Does Collagen Help With Hair Loss?

The Relationship Between Collagen and Hair Growth

To understand the relationship between collagen and hair growth, you need to appreciate the role that collagen plays in the human body. Collagen is the most common protein in the body. It is a crucial building block for skin, tendons and bones and provides critical amino acids needed for the growth of keratin, the primary protein in hair. The human body naturally produces collagen, but this process slows as people age. Men and women logically turn to collagen supplements to stem this loss.

Will Collagen Help With Hair Loss?

Collagen makes up about 70% of a person’s skin, including the scalp. It provides the mechanical and structural integrity of the middle layer of skin (the dermis), which holds hair in place. It’s easier for hair loss to begin as the scalp weakens from the natural loss of collagen. But collagen supplements can contribute to the elasticity of the dermis and replenish damaged or dead cells, creating a beneficial connection between collagen and hair loss. The support provided by collagen supplements can keep hair roots in place and healthy, possibly decreasing the likelihood of age-related hair loss.

Is Collagen Good for Hair Growth?

Many people take collagen for hair growth. There are three nonessential amino acids in collagen: glycine, proline and hydroxyproline. In this case, nonessential means these amino acids are produced by the body, although not necessarily in appropriate amounts. Proline is one of the amino acids in the keratin found in hair. As an important source of proline, collagen supplements contribute to keratin production and can boost healthier hair.

Does Collagen Help With Thinning Hair?

Free radicals are highly reactive molecules that attack our DNA, lipids that make up cells in our body and proteins like collagen. Hair follicles are also susceptible to attack, but antioxidants can combat the effects of free radicals and support healthy skin and hair follicles. Collagen supplements are a valuable source of antioxidants, so people frequently take collagen for thinning hair.

Collagen supplements also seem to increase the growth of fibroblasts, which control the body’s natural production of collagen. This provides a powerful one-two punch in the fight against thinning hair.

What Is the Best Collagen for Hair Growth?

Experts know of 28 different types of collagen, but only a handful are essential to human health. Of these, Collagen Types 1 and 3 account for more than 90% of the naturally occurring collagen in the human body. They are the collagen types most frequently cited as contributing to healthy hair. While there are several sources of collagen, marine collagen is considered highly beneficial because it provides both Collagen Types 1 and 3.

The best collagen for hair growth is hydrolyzed collagen. On its own, collagen can be challenging for the body to absorb. The process of hydrolysis breaks collagen down into more absorbable units called peptides.