Explainer

Do you need collagen after 40?

There is no official recommendation to take collagen after 40, the way the NHS recommends vitamin D. Collagen carries no authorised EFSA health claim, so a collagen supplement is a personal choice, not a nutritional requirement. A varied diet with enough protein and vitamin C, which contributes to normal collagen formation, supports your body making its own. If you choose to try collagen, treat it as an optional extra rather than a proven anti-ageing step. This is information, not medical advice.

Why the question comes up at 40

Through the forties many women move into perimenopause, when changing oestrogen can affect skin and connective tissue, and collagen marketing tends to ramp up around this stage. That makes it a natural time to ask whether a supplement is worth it. The useful starting point is that the body makes its own collagen, and no health authority recommends a collagen supplement as a routine step.

What the rules and evidence allow

Collagen itself has no authorised EFSA health claim, which is why reputable labels avoid firm promises about firming skin or repairing joints. Where a permitted claim exists, it belongs to the supporting nutrient: vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of skin. Protein supplies the building blocks. So the honest picture is that diet does the heavy lifting, and a collagen powder is an optional addition rather than a fix.

If you decide to try it

Decide on the source: marine (fish) or bovine (cattle). Neither suits vegans. See our collagen types explained page for the difference between type and source.
Check the amount of collagen per serving and whether vitamin C is included, since vitamin C is what carries the authorised claim.
Treat anti-ageing or skin-firming promises with caution; they go beyond what the evidence and UK advertising rules allow.
If you are pregnant, breastfeeding or have a fish or beef allergy, check the source and speak to your GP or pharmacist.

For the full picture, see our guide to collagen for women, the best collagen UK roundup and collagen types explained. It is most discussed through perimenopause and menopause.

Frequently asked questions

Do you need collagen supplements after 40?

There is no need in the sense that there is no official recommendation to take collagen after 40, the way the NHS recommends vitamin D. Collagen carries no authorised EFSA health claim, so a collagen supplement is a personal choice rather than a nutritional requirement. A varied diet with enough protein and vitamin C supports your body making its own collagen.

Does collagen help skin and joints as we age?

The marketing often goes further than the evidence and the rules allow. Because collagen has no authorised EFSA claim, products cannot legitimately promise to firm skin or fix joints. Some people choose to take it anyway; if you do, treat it as an optional extra rather than a proven anti-ageing step.

What actually supports collagen in the body?

Vitamin C has an authorised claim that it contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of skin, and protein provides the building blocks. So a balanced diet with enough protein and vitamin C does more for your own collagen than the supplement name might suggest. This is general nutrition information, not a treatment claim.

If I want to try collagen, what should I look for?

Check the source (marine from fish or bovine from cattle, neither suitable for vegans), the amount of collagen per serving, and whether vitamin C is included, since vitamin C is what carries the authorised claim. Be wary of firm anti-ageing promises, and if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or allergic to fish or beef, check the source first.

This is information, not medical advice, and is not a substitute for a registered clinician. Always read product labels and speak to your GP or pharmacist before starting a supplement.

Oliver Mackman

Editor, Her Vitals

Oliver leads Her Vitals's editorial coverage of women's life-stage health and supplements. He curates and reviews existing branded products across trying to conceive, pregnancy, postnatal, perimenopause, menopause and the senior years, weighing what the evidence supports against guidance from bodies such as EFSA, the NHS and NICE, and is clear that the content is information rather than medical advice.

Last reviewed: 8 June 2026