The Science of Collagen Synthesis Explained
Scarlett Gray
BNutrDiet (Hons), APD, SDA
Reviewed by Scarlett Gray · About Scarlett
Accredited Practising Dietitian with Dietitians Australia (APD200526). Accredited Sports Dietitian and Credentialled Eating Disorder Clinician. First Class Honours in Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of Newcastle.
Reviewed by Scarlett Gray, Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD200526), BNutrDiet Hons, Sports Dietitian. @scarlett__redefiningnutrition
Reviewed: November 2026
The Science of Collagen Synthesis Explained
Collagen synthesis is the cellular process by which your body produces new collagen proteins. Understanding how this process works helps explain why certain nutrients, lifestyle factors and supplements either support or hinder your body's ability to maintain healthy skin, bones and connective tissue.
The Step-by-Step Process
Stage 1: Amino Acid Assembly
Collagen synthesis begins inside fibroblast cells, which are found throughout your skin, bones, tendons and connective tissues. These cells take up amino acids from your bloodstream - particularly glycine, proline and lysine - and assemble them into long chains called alpha-chains.
Glycine and proline are technically classified as non-essential (or conditionally essential) amino acids, meaning the human body can synthesise them on its own. Lysine is the essential one, so it has to come from your diet. To support collagen production, focus on eating enough high-quality protein (rich in lysine, the one essential amino acid) and adequate vitamin C intake, which is essential for the body to build stable collagen.
Stage 2: Hydroxylation and Triple Helix Formation
Once the alpha-chains are assembled, they undergo hydroxylation - a chemical modification that requires vitamin C as a cofactor. This step converts some proline and lysine residues into hydroxyproline and hydroxylysine, which are essential for collagen stability.
Three hydroxylated alpha-chains then wind together to form a triple-helix structure called procollagen. This is why vitamin C deficiency causes scurvy - without it, collagen synthesis breaks down and existing collagen becomes unstable.
Stage 3: Secretion and Crosslinking
The procollagen molecule is transported out of the fibroblast cell and into the extracellular space (the area between cells). Enzymes then clip off the ends of the procollagen, converting it into mature collagen. Multiple collagen molecules align and crosslink together to form collagen fibrils - the rope-like structures that give tissues their strength and flexibility.
What Your Body Needs for Collagen Synthesis
- Amino acids (glycine, proline, lysine) - provided by protein foods and collagen supplements
- Vitamin C - essential cofactor for hydroxylation; without it, synthesis fails
- Copper - required for crosslinking enzymes that stabilise collagen fibres
- Zinc - supports enzyme activity in collagen production
- Manganese - cofactor for enzymes involved in collagen formation
- Adequate protein intake - generally 1.2-1.6g per kg of body weight*
*The reference intake of 0.8g per kg of body weight is enough for everyday bodily functions, collagen production included. The higher 1.2-1.6g range relates to supporting muscle mass and strength.
Factors That Slow Collagen Synthesis
Several factors interfere with your body's ability to produce collagen efficiently. Age is the biggest factor - collagen synthesis slows by around 1% per year after age 25, accelerating after menopause in women. UV radiation damages fibroblasts and breaks down existing collagen faster than it can be replaced.
Persistently high blood sugar can cause glycation, where sugar molecules bind to collagen and make it stiff and dysfunctional. The strongest evidence here comes from poorly controlled diabetes rather than the occasional sweet treat, but consistently high sugar intakes work against healthy collagen. Smoking reduces blood flow to skin and directly damages fibroblast cells. Chronic inflammation redirects cellular resources away from collagen production toward immune responses.
How Supplemental Collagen Supports Synthesis
When you consume hydrolysed collagen peptides, they're absorbed through your gut and enter your bloodstream. Some are used as building blocks for new collagen, and research suggests they may also act as bioactive signals that support collagen synthesis rather than simply providing amino acids, though the exact way this works in the body is still being studied.
The strongest evidence sits with skin: a systematic review and meta-analysis and a 2024 review both support collagen supplementation for skin hydration and elasticity, typically at daily doses around 10g taken for 8 to 12 weeks. Collagen and dietary protein play different roles in the body, so think of hydrolysed marine collagen as a targeted addition to a diet that already covers your overall protein needs, not a replacement for it.
Kollo Health was co-founded by Jenni Falconer - TV presenter, Smooth Radio breakfast host, ten-time London Marathon runner and host of the RunPod podcast. Understanding the science of collagen synthesis has informed Kollo's formulation, which pairs the 10g daily dose of marine collagen peptides used in the research with vitamin C and B vitamins to support your body's natural production.
