilage, or fish scales, and a 2024 meta-analysis found that studies not funded by pharmaceutical companies showed no effect on skin aging. The ones that did show benefits? Industry-funded, using subjective measures, with modest effect sizes at best.

And for vegetarians? The "plant collagen" products are just vitamins that theoretically support collagen production—essentially selling you a pile of bricks when you asked for a wall.

Hair, skin, and nail supplements follow the same pattern. Biotin deficiency can cause brittle nails or hair loss, but it's extremely rare in people who eat enough calories and protein. There's no evidence that supplementing helps if you're not deficient—and high-dose biotin can actually interfere with thyroid and cardiac lab tests, leading to potential misdiagnosis.

Hyaluronic acid, which does have legitimate topical benefits, loses its magic when you swallow it. The molecule is too large to be absorbed intact, gets broken down by digestive enzymes, and even in the best-case scenario only acts as a signaling molecule that might encourage your body to make more. That's a far cry from the injectable fillers that actually plump wrinkles through mechanical spackling.

The antioxidant and "glow blend" category is where things get truly unhinged. A 2022 analysis of 70-plus beauty blends found that over 60% made at least one unsubstantiated claim, and none disclosed third-party testing or clinically validated formulation. Not a single one sent their product to a scientist.

The episode takes a sharp turn into what's actually driving this industry: identity and control. A 2021 study in the Journal of Consumer Research found that consumers use wellness purchases to reinforce moral and social identity, especially when those identities feel threatened by feeling overwhelmed, unproductive, or behind. You're not buying collagen—you're buying competence, order, glow, and calm. You're not buying stress reduction, but proof that you're the kind of person who manages stress.

The language evolution matters too. "Glow" replaced "thin" as the coded aspiration of virtue and worth. To glow means you're balanced, clean, disciplined, deserving. It's aspiration disguised with health language, which makes it feel less superficial than previous beauty standards. But is it? Or is it just the same insecurity rebranded for the Instagram and wellness generation?

The statistics on cosmetic procedures are genuinely alarming. Between 2019 and 2022, Botox use increased 73% overall, but injections in people aged 19 and younger went up 75%. Almost 30% of all Botox patients are now under 30. Dermatologists report patients coming in without any visible lines or wrinkles, asking for "preventative Botox" or "baby Botox" because they're afraid of aging before they have signs of it.

And the cruel irony: if you repeatedly get Botox for decades starting in your 20s, your facial muscles can atrophy and get thinner, potentially making you look older faster because your face loses muscle mass and support. At $530 per session every three to four months for decades, that's tens of thousands of dollars to potentially accelerate the exact thing you're trying to prevent.

So what actually works for skin, hair, and nails? The boring stuff. Eating enough calories and protein (1.6-2 grams per kilogram for athletes), because your body won't prioritize healthy skin when it's trying to survive calorie restriction. Staying hydrated. Wearing sunscreen, which Kylee calls "a collagen supplement in a bottle" since UV exposure is the number one cause of premature collagen loss. Getting enough sleep to support growth hormone release and collagen turnover. Managing stress, because chronically elevated cortisol directly impacts collagen breakdown and barrier repair.

Eating 30 different plant foods per week for gut microbiome diversity, which does have legitimate connections to skin conditions like acne, eczema, and rosacea—though not through $90 greens powders with gut-healing claims. Most probiotic supplements don't survive stomach acid in high enough quantities to colonize your gut. Your stomach is designed to kill bacteria before it reaches your intestines. That's the whole point.

The bottom line? Your hair, skin, and nails are reflections of your internal health, but that doesn't mean every vitamin or powder changes your appearance overnight. It means eating food. It means sleeping. It means not chronically restricting calories in pursuit of a body composition that will, ironically, make your skin look worse.

  • 2024 meta-analysis on collagen supplements showing no effect on skin aging in non-industry-funded studies
  • 2022 Journal of Dietary Supplements analysis finding over 60% of beauty blends make unsubstantiated claims with zero third-party testing
  • 2021 Journal of Consumer Research study on wellness purchases and moral/social identity reinforcement
  • American Society of Plastic Surgeons data on 73% increase in Botox use between 2019-2022, with 75% increase in patients 19 and younger
  • Research on gut microbiome diversity and 30 plant foods per week for optimal gut health

Your Diet Sucks is where nutrition science meets real talk. Hosted by journalist and ultrarunner Zoë Rom and registered dietitian Kylee Van Horn, this podcast dismantles the myths, trends, and pseudoscience that shape how we think about food, health, and performance.

Each week, we cut through the noise with evidence-based conversations on sports nutrition, endurance training, fueling strategies, and diet culture, all with a dose of humor and honesty. Whether you’re a runner, athlete, or just someone who loves food, Your Diet Sucks will help you understand what actually works (and why carbs are your best friend).

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