VITAMINS & SUPPLEMENTS · GUIDE
Collagen, Menopause and Hormone-Related Skin, Bone and Joint Changes
What health agencies say changes in skin, bone and joints around menopause, and what the few trials of collagen peptides in postmenopausal women did and did not show.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
Back to Collagen Supplements: What They Are, Types, Sources and EvidenceSkin and hair
A meta-analysis of 26 trials (not described as limited to menopause) found oral hydrolyzed collagen improved skin hydration versus placebo, with biases in the included trials, and noted more large trials are needed. [8] The 2025 trial above also reported less hair shedding in supplemented groups. [6] See collagen for skin, hair and collagen, biotin and beauty claims.Joints
A systematic review of 15 trials said collagen peptides were most beneficial for joint function and pain, mainly in recreational athletes, with only one trial in untrained premenopausal women. [9] Proper evidence not found for joint pain in menopausal women specifically; we searched PubMed for collagen peptides with menopause, postmenopausal and joint pain. See collagen for joint pain and osteoarthritis.Not covered by the sources we read
Hot flashes, mood, sleep and hormone therapy. For hormone-therapy trials see menopausal hormone therapy and aging.Frequently asked questions
Does collagen help bone density after menopause?
One 12-month trial of 131 women reported small increases versus placebo; more research is needed. [3]
Does collagen replace osteoporosis medicine?
No source we read says so; the NHS describes bone-strengthening medicines as treatment. [7]
Does collagen help menopausal skin?
Trials show hydration and elasticity changes, but a 2025 menopausal trial compared mostly to baseline. [6]
Does collagen reduce hot flashes?
Proper evidence not found in the sources we read.
Should I ask a doctor first?
Yes, especially if taking medicines or having bone-density concerns. [10]
More details: evidence, limits and cautions
The details behind this page: cautions, limits of the evidence and where sources disagree. Open any note to read it.
How to read the evidence labels
Labels used on this page: promising but limited, mixed, insufficient evidence. Collagen trials in postmenopausal women exist for bone density and skin, but they are few, mostly small, and some are linked to collagen companies. Results are mixed. Menopause changes are treated by clinicians with options we do not cover here; collagen is not a replacement for medical care.
What changes around menopause
The US National Institute on Aging says estrogen and progesterone fall greatly during the menopausal transition, and that changes may include bone density, body composition and physical function. [1] It adds that skin may become thinner and drier and joints and muscles stiff, weak and achy. [1] The NHS lists weakening bones, muscle aches and joint pains, hair thinning and dry, itchy skin. [2] These descriptions do not say collagen supplements prevent or treat any of them. For symptom options see perimenopause and menopause.What trials in postmenopausal women found
All amounts are study amounts, not advice.| Outcome | Study | Result | Strength |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bone density | 131 women with age-related lower bone density, 5 g specific collagen peptides or placebo for 12 months [3] | Spine and femoral-neck bone density rose a little more than with placebo (T-score spine +0.1 vs -0.03) [3] | promising but limited |
| Bone density, long term | 4-year open-label follow-up of 31 women, no comparison group [4] | Authors reported an increase in spine density; no control means it cannot show cause | insufficient evidence |
| Bone density with calcium and vitamin D | 51 women with osteopenia, collagen plus calcium and vitamin D3 vs calcium and vitamin D3, 12 months [5] | Better bone-scan measures at the shin and less turnover in the collagen group [5] | promising but limited |
| Skin, bone markers, hair | Menopausal women, fish collagen 5 g with or without calcium and vitamin D, 6 months [6] | No significant change in body composition or bone markers; skin hydration and elasticity improved against baseline in some groups [6] | mixed |
Bone density on a scan is a stand-in for fracture risk. These trials did not report fewer fractures. The 2021 follow-up records that an author has given lectures supported by a collagen manufacturer and holds collagen peptide patents. [4] The NHS says osteoporosis "can be treated with bone strengthening medicines," and that a stage before it (osteopenia) is diagnosed on a bone scan. [7] Do not stop or change a prescribed medicine because of collagen; talk to your doctor.
Safety and who should ask first
References
- What Is Menopause?, National Institute on Aging (US). Read 2026-10-22.
- Menopause and perimenopause: symptoms, NHS (UK). Read 2026-10-22.
- Koenig D et al. Specific collagen peptides improve bone mineral density and bone markers in postmenopausal women: randomized controlled study. Nutrients 2018. PubMed abstract. Read 2026-10-22.
- Zdzieblik D et al. Specific bioactive collagen peptides in osteopenia and osteoporosis: long-term observation in postmenopausal women. J Bone Metab 2021. PubMed abstract. Read 2026-10-22.
- Lampropoulou-Adamidou K et al. Calcium and vitamin D with and without collagen peptides, bone density and turnover in postmenopausal women with osteopenia. J Clin Densitom 2022. PubMed abstract. Read 2026-10-22.
- Duangjai A et al. Calcium and vitamin D supplementation with and without collagen on bone density and skin elasticity in menopausal women: randomized controlled study. Clin Pract 2025. PubMed abstract. Read 2026-10-22.
- Osteoporosis, NHS (UK). Read 2026-10-22.
- Pu SY et al. Effects of oral collagen for skin anti-aging: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrients 2023. PubMed abstract. Read 2026-10-22.
- Khatri M et al. Collagen peptide supplementation: body composition, collagen synthesis, and recovery from joint injury and exercise, a systematic review. Amino Acids 2021. PubMed abstract. Read 2026-10-22.
- Using Dietary Supplements Wisely, National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (US). Read 2026-10-22.