Bone Broth Vs. Collagen – What’s The Difference?
Both Support Skin, Joint, And Gut Health, But Both Bone Broth And Collagen Offer Unique Benefits Based On Your Goals
DR. KELLYANN PETRUCCI
2024
Trump's Win Can Help
CANCEL KELLOGGS CAMPAIGN
Trump wins 2024 election
RFK JR
Pursuit of Pet Longevity
FUREVER FAITHFUL
World Premiere at the A4M
A4M
From Misinformation to Integrity
PEER REVIEW REVOLUTION
Biohack Yourself World Premiere
GUEST LIST
LATEST STORIES
When it comes to nutrition, we’ve all heard the term “superfood” thrown around like confetti. But few superfoods live up to the hype quite like bone broth and collagen. Both have surged in popularity, celebrated for their powerful health benefits. While they’re often confused with one another, bone broth and collagen are more than just wellness trends. They’re a dynamic duo, each offering its unique edge in nourishing the body.
Before I dive into the differences, let’s start with the basics: both bone broth and collagen are rich in amino acids, the building blocks of protein. Our bodies rely on protein for muscle repair and growth, cell structure, hormone regulation and immune system support. However, it’s the type of protein, how it’s absorbed, and its effects on your health that really highlight the differences between these two nutritional powerhouses.
Collagen is the most abundant protein in our bodies. It forms the structure of our skin, hair, nails, joints, and bones. I like to call it “Mother Nature’s glue.” There are actually 28 different types of collagen but the three most prominent—Type I, Type II, and Type III—are the heavy hitters when it comes to your health and wellness.
ADVERTISEMENT
Type I Collagen is the most abundant type, making up about 90% of the collagen in the body. It’s primarily found in the skin, tendons, ligaments, and bones. Type I collagen is what keeps your skin firm, helps reduce wrinkles, and supports bone strength. It’s also crucial for wound healing and tissue repair.
Type II Collagen is mainly found in cartilage, making it essential for joint health and mobility. It provides a cushion between joints and plays a key role in preventing the wear and tear that leads to joint discomfort.
Type III Collagen typically works alongside Type I to support the structure of skin, muscles, and blood vessels. It helps maintain the structure of organs and is important for vascular health.
Collagen supplements are typically made of these three types by hydrolyzing collagen into peptides, which makes them more easily absorbed. Think of collagen peptides as the building blocks of collagen. In their full form, collagen molecules are too large for your body to absorb efficiently. By hydrolyzing collagen, it breaks these large molecules into smaller chains of amino acids—called peptides—which your body can digest and absorb more easily.
Once absorbed, these collagen peptides circulate in your bloodstream, where they act like signals, telling your body to ramp up its natural collagen production. This process ensures that the collagen you're consuming actually gets used where it's needed—whether that’s in your skin, joints, or bones—making it more effective than consuming whole collagen.
Collagen
Dr. Kellyann Petrucci
One of collagen’s most talked-about benefits is its ability to support skin elasticity, help reduce the appearance of wrinkles, and increase skin hydration. Several clinical studies have backed this up. A 2014 study published in Skin Pharmacology and Physiology found that participants who took between 2.5 grams and 5 grams of collagen peptides per day for eight weeks had significantly improved skin elasticity and moisture levels compared to those who took a placebo.
Collagen supplements have also been shown to improve joint health by supporting cartilage repair. A study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry demonstrated that hydrolyzed collagen significantly improved knee joint comfort in people with osteoarthritis.
Did you know that collagen makes up about 30% of our bone mass? Research from the journal Nutrients suggests that collagen supplements may even support bone density and prevent bone loss, especially in postmenopausal women.
Now let’s talk about bone broth. Bone broth is made by simmering bones and connective tissue from animals (think beef, chicken, or fish) over a long period—typically 8 to 24 hours. This slow-cooking process extracts vital nutrients, including collagen from the bones, resulting in a savory, nutrient-dense broth that has been used in traditional medicine for centuries.
ADVERTISEMENT
Our top picks
Dr. Steve Gundry
Health through gut wellness
MHI
The myths around testosterone
Weber Medical
Multi-wavelength light therapy
Dr. Todd Ovakaitys
Why you should save the umbilical cord
ADVERTISEMENT
Chicken bones are rich in Type II collagen, making it great for joints, digestion, and immune support. In contrast, beef bones are an excellent source of Type III collagen to best benefit muscles and support skin. And fish bones are high in Type I collagen, targeting your hair, nails and skin.
But here’s the kicker: bone broth isn’t just about the collagen. When you consume bone broth, you’re also getting a nutrient boost that includes gelatin, minerals like calcium, magnesium, and potassium, and amino acids like glycine, proline, and glutamine, which are key for gut health, immunity, and joint support.
Studies have shown that glycine and glutamine, two amino acids most abundant in bone broth, play a pivotal role in repairing the gut lining and improving digestion. These amino acids help strengthen the gut lining and support a healthy microbiome, which is crucial for anyone struggling with digestive issues, especially leaky gut syndrome.
A 2017 research review published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences highlights how glutamine may help enhance gut barrier function and promote better digestion. So, bone broth isn't just comfort food—it’s gut-healing liquid gold.
Bone broth is also rich in amino acids that enhance immune function. Proline and glycine help detoxify the body by supporting liver function, while the minerals extracted during simmering like zinc and magnesium are critical for immune support. Remember your grandma’s chicken soup when you were sick? There’s real science behind why it helped!
Here’s where bone broth and collagen intersect. Bone broth’s collagen content can promote healthier skin, stronger nails, and fuller hair. Collagen’s ability to improve skin elasticity and hydration has been widely studied, but bone broth takes this a step further by offering an array of additional nutrients that can boost overall skin health.
Plus, the high levels of collagen and gelatin in bone broth can support joint health by improving the cartilage that cushions your joints. A study published in Current Medical Research and Opinion found that collagen supplementation significantly reduced joint discomfort in athletes, suggesting that sipping on chicken bone broth could potentially have similar benefits.
Dr. Kellyann Petrucci
Bone Broth
Both bone broth and collagen are nutritional powerhouses, but your choice depends on your health goals. Want to improve gut health, support immunity, and get a broad range of nutrients? Bone broth should be your go-to. If you’re after firmer skin, stronger nails, or joint support, collagen supplements may offer faster, more targeted results.
At the end of the day, bone broth and collagen don’t have to be rivals. In fact, I find that using both maximizes their health benefits. Bone broth for the health and wellness long game, and collagen for fast-acting, beauty-boosting results.
References
Proksch E, Segger D, Degwert J, Schunck M, Zague V, Oesser S. Oral supplementation of specific collagen peptides has beneficial effects on human skin physiology: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Skin Pharmacol Physiol. 2014;27(1):47-55. doi: 10.1159/000351376. Epub 2013 Aug 14. PMID: 23949208.
Kumar S, Sugihara F, Suzuki K, Inoue N, Venkateswarathirukumara S. A double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised, clinical study on the effectiveness of collagen peptide on osteoarthritis. J Sci Food Agric. 2015 Mar 15;95(4):702-7. doi: 10.1002/jsfa.6752. Epub 2014 Jun 24. PMID: 24852756.
König D, Oesser S, Scharla S, Zdzieblik D, Gollhofer A. Specific Collagen Peptides Improve Bone Mineral Density and Bone Markers in Postmenopausal Women-A Randomized Controlled Study. Nutrients. 2018 Jan 16;10(1):97. doi: 10.3390/nu10010097. PMID: 29337906; PMCID: PMC5793325.
Zhong Z, Wheeler MD, Li X, Froh M, Schemmer P, Yin M, Bunzendaul H, Bradford B, Lemasters JJ. L-Glycine: a novel antiinflammatory, immunomodulatory, and cytoprotective agent. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2003 Mar;6(2):229-40. doi: 10.1097/00075197-200303000-00013. PMID: 12589194.
Jingqing Chen, Yuchen Yang, Ying Yang, Zhaolai Dai, In Ho Kim, Guoyao Wu, Zhenlong Wu, Dietary Supplementation with Glycine Enhances Intestinal Mucosal Integrity and Ameliorates Inflammation in C57BL/6J Mice with High-Fat Diet–Induced Obesity, The Journal of Nutrition, Volume 151, Issue 7, 2021, Pages 1769-1778, ISSN 0022-3166, https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/nxab058.
Kim MH, Kim H. The Roles of Glutamine in the Intestine and Its Implication in Intestinal Diseases. Int J Mol Sci. 2017 May 12;18(5):1051. doi: 10.3390/ijms18051051. PMID: 28498331; PMCID: PMC5454963.
Clark KL, Sebastianelli W, Flechsenhar KR, Aukermann DF, Meza F, Millard RL, Deitch JR, Sherbondy PS, Albert A. 24-Week study on the use of collagen hydrolysate as a dietary supplement in athletes with activity-related joint pain. Curr Med Res Opin. 2008 May;24(5):1485-96. doi: 10.1185/030079908x291967. Epub 2008 Apr 15. PMID: 18416885.
