Vitamin C is the essential cofactor for collagen synthesis — specifically for the hydroxylation of proline and lysine which are necessary for stable collagen triple helix formation. Without adequate vitamin C, collagen cannot be properly formed — this is literally what scurvy is.
Some in the biohacking community extend this to: 'more vitamin C = more collagen = more tissue.' The honest nuance: most people in developed countries are not vitamin C deficient. Correcting a deficiency restores normal collagen synthesis — it doesn't super-activate collagen beyond normal. Very high doses have diminishing returns and may cause GI distress, kidney stones in susceptible individuals.
Is adequate vitamin C worth ensuring if you're doing a collagen peptide protocol? Absolutely yes. Will megadosing dramatically increase collagen production beyond normal? Likely not. 500-1000mg daily is a reasonable baseline for a collagen protocol — not 10g.
— NaturalPathNed