Collagen is the most abundant protein in our bodies, making up the majority of our skin, hair and nails as well as being the basis for our bones, ligaments and joints. In childhood our collagen levels are high, but they begin to decline when we reach our mid-20’s. This decline in collagen is the main reason for ageing, both in our outward appearance (such as fine lines and wrinkles) but also in the way our bodies feel, with ageing issues such as aches and joint stiffness also attributed to lower levels of collagen.

Both women and men lose collagen steadily at around 1.5% a year, usually from the age of 25 onwards. However working out the rate of collagen loss is not as simple as multiplying 1.5 by the number of years someone has aged over 25, since each year the 1.5% is taken from the new reduced total. The mathematics is further complicated by the fact that male and female levels diverge when women hit menopause. For more information about how our collagen calculator works, please click here, or add in your age and gender to our collagen calculator to see what your levels are likely to be.