Can you get collagen from food?

Q: Can you get collagen from food?

Yes. Collagen is found in food, mostly in meat. Bone broth contains the amino acids of collagen. But broth made to a standard recipe had less hydroxyproline, glycine and proline than a 20 g dose of a collagen supplement. Broths made to other recipes differed a lot. Collagen lacks tryptophan, an essential amino acid, so it is an incomplete protein.

Updated 9 Nov 2026

Short answer

Yes. Collagen is found in food, mostly in meat.^[1] Bone broth contains the amino acids of collagen. But broth made to a standard recipe had less hydroxyproline, glycine and proline than a 20 g dose of a collagen supplement. Broths made to other recipes differed a lot.^[2] Collagen lacks tryptophan, an essential amino acid, so it is an incomplete protein.^[3]

Sources (3)

A randomized controlled trial on the efficacy and safety of a food ingredient, collagen hydrolysate, for improving joint comfort. Benito-Ruiz P, Camacho-Zambrano MM, Carrillo-Arcentales JN, Mestanza-Peralta MA, Vallejo-Flores CA, Vargas-López SV, et al. Int J Food Sci Nutr, 2009. PMID 19212858
Bone Broth Unlikely to Provide Reliable Concentrations of Collagen Precursors Compared With Supplemental Sources of Collagen Used in Collagen Research. Alcock RD, Shaw GC, Burke LM Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab, 2019. PMID 29893587
Significant Amounts of Functional Collagen Peptides Can Be Incorporated in the Diet While Maintaining Indispensable Amino Acid Balance. Paul C, Leser S, Oesser S Nutrients, 2019. PMID 31096622

More about collagen

What is collagen?What is collagen used for?How long does collagen take to work?Is collagen safe?Does collagen help joint pain?Does collagen help your skin?

For education; not medical advice. Talk to a doctor before you start, stop or change a supplement.