The evidence points to yes. In an open-label study of 25 participants taking collagen peptides daily for 24 weeks, nail growth rate rose 12% and the frequency of broken nails fell 42%.
- 64% showed a clinical improvement in brittle nails, as assessed by a physician, in that open-label study. The share reached 88% four weeks after stopping.
- 80% of the study's participants agreed their nails looked better after 24 weeks on 2.5 g of collagen peptides a day.
- Selenium contributes to the maintenance of normal nails. Each portion of Core™ carries 27.5 µg, which is 50% NRV.
of 106 women reported stronger nails after 8 weeks on our liquid marine collagen.
- 99%found it easy to fit into their day
- 95%said their skin looked better
- 89%more moisture and glow
Does collagen help nails?
The evidence on collagen and nails points to yes: in an open-label study of 25 participants taking 2.5 g of collagen peptides daily for 24 weeks, nail growth rate rose 12% and the frequency of broken nails fell 42%.1 Separately, 106 women drank our liquid marine collagen daily for 8 weeks, and 76% of them reported stronger nails.2
These are two kinds of reading, and it helps to keep them apart. The first is a published study in which growth was measured and a physician examined the nails. The second is what women told us about their own hands. They point the same way.
Nails make an honest judge. Good lighting cannot flatter them and a filter cannot fix them. You see them when you type, when you cook and when you reach for your keys, so a nail that holds its shape and keeps its length is a change you notice for yourself.
assets/img/blog/nl-hands.webpWhat did the nail study find?
The 2017 nail study found that after 24 weeks of 2.5 g of collagen peptides a day, nails grew 12% faster and broke 42% less often. It was open-label, which means all 25 participants knew they were taking collagen peptides.1
Faster growth, fewer breaks, and a physician's verdict
Across 24 weeks of daily collagen peptides, nails grew 12% faster and broke 42% less often. A physician judged brittle nails to be clinically improved in 64% of participants, and 80% agreed that their own nails looked better.1
25 participants · open-label study · 2.5 g of collagen peptides a day
nail growth rate after 24 weeks.
frequency of broken nails after 24 weeks.
of participants agreed their nails looked better.
of participants showed a clinical improvement in brittle nails, physician-assessed.
of participants showed that improvement four weeks after stopping.
of collagen peptides a day, taken by 25 participants for 24 weeks.
Hexsel et al., Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2017.1 An open-label study of 25 participants. Growth rate and broken nails are changes in a measure. The other percentages are shares of participants.
Read those tiles as two sets. The 12% and the 42% describe a measure: how quickly nails grew and how often they broke. The 64%, the 88% and the 80% count people out of the 25 who took part.
The most interesting line is the one about stopping. The physician checked again four weeks after the last dose, and the share of participants with clinically improved brittle nails had moved from 64% up to 88%.1 Nails were still being marked as improved four weeks after the collagen peptides ended.
As for the collagen itself, the study used collagen peptides at 2.5 g a day. Core™ is hydrolysed marine collagen, types I and III, and one portion holds 11,000 mg.2
How long does collagen take to work for nails?
Allow 8 to 24 weeks: women in our trial reported stronger nails at 8 weeks, and the published nail study measured growth at 24. Fingernails grow about 3.47 mm a month,3 so a nail shows you its progress a little at a time. The published nail study gave them 24 weeks.
- Each month
About 3.47 mm of fingernail
This is the measured pace of fingernail growth.3
- Week 4
Our trial: results in as little as 4 weeks
Women taking our liquid marine collagen reported visible results in as little as 4 weeks, with further improvement by week 8. This is the trial's general result, across everything the women were asked about.2
- Week 8
Our trial: 76% report stronger nails
At the end of the 8 weeks, 76% of the 106 women said their nails were stronger.2
- Week 24
The open-label study: growth and breakage measured
On 2.5 g of collagen peptides a day, the 25 participants had a 12% higher nail growth rate and 42% fewer broken nails, and 64% had a physician-assessed improvement in brittle nails.1
- 4 weeks on
The open-label study: the follow-up check
Four weeks after stopping, the share with that physician-assessed improvement stood at 88%.1
Skin and hair keep their own calendars. We set out every study in date order in how long collagen takes to work.
Before and after: what 106 women reported
In our 8-week user trial, 76% of the 106 women who added our liquid marine collagen to their day reported stronger nails. They answered questions about what had changed, and nails were on the list.2
reported stronger nails.
found it easy to include in their daily routine.
felt that the appearance of their skin improved.
Participants in the 8-week user trial of our liquid marine collagen, photographed before and after.
The 99% matters, because it means nearly every woman in the trial found the daily portion easy to include in her routine. The same women were asked about their hair, which has its own article: collagen for hair.
What else is in Core™ for nails?
Alongside 11,000 mg of collagen per portion, Core™ carries selenium for nails, plus biotin, protein, hyaluronic acid and silica.2
- Selenium, 27.5 µg (50% NRV). Selenium contributes to the maintenance of normal nails.4 It is the nutrient in Core™ with an authorised claim for nails.
- Biotin, 5,000 µg. Biotin contributes to the maintenance of normal skin.4
- Protein, 9.9 g. You get this much in a single portion of Core™.
- Hyaluronic acid and silica, 50 mg each. Both come in the same portion, so there is nothing extra to buy or remember.
Everything comes in one berry-flavoured measure, sugar free and fat free. You can see the full label on the Core™ product page.
What women say about collagen and their nails
Women describe better nails on marine collagen: one writer called hers the best she had ever had, another found hers less brittle after around six months, and a buyer saw visible changes.
“My nails were the best I had ever had in my whole life.”
She began marine collagen after turning 40, and this is how she summed up her nails.
Charlotte DormonWriting in Hip & Healthy5
“To my surprise, these worked.”
Her nails were less brittle after around six months of marine collagen at 10,000 mg a day, and her skin was glowier and more even.
Charlotte BitmeadWriting in Stylist6
“I can really see the visible changes in my skin and nails.”
Check4YouVerified purchase · Amazon, Germany · 27 December 2023
Independent first-person accounts of marine collagen published by the outlets named, and a verified buyer review of our liquid marine collagen as sold under our manufacturer's own label.
How to take collagen for nails
- Make it daily. The nail study and our own trial both ran on a dose taken every day.
- Keep it simple. Shake the pack, fill the cap and drink it as it is, or stir it into water or a smoothie. Once opened, the pack lives in the fridge.
- Take a full measure. The clinical trials we draw on used between 1 g and 10 g of collagen peptides a day, and the nail study used 2.5 g. A portion of Core™ gives you 11,000 mg.
- Stay with it. Women in our trial reported stronger nails at 8 weeks, and the nail study measured at 24.
Take one portion of Core™ every day for at least 8 weeks, the point at which women in our trial reported stronger nails. For skin and the rest, start with our guide to marine collagen for women.
Questions about collagen and nails
Does collagen help nails grow?
In the one open-label study that measured it, nail growth rate rose 12% over 24 weeks in 25 participants taking 2.5 g of collagen peptides a day. For reference, fingernails grow about 3.47 mm a month.
Does collagen help brittle nails?
In an open-label study of collagen peptides, a physician found a clinical improvement in brittle nails in 64% of participants after 24 weeks, and the frequency of broken nails fell 42%. In our 8-week trial of our liquid marine collagen, 76% of 106 women reported stronger nails.
How long does collagen take to work for nails?
Allow 8 to 24 weeks: our trial took its reading at 8 weeks, when 76% of women reported stronger nails. The published nail study ran for 24 weeks. Plan in months, and take it every day.
How much collagen should I take for nails?
The nail study used 2.5 g of collagen peptides a day. One portion of Core™ contains 11,000 mg of hydrolysed marine collagen, so a single portion a day is the whole routine.
Which vitamins and minerals are good for nails?
For nails, selenium is the one to look for. Selenium contributes to the maintenance of normal nails, and Core™ has 27.5 µg per portion, which is 50% NRV.
What happens to your nails when you stop taking collagen?
Nails stayed improved in the open-label study: four weeks after participants stopped, 88% showed a physician-assessed improvement in brittle nails, up from 64% at the end of the 24 weeks.
