A collagen amino acid composition supplementation reduces biological age in humans and increases health and lifespan in vivo.
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Prospective observational human study combined with pre-clinical animal and in vitro models
PubMed 41266379 · doi:10.1038/s41514-025-00280-7
What was done
Researchers evaluated a specific ratio of three amino acids (three glycine to one proline to one hydroxyproline) across multiple models: in vitro human fibroblasts (collagen homeostasis), Caenorhabditis elegans (motility-healthspan and lifespan), and 20-month-old mice (grip strength and age-related fat accumulation). In humans, oral supplementation was assessed in an observational clinical trial (ISRCTN93189645) measuring skin features at three months and biological age at six months.
What was found
In vitro and animal models showed increased motility-healthspan and lifespan in C. elegans, improved collagen homeostasis in fibroblasts, and improved grip strength with prevention of age-related fat accumulation in mice. In humans, oral supplementation resulted in improved skin features within three months and a reduction in biological age by 1.4 years (p = 0.04) within six months. Quantitative values for model organisms and skin outcomes were not reported in the abstract.
Why it matters
The paper suggests a specific 3:1:1 minimal amino acid ratio can recapitulate benefits attributed to whole collagen supplementation, linking a defined nutritional formulation to reduced biological age in humans.
Limits
The human trial was observational rather than randomized and placebo-controlled. Sample sizes (n) for humans and model organisms were not reported in the abstract. The reduction in biological age had borderline statistical significance (p = 0.04), and specific methods for biological age calculation were not described in the abstract.
Cited by
- supports Collagen protein composition is approximately 50% proline and glycine.