التدريب / الأدوات والأدلة / Bone broth: what it does, and does not do, for your gut, joints, skin, bones and muscles
Guide · Gut and immunity · by Alexandra Lasconi

Bone broth: what it does, and does not do, for your gut, joints, skin, bones and muscles

Short answer. Bone broth is water that has pulled gelatin, amino acids, a little protein, small amounts of minerals and salt out of bones and connective tissue. The joint, skin, bone and muscle studies people quote used measured collagen or gelatin supplements, usually 5–15 g a day. Broth varies so much that it cannot promise those amounts. It is a good, warming food, not a measured dose.

Gelatin is cooked collagenYour gut breaks it into amino acids and small peptides, like any protein.
The studied doses are measured5–15 g a day of collagen peptides or gelatin, for weeks to months.
A firm jelly is a good signBroth that sets in the fridge is rich in gelatin. Feet, wings and knuckles give the most.

Evidence labels: Strong consistent controlled trials or an authorised EU claim · Moderate controlled trials or large studies, with limits · Early small, pilot, laboratory or single studies.

01 · What is actually in it

  • Gelatin and collagen amino acids ModerateResearchers analysed home-made, café and shop bone broths for the amino acids that build collagen (glycine, proline, hydroxyproline, lysine). Studies found broth made to a standard recipe gave significantly less of every one than a 20 g dose of a collagen supplement, and non-standard recipes varied widely; café broths were richest (see referenced study [1]).
  • Minerals ModerateAdding acid and simmering for more than 8 hours pulled out more calcium and magnesium, yet a serving still gave under 5% of daily needs (see referenced study [2]). Broth is not a calcium food.
  • Protein and saltShop broths list their protein and salt per 250 ml: compare labels. Home-made broth is only as salty as you make it.
Go deeper: why collagen is a special protein

About a third of collagen's amino acids are glycine, with a lot of proline and hydroxyproline. It is low in leucine, the amino acid that most strongly switches on muscle building, and has no tryptophan. That is why collagen and gelatin cannot replace complete proteins such as eggs, dairy, meat, fish or soy, even though they can add to them.

02 · Joints, skin, bones and muscle: what the collagen trials found

Every study below used a measured supplement, not broth. They show what collagen protein can do at a known dose.

AreaWhat studies foundDose usedEvidence
Tendons and ligaments15 g vitamin C-enriched gelatin taken 1 hour before 6 minutes of skipping doubled a blood marker of new collagen formation (see referenced study [4]).15 g gelatin + vitamin C, before exerciseEarly 8 men
JointsAthletes with activity-related joint pain reported less pain at rest, walking, standing, carrying and lifting than with placebo over 24 weeks (see referenced study [3]).10 g collagen hydrolysate a dayModerate
SkinA meta-analysis of 19 trials found better skin hydration, elasticity and fewer wrinkles after about 90 days (see referenced study [5]). A 2023 meta-analysis of 26 trials agreed, but flagged bias in several studies (see referenced study [6]).Mostly 2.5–10 g hydrolysed collagen a dayModerate
BonesIn 131 post-menopausal women with lower bone density, bone mineral density at the spine and hip rose over 12 months against placebo (see referenced study [7]).5 g specific collagen peptides a dayEarly single trial
MuscleIn 53 older men with low muscle mass doing 12 weeks of strength training, those taking collagen gained more fat-free mass (4.2 kg against 2.9 kg) and strength than those on placebo (see referenced study [8]).15 g collagen peptides a dayEarly single trial, part industry-funded
To copy the tendon study with food. Dissolve 15 g unflavoured gelatin in 250 ml warm broth. Have it with a vitamin C food (an orange or 2 kiwis) about 60 minutes before training. That is the closest food version of what was tested.

03 · Gut and colds: where the evidence is thin

  • Gut lining (‘leaky gut’) EarlyClaims that broth heals the gut lining come from glutamine, glycine and gelatin studies in cells and animals. We found no human trial of bone broth for gut lining or gut symptoms. Broth is easy to digest when you are unwell, and that is a real, practical benefit.
  • Chicken soup and colds EarlyIn a laboratory study, chicken soup reduced the movement of neutrophils, the white cells that drive the stuffiness of a cold (see referenced study [9]). In a small 1978 study, hot chicken soup increased the flow of nasal mucus more than hot or cold water (see referenced study [10]). Neither measured how long a cold lasts.

04 · Lead and other questions

Bones store lead. A small UK study found broth from organic chicken bones had over 10 times more lead than the water it was made with (see referenced study [11]). A larger Taiwanese study found lead and cadmium at a few micrograms per serving and judged the risk minimal (see referenced study [2]). Our practical reading:

  • Buy bones from a source you know, and vary them.
  • Treat broth as one food in the week, not your only drink.
  • Children and pregnant women: broth as a meal base is fine; daily large mugs are not needed.
  • Long-simmered broths are higher in histamine. If you react to histamine-rich foods, keep cooking times shorter and freeze in portions.

05 · How to make it

Gelatin-rich bone broth

Makes about 2 litres · 20 minutes hands-on · 6–12 hours simmering

Ingredients

  • 1,000 g chicken feet, wings and backs
  • 500 g beef knuckle or marrow bones
  • 3,000 ml cold water
  • 30 ml cider or wine vinegar
  • 150 g onion, halved
  • 150 g carrot
  • 100 g celery
  • 5 g black peppercorns, 2 bay leaves
  • Salt at the end, to taste (start with 5 g per litre)

Method

  1. Optional: roast the beef bones at 200 °C for 30 minutes for a deeper flavour.
  2. Put all the bones in a large pot with the water and vinegar. Leave for 30 minutes.
  3. Bring slowly to a gentle simmer and skim the foam for the first 20 minutes.
  4. Simmer very gently, lid ajar: 6–8 hours for chicken only, 10–12 hours with beef. Top up with water to keep the bones covered.
  5. Add the vegetables, pepper and bay for the last 1–2 hours.
  6. Strain, season, and cool quickly: into the fridge within 2 hours.
  7. Lift off the fat once cold. Keeps 3–4 days in the fridge or 3 months frozen.

The gel test: if the cold broth sets like jelly, it is rich in gelatin. If it stays liquid, use more feet, wings or knuckles, less water, or a longer simmer next time.

Myths and facts

MythFact
The collagen in broth goes straight to your joints and skin.It is digested into amino acids and small peptides first, like other proteins. The trials used measured doses.
Bone broth is a great source of calcium.Even long, acidified simmering gave under 5% of daily calcium per serving.
Broth can replace protein at a meal.Collagen lacks tryptophan and is low in leucine. Pair broth with eggs, meat, fish, dairy or legumes.
What the evidence does not show. No trial has tested bone broth itself for joints, skin, bones, muscle or the gut lining. The collagen trials are mostly small, several were funded by collagen makers, and their results cannot be transferred to a mug of broth of unknown strength.

Questions clients ask

Does bone broth contain collagen?

It contains gelatin, which is cooked collagen. Your gut breaks it down into amino acids and small peptides.

How much broth equals a collagen supplement?

Nobody can say, because broth varies so much. A study found standard-recipe broth gave far less of the collagen amino acids than a 20 g supplement dose.

Does bone broth heal a leaky gut?

There are no human trials of bone broth for the gut lining. It is easy to digest, which helps when you are unwell.

Is lead in bone broth a concern?

One small study found raised lead; a larger one found only a few micrograms per serving. Use bones from a known source and make broth one food among many.

How long does bone broth keep?

3–4 days in the fridge, about 3 months in the freezer. Cool it into the fridge within 2 hours of cooking.

Is chicken soup good when I have a cold?

It is warm fluid and salt, and in a laboratory study it reduced neutrophil movement. No trial has measured whether it shortens a cold.

Sources

  1. Alcock RD, Shaw GC, Burke LM. Bone broth unlikely to provide reliable concentrations of collagen precursors compared with supplemental sources of collagen used in collagen research. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab (2019).
  2. Hsu DJ et al. Essential and toxic metals in animal bone broths. Food Nutr Res (2017).
  3. Clark KL et al. 24-week study on the use of collagen hydrolysate as a dietary supplement in athletes with activity-related joint pain. Curr Med Res Opin (2008).
  4. Shaw G et al. Vitamin C-enriched gelatin supplementation before intermittent activity augments collagen synthesis. Am J Clin Nutr (2017).
  5. de Miranda RB et al. Effects of hydrolyzed collagen supplementation on skin aging: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Dermatol (2021).
  6. Pu SY et al. Effects of oral collagen for skin anti-aging: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrients (2023).
  7. König D et al. Specific collagen peptides improve bone mineral density and bone markers in postmenopausal women: a randomized controlled study. Nutrients (2018).
  8. Zdzieblik D et al. Collagen peptide supplementation in combination with resistance training improves body composition and increases muscle strength in elderly sarcopenic men. Br J Nutr (2015).
  9. Rennard BO et al. Chicken soup inhibits neutrophil chemotaxis in vitro. Chest (2000).
  10. Saketkhoo K et al. Effects of drinking hot water, cold water, and chicken soup on nasal mucus velocity and nasal airflow resistance. Chest (1978).
  11. Monro JA et al. The risk of lead contamination in bone broth diets. Med Hypotheses (2013).

This page is nutrition coaching information, not medical advice. It does not recommend any product.

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