Does massage increase collagen production?

Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body. It provides structure and strength to tissues like skin, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones. As we age, collagen production naturally begins to slow down, leading to common signs of aging like wrinkles, sagging skin, and joint pain. This has led many people to look for ways to boost collagen levels. Massage has been suggested as one potential way to increase collagen production. But does the evidence actually support this?

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What is collagen and why is it important?

Collagen is a structural protein that makes up nearly 30% of the total protein in the human body. It forms a matrix that provides structure and strength to connective tissues throughout the body.

There are at least 16 different types of collagen in the body, but around 90% consists of types I, II, and III:

Type I – Found in skin, tendons, ligaments, bones, teeth
Type II – Found in cartilage
Type III – Found in skin, muscles, blood vessels

Collagen provides strength and structure to tissues. In skin, it helps maintain youthful appearance by giving skin its elasticity, firmness, and texture. It also plays a role in replacing dead skin cells. In joints, it helps cushion joints and provides mobility and flexibility. Overall, collagen is essential for the health and maintenance of connective tissues.

As we age, collagen production begins declining. Some estimates suggest collagen production may decrease by around 1% per year after age 20. This leads to common signs of aging like:

Wrinkles and fine lines

Thinner, more fragile skin
Stiffer, less flexible joints
Weaker muscles and tendons

Boosting collagen production may help counter some of these age-related changes. But can massage really increase collagen levels?

Does massage increase collagen levels?

There are two main ways massage could potentially stimulate collagen production:

Mechanical stimulation of tissues – The mechanical pressure and compression from massage may trigger cellular responses that increase collagen synthesis.

Improved circulation – Massage enhances blood flow, which may nourish tissues and supply nutrients needed for collagen production.

Let’s take a closer look at the current research on both theories:

Mechanical stimulation from massage

Some preliminary research suggests that mechanical stimulation from massage may increase collagen production:

One small study found a moderate increase in collagen synthesis in muscle after massage therapy.¹
Another study found a single session of massage increased circulating levels of procollagen (a precursor to collagen) by around 16%.²
Animal studies also report increases in collagen synthesis in tendons, muscles, and ligaments in response to massage-like mechanical stimulation.^3,4

The mechanical pressure from massage is believed to stimulate cellular responses involved in collagen production, including:

Increasing fibroblast activity – Fibroblasts are specialized cells that produce collagen.
Increasing TGF-beta levels – This growth factor regulates collagen synthesis.

Increasing other growth factors like IGF-1.
Altering gene expression related to collagen metabolism.

Overall, preliminary evidence suggests massage may provide some modest stimulation to collagen synthesis through mechanical signaling effects. However, more rigorous clinical studies are still needed.

Enhanced circulation from massage

By enhancing blood flow, massage may also promote collagen production indirectly by supplying tissues with nutrients needed for collagen synthesis.

Massage has consistently been shown to increase local blood flow. For example:

One study found a 45-75% increase in blood flow to muscle tissue after massage.

Another study detected a significant increase in skin blood flow after massage.

Improved circulation may promote collagen synthesis by:

Increasing delivery of oxygen and nutrients like amino acids needed to make collagen.

Removing waste products that may inhibit collagen production.
Enhancing transport of fibroblasts and other cells involved in collagen synthesis.

For tendons and ligaments that have relatively poor blood supply, the circulation boost from massage may be particularly helpful for increasing collagen production.

However, direct evidence confirming that improved blood flow from massage translates to increased collagen is still limited. More research is warranted.

Impact on different tissues

Research suggests the effects of massage on collagen production may vary in different tissues:

Skin

Several small studies have found promising effects on skin collagen from massage therapy:

One study found facial massage 3 times a week for 12 weeks increased collagen fibers and dermal thickness.⁵
Another study reported increases in skin collagen after 4 weeks of full body massage.⁶

The skin appears to be quite responsive to massage, likely due to its dense network of blood vessels and collagen-producing fibroblasts. More research is still needed, but massage does seem to promote some modest increases in skin collagen.

Muscles and Tendons

Research on how massage impacts collagen in musculoskeletal tissues has been mixed:

The previously mentioned study did note increased muscle collagen synthesis after massage.¹
However, another study found no significant differences in Achilles tendon collagen after 8 weeks of massage therapy.⁷

The effects may depend on factors like the duration, intensity, and frequency of massage. More rigorous studies are still needed evaluating massage on muscle, tendon, and ligament collagen.

Joints and Cartilage

There is minimal research investigating the direct effects of massage on collagen in joint cartilage.

One study did find massage therapy decreased joint pain and stiffness in patients with osteoarthritis.⁸ Since osteoarthritis is characterized by collagen loss in joints, this provides indirect evidence that massage may support cartilage collagen.

But direct proof is still lacking on how massage impacts collagen content specifically in joint cartilage. Further research is needed.

Factors that influence results

Not all massage therapy may be equally effective for increasing collagen. Some factors that may influence results include:

Massage duration

Longer massage sessions may be needed to substantially impact collagen synthesis. In studies showing collagen increases, massage duration has ranged from 15-60 minutes per session.

Massage frequency

The number of massage sessions over a given time period appears to play a role. Getting massages several times a week may produce better results compared to a single monthly session.

Massage technique

Massage techniques that increase blood flow, like effleurage and petrissage strokes, may enhance nutrient delivery to stimulate collagen production.

Techniques that deeply compress tissues, like cross-fiber friction, may provide greater mechanical signaling effects.

Body region

Massage is likely to have varying effects on different tissues based on regional differences in vascularity, innervation, lymphatic drainage, and baseline collagen content.

For example, effects on thinly protected joint cartilage may differ from dense fascia tissues.

Age

Massage may produce greater impacts on collagen synthesis in older populations where collagen production has naturally declined.

However, more research is still needed on age-specific effects.

Is collagen supplementation better than massage?

Rather than relying on massage, some people opt to take collagen supplements as a more direct method to increase collagen.

Collagen supplements providing extra dietary collagen from animal sources like cows or fish are popular. But collagen molecules are too large to be absorbed intact when taken orally. Instead, these supplements are thought to act indirectly by stimulating natural collagen production.

But so far, there is limited evidence that collagen supplements reliably increase collagen levels in humans. While some preliminary studies show modest benefits for skin and joint symptoms, more rigorous data is still needed.⁹

In contrast, massage therapy has been more consistently shown to directly impact physiological processes involved in collagen synthesis, including enhanced blood flow, tissue compression, and cellular signaling.

For increasing collagen, massage therapy may be a preferable approach over unproven dietary collagen supplements. Of course, combining massage with a healthy, balanced diet containing amino acids and vitamins important for natural collagen production is likely the optimal strategy.

Should you get frequent massages to boost collagen?

Research suggests massage therapy may help provide a modest stimulus for increasing collagen production. Exactly how much it helps remains uncertain.

Some key points to consider:

Benefits appear most consistent for skin collagen. Effects on muscles, joints, and other tissues are less certain.

Increases are likely mild and gradual. Massively boosted collagen levels should not be expected.
More intensive, frequent massage (e.g. 60 minutes, 3-5x/week) seems ideal but may not be practical or affordable for many people.
A healthy diet, proper sleep, strength training, and avoiding excessive UV radiation also support natural collagen production.

While more studies are still needed, collagen-boosting benefits could potentially justify getting regular massages. Even if impacts on collagen are subtle, massage offers many other physical and mental health benefits that make it worthwhile for most individuals.

Of course, consult your healthcare provider before beginning massage therapy or taking any dietary supplements like collagen. Certain medical conditions may warrant caution.

The bottom line

Here is a quick summary answering the key question posed in the title: