- Collagen is essential for the structure and support of your skin, muscles, bones, and joints, making up about 30% of the body’s total protein.
- Natural collagen production starts to decline by age 25, leading to visible signs like wrinkles and hidden effects such as joint stiffness and reduced mobility.
- Different types of collagen serve different functions: type I and III support skin, bones, and movement, while type II is key for joint flexibility and comfort.
- Maintaining healthy collagen levels isn't just about appearance — it plays a vital role in keeping your body strong, flexible, and mobile as you age.
Collagen is one of the main building blocks of your skin, muscles, bones, and connective tissue.
In fact, about 30% of all the protein in your body is made of collagen. Its main job is to provide structure and support to your body.¹
Your collagen levels start to decline as early as 25. By age 40, you lose about 1% of your collagen each year.² Collagen loss can lead to visible and invisible signs of aging. Some of the signs you can see include wrinkles and sagging skin. Decreased collagen levels also affect parts of the body you can’t see, such as muscle weakness, stiff joints, and reduced mobility.¹
While many people take collagen for healthy hair, skin, and nails, you can’t forget about collagen’s ability to support joint and bone health to keep you moving at any age.
What Types of Collagen Support Bones and Joints?
Researchers have identified 28 different types of collagen. There are six main types of collagen that have been studied for healthy skin, hair, and joints. Collagen types are categorized using Roman numerals to identify each type.¹,²
Type I Collagen
Type I (1) collagen is the most common type of collagen, making up about 90% of all the collagen in your body. It’s found in your skin, bones, teeth, tendons, and ligaments.¹,²
Taking type I collagen supports skin hydration and elasticity.³
Type II Collagen
Type II (2) collagen is the main type of collagen found in your cartilage — the strong, but flexible connective tissue that cushions your joints.¹,²
As the main type of collagen found in joints, type II collagen may help promote a healthy inflammatory response to keep joints flexible.⁴
Type III Collagen
Type III (3) collagen is mostly found in the skin, muscles, and blood vessels.¹,²
When combined with type I and type II collagen, type III collagen may help support healthy joints and movement.⁵
Type IV Collagen
Type IV (4) collagen is found in the skin and the tissues that support your internal organs.¹,²
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Type V Collagen
Type V (5) collagen is found in many different parts of the body, including the skin, hair, and eyes.¹,²
Type X Collagen
Type X (10) collagen is mostly found in the bones and cartilage.² This type of collagen helps bones harden during growth.⁶
More Than Skin Deep
Collagen has many important functions in the body that affect your appearance and how you move. In general, type I and type III collagen promote a healthy aging process in your hair, skin, and nails. Type II collagen is the main type that helps address joint discomfort to keep you moving with ease.² However, different types of collagen can also help support healthy joints. A 2021 study showed that a supplement made of collagen peptides derived from type I collagen helped active adults minimize knee discomfort associated with exercise.⁷
Are you ready to support your joints, skin, and active lifestyle from within? Nano Collagen Complex from Nano Singapore has five types of collagen to support you from the inside out.
References:
- Collagen. Cleveland Clinic website. Updated May 23, 2022. Accessed May 13, 2025.
- Can collagen supplements help arthritis? Arthritis Foundation website. Updated December 21, 2022. Accessed May 13, 2025.
- Wang H. A review of the effects of collagen treatment in clinical studies. *Polymers* (Basel). 2021;13(22):3868. doi:10.3390/polym13223868
- Martínez-Puig D, Costa-Larrión E, Rubio-Rodríguez N, Gálvez-Martín P. Collagen Supplementation for joint health: The link between composition and scientific knowledge. *Nutrients*. 2023;15(6):1332. P doi:10.3390/nu15061332
- Genç AS, Yılmaz AK, Anıl B, et al. The effect of supplementation with type I and type III collagen peptide and type II hydrolyzed collagen on pain, quality of life and physical function in patients with meniscopathy: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. *BMC Musculoskelet Disord*. 2025;26(1):17. doi:10.1186/s12891-024-08244-w
- Gudmann N, Karsdal M. Type X collagen. Biochemistry of Collagens, Laminins and Elastin. 2016;73-76. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-809847-9.00010-6
- Zdzieblik D, Brame J, Oesser S, Gollhofer A, König D. The influence of specific Bioactive collagen peptides on knee joint discomfort in young physically active adults: A randomized controlled trial. *Nutrients*. 2021;13(2):523. doi:10.3390/nu13020523

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