Spoiler alert: almost every collagen supplement on the shelf comes from animals. So what's a plant-based eater to do? The good news is that your body makes its own collagen, and you can give it the raw materials it needs. Here's how collagen is made, why "vegan collagen" usually means a collagen booster, and the plant-based nutrients that support your body's own production.
What is collagen?
Collagen is the most abundant protein in animals, including us. It's a fibrous, structural protein made of three chains wound into a tight triple helix, and it forms the framework of skin, tendons, ligaments, cartilage and bone. The name even comes from the Greek kolla, meaning glue.
Collagen gives skin its firmness and spring. As we age, our skin cells make less collagen: in one study, skin cells from people over 80 produced about a third less type I procollagen than cells from people in their twenties. Sun exposure, smoking and poor nutrition speed up skin aging too. We're all for celebrating healthy aging, but it's worth giving your body what it needs to keep building.
Is there such a thing as vegan collagen?
Collagen supplements are made from animal sources, most often cows, pigs or fish. Studies of these hydrolyzed collagen supplements have found improvements in skin hydration and elasticity, so they can work, but they aren't an option if you don't eat animal products. Producing animal foods also has a much larger environmental footprint: even the lowest-impact animal products typically exceed the impacts of plant-based substitutes.
So when you see "vegan collagen" on a label, it almost always means a collagen booster: a blend of plant-based nutrients your body uses to make its own collagen. Think of it as DIY collagen, with no animal parts needed. Research on plants and skin is still growing, but several plant extracts have been shown to promote collagen synthesis or protect the skin's matrix.
How does your body make collagen?
Collagen production starts inside cells called fibroblasts, which string amino acids, especially glycine, proline and lysine, into chains called procollagen. Vitamin C is essential at this step: it's needed to convert proline into hydroxyproline, which stabilizes collagen's triple helix.
The procollagen is then released from the cell, trimmed and assembled into fibrils, which bundle together into strong collagen fibers. Think of it like making a sweater: raw wool (procollagen) is spun into threads (fibrils), twisted into yarn (fibers) and knitted into fabric (your skin, tendons and connective tissue).
How can you boost collagen naturally with plant-based nutrients?
1. Protein and amino acids
Collagen is made of amino acids, so you need enough protein overall. Plant proteins work fine for this. Combining sources, like pea with rice, or beans with grains, gives you all nine essential amino acids. Building healthy collagen isn't about eating collagen; it's about giving your body the building blocks. Read more about everyday vegan protein options.
2. Vitamin C
Without enough vitamin C, your body can't form stable collagen; that's why the deficiency disease scurvy causes bleeding gums and poor wound healing. In lab studies, vitamin C increased collagen production by human skin cells in a dose-dependent way. Skin naturally holds high concentrations of vitamin C, which supports collagen synthesis and antioxidant protection against UV damage. And in people, taking 100 to 180 mg of vitamin C a day for four weeks raised the skin's radical-scavenging activity by 22 to 37%. Citrus, kiwi, berries, peppers and broccoli are all great sources. Learn more in organic vs. synthetic vitamin C.
3. Vitamin E
Vitamin E is vitamin C's antioxidant partner. Taken together, the two work better against oxidative damage to the skin than either alone. You'll find vitamin E in nuts, seeds, avocado and plant oils.
4. Aloe vera
Aloe is famous for soothing sunburn, but it's interesting taken by mouth too. In a 90-day study of women over 45, aloe vera gel supplements improved facial wrinkles and elasticity and increased type I procollagen in the skin. Aloe is rich in polysaccharides, and lab work suggests polysaccharides can influence how collagen fibrils assemble. Aloe has also long been studied for its role in wound healing.
5. Silica
Silicon (often sold as silica) is a trace mineral involved in healthy connective tissue. A review of silicon for skin and hair notes that it plays a role in collagen and that higher silicon content in hair has been linked with less hair loss and more shine, while pointing out that more clinical studies are needed and that absorption varies widely by form. Plant foods such as whole grains contain silica, and bamboo extract is a concentrated source.
What's the easiest way to support collagen on a plant-based diet?
Start with food: plenty of protein, colorful fruit and vegetables for vitamin C, and nuts and seeds for vitamin E. Protect your skin from the sun and don't smoke, since both break down collagen.
If you'd like the key nutrients in one place, Aloe Gorgeous is our organic, vegan collagen-boosting powder with aloe vera, protein, bamboo silica and vitamins C and E, designed to support your body's natural collagen production. Mix a scoop into water, plant milk or a smoothie. For more on skin-friendly nutrients, read what astaxanthin is.
