Does collagen help with memory loss during perimenopause?

Collagen is not a proven treatment for memory loss during perimenopause, and being upfront about that matters. The memory lapses, word-finding struggles, and mental fog many women experience in perimenopause are driven primarily by declining and fluctuating estrogen, which has a direct effect on the hippocampus, the brain region most involved in forming and retrieving memories. Collagen does not influence estrogen levels, and it has no direct mechanism for targeting the hormone-driven cognitive changes of perimenopause.

That said, there is one indirect pathway worth understanding honestly. Collagen is unusually high in the amino acid glycine, which makes up roughly a third of its amino acid composition. Glycine acts as a co-agonist at NMDA receptors in the brain, receptors that are central to synaptic plasticity and the consolidation of memories. Some animal studies suggest that increasing glycine availability around these receptors can enhance certain aspects of learning and memory. However, the leap from those findings to "taking collagen supplements will improve memory in perimenopausal women" is a large one. No human clinical trial has tested that specific question. The evidence at this point is preliminary and mostly theoretical, and it would be misleading to present it as established science.

What is better supported is collagen's potential influence on sleep quality, which then indirectly affects cognitive function. Several small Japanese trials, including research from the University of Tokyo published in the journal Sleep and Biological Rhythms, found that participants taking 3 grams of glycine 30 to 60 minutes before bed fell asleep faster, spent more time in slow-wave deep sleep, and scored better on cognitive assessments the following morning. The researchers attributed this to glycine's ability to lower core body temperature, a key signal for initiating deep sleep. Since disrupted sleep is one of the most reliable contributors to perimenopausal memory problems, even a modest improvement in sleep quality could produce noticeable cognitive benefits. But the mechanism is sleep improvement first, not a direct effect on memory circuits.

Perimenopausal cognitive symptoms are best addressed through approaches that target their actual drivers. Estrogen decline reduces blood flow to the hippocampus and disrupts the neurotransmitter systems, including acetylcholine, serotonin, and dopamine, that support attention and memory formation. Regular aerobic exercise has the strongest evidence for protecting brain health in midlife women because it promotes BDNF, a brain-derived growth factor that supports neuron survival and new connection formation. Sleep optimization, stress reduction, and for appropriate candidates, hormone therapy, all have more direct and meaningful evidence for perimenopausal cognitive support than collagen does. Omega-3 fatty acids, particularly DHA, also have reasonable evidence for supporting brain structure and function during this transition.

If you want to try collagen for its indirect sleep and connective tissue benefits, hydrolysed collagen peptides are the most bioavailable form. Studies on skin and joint health have commonly used 2.5 to 10 grams per day. For the sleep-specific glycine angle, the research used approximately 3 grams of glycine, which is contained in roughly 10 grams of collagen, taken 30 to 60 minutes before bed. Talk to your healthcare provider about the right dose and timing for your situation. Keep in mind that collagen is not a complete protein since it lacks tryptophan, so it should complement rather than replace a protein-rich and varied diet.

Collagen is generally well tolerated with no known major drug interactions. Allergy risk varies by source: marine collagen is not appropriate if you have fish or shellfish sensitivity, bovine collagen carries a low risk for those with beef sensitivities, and egg membrane collagen is not appropriate for people with egg allergies. Pairing collagen with vitamin C makes practical sense since vitamin C is required for your body to synthesize collagen internally and may enhance the absorption of supplemental collagen peptides.

If you start collagen hoping for sleep improvement and indirect cognitive benefits, allow at least six to eight weeks of consistent use before forming a conclusion. Memory symptoms fluctuate considerably week to week in perimenopause based on sleep quality, stress, hormonal phase, and life circumstances. Keeping a daily log of sleep quality, morning alertness, and cognitive clarity gives you a far more reliable picture than relying on memory alone, which adds a useful layer of irony given the symptom.

See a doctor if your memory concerns go beyond the typical forgetfulness of perimenopause. Warning signs that deserve formal evaluation include losing track of conversations mid-sentence, forgetting how to carry out familiar tasks, getting disoriented in places you know well, or having someone close to you notice personality or behavioral changes. Thyroid dysfunction is very common in perimenopausal women and can cause memory and cognitive symptoms. Sleep apnea, vitamin B12 deficiency, and depression can also produce memory impairment that mimics hormonal brain fog and requires its own specific treatment.

Tracking your cognitive symptoms alongside sleep quality, stress, and cycle data in PeriPlan (https://apps.apple.com/app/periplan/id6740066498) can reveal which factors most consistently affect your mental clarity, so you can bring real patterns to your provider rather than guesswork. Understanding whether your worst days follow poor sleep, hormonal drop points, or high-stress periods is the starting point for an effective plan.

This content is for informational purposes only and does not replace medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider about your specific situation.