How many types of collagen are there

The body contains more than two dozen types of collagen, but most are rare, highly specialised and confined to niche tissues. For everyday nutrition and the benefits of a good bone broth, only three matter: Types I, II and III.

Because the remaining types are present in tiny amounts within very specific tissues, you can set them aside for dietary purposes. The primary trio represents the overwhelming majority of the collagen relevant to food and health.

Type I collagen

Type I is by a considerable margin the most abundant form of collagen in the body. It is the primary structural foundation for skin, bones, tendons, ligaments and teeth, giving those tissues their strength and resilience. When collagen’s role in skin or bone density comes up, Type I is almost always the type being discussed.

Given its wide presence, Type I is the dominant type in most collagen rich foods. For dietary sources, beef and the robust connective tissue of larger animals are particularly high in it.

Type II collagen

Type II is the collagen of cartilage - the firm, flexible tissue that cushions joints and keeps movement smooth. Unlike the ubiquitous Type I, Type II is more specialised, concentrated within cartilage rather than spread across the body.

To get Type II from your diet, you need cartilage-rich ingredients. A properly prepared chicken bone broth, simmered with the cartilage-rich parts of the bird, is a notable source of Type II. A beef bone broth carries relatively little Type II, which makes chicken the stronger choice for joint-focused nutrition.

Type III collagen

Type III rarely occurs alone; it is almost always found alongside Type I, particularly in skin, blood vessels and softer, more elastic connective tissue. Because the two occur together, any whole food rich in Type I gives you a generous amount of Type III as well.

Type III is associated with the structure and elasticity of skin and connective tissue. It works in partnership with Type I, complementing its strength rather than working in its place.

The other types, briefly

Two other types are worth a mention to complete the picture. Type IV sits in the basement membrane, the ultra-thin layer of tissue just beneath the skin and lining internal cavities. Type V shows up in small amounts across several areas, including hair and the placenta.

These minor types exist, but they do not change how you approach collagen in the diet. For practical, everyday purposes, Types I, II and III are the whole story.

Which types of collagen are in bone broth

A good bone broth is a complete whole-food source of collagen because it gives you Types I, II and III - the trio that matters most. The exact breakdown in your mug depends on the animal used to make it:

  • Beef bone broth is rich in Type I and Type III collagen, which makes it well suited to skin, bones and general connective tissue.

  • Chicken bone broth, when simmered with cartilage-rich parts, adds a substantial dose of Type II collagen for the joints.

Put simply, a classic beef bone broth gives you a concentrated dose of Types I and III, while a chicken bone broth covers all three.

A note on quality. Whichever you prefer, careful preparation is what determines your collagen intake. A well-made bone broth that sets into a firm jelly gives you the most, whatever the ingredients used - a useful test when you buy bone broth or judge the best bone broth to buy.

For more on these differences, read the direct comparison of chicken vs beef bone broth collagen, or see exactly how these proteins transfer into your mug in does bone broth have collagen.

What type of collagen is best

There is no single “best” type of collagen. It depends on what you want from it, since each type builds and maintains a different set of tissues. To recap: Type I is associated with skin and bone structure, Type II with cartilage and joint comfort, and Type III works alongside Type I for skin and connective tissue elasticity.

Aiming for a natural mix of these types is the simplest and most sensible approach. A whole food like bone broth gives you these types together in their natural proportions, so you avoid the chore of choosing one isolated type over another. The body also breaks down dietary collagen into its amino acids before reassembling them wherever they are needed most.

That is the food-first advantage. A whole food gives you a full spectrum of structural proteins without overcomplicating things - a point covered in bone broth vs collagen. When you want to pair a warm morning drink with extra collagen, a good bone broth collagen powder does it in one step. For the full picture of how these proteins support normal maintenance of your tissues, see the bone broth collagen guide.