It seems like it should be pretty clear-cut, no? Well, like most things in health, beauty, and wellness—there’s actually some nuance. Here, we break down what you need to know. The protein is naturally found in many areas of the body, including the skin, muscles, joints, bones, and gut. In fact, there are at least 28 kinds of collagen1 that we know of that exist in vertebrates, which includes us—however, collagen types I through III are the most common. We actually produce collagen via our cells’ fibroblasts, but said product decreases over time with aging, and so many look for ways you can support the production naturally.* Yes, enter collagen supplements. Here are the health support areas where you may see benefits once adding collagen peptides into your routine:* The way this works is that hydrolyzed collagen peptides have been shown to help promote your body’s natural production of collagen3 and other molecules that make up the skin, like elastin and fibrillin, within the fibroblasts.* It turns out that one of the main amino acids in collagen, L-glutamate, supports digestive health because it’s a major fuel source5 for the cells in the intestine.* Our gut lining cells also use proline and glycine for energy, and these are two additional amino acids found in collagen.* As for bone health, it’s a more time-intensive benefit to track—simply given how long the bone turnover timeline is—however, this study found that postmenopausal women showed enhanced bone density6 at 12 months after consuming collagen peptides daily for a year.* In one small human study, men who took collagen daily while participating in an exercise program gained more muscle mass7 than those who only did the exercise program.* So while you may find definitive recommendations on intake levels (like a Recommended Daily Allowance, or RDA) and status biomarkers for things like vitamin D (depending on your age, sex, nutrition needs, and lifestyle, of course), it’s just not the same for collagen at this time. To share more on the state of collagen science, mbg’s vice president of scientific affairs Ashley Jordan Ferira, Ph.D., RDN, weighed in: “Collagen research publications actually date back to the 1940s, which sounds like a long time. Search PubMed, and you’ll find 400-plus peer-reviewed journal articles relevant to ‘collagen peptides’ dating back to 1965. But clinical trials leveraging oral collagen peptide supplementation for a variety of health outcomes have only been completed in the past two decades, with the majority (around 30 human clinicals) completed in the past 10 years. We are learning in real time, which is honestly exciting and cutting-edge.” So while we might not have an RDA for collagen (like we do with vitamins, minerals, carbohydrate, fiber, protein, and fat), a growing number of clinical studies point to specific, effective dosages based on outcomes—and can help us understand how much collagen we should be taking every day. As for the amount of collagen peptides you are getting from your specific supplement, look for the grams of collagen per serving—it should be on the label. (Remember: Not all collagen supplements are made the same! Options may have anywhere from 40 milligrams to 20 grams of collagen per serving. That’s quite a range.) From there, protein needs increase based on activity levels: For highly active adults, you should consume 1 to 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. If you have a specific health condition, your daily protein needs may be even higher (due to increased protein turnover and healing needs in the body), in which case, please defer to your doctor. However, remember that collagen is not a complete protein. As an incomplete protein (meaning that it does not contain all nine essential amino acids; it has eight of them), you should pair it with other protein sources to get your adequate intake of the essential amino acids. Ferira explains it this way: “The notion of intentionally pairing complementary proteins to maximize amino acid consumption (e.g., rice and beans) is a daily nutrition endeavor for vegetarians and vegans. The same concept applies here for everybody with collagen, which can absolutely contribute to your overall nutrition approach to meet daily protein needs.” In fact, a 2019 study found that as much as 36% of daily protein could come from collagen peptides8 while simultaneously achieving essential amino acid requirements!* Here let’s look into the collagen peptide dosage based on the benefit, as science has found positive results in these dose ranges per health-support area.* As for collagen, you may hear conflicting information about when the best time to take the supplement is—be it morning, midday, or evening. Let’s break this down. However, this doesn’t seem to matter according to experts. “The bulk of the breaking down of proteins actually happens in the small intestine, so full stomach, half-full stomach, or empty stomach—there will be little difference,” says Scott Keatley, R.D. Ferira adds, “Collagen peptides are just that: peptides. That means they are already delivered to your digestive tract in a more digestible, bioavailable format than straight protein. So, typical protein digestion steps that require stomach acid and enzymes plus additional proteases in the small intestine simply don’t apply here.” “On their own, collagen supplements are unlikely to fill you up because of the small volume of each,” he says. However, having something with fiber and fat in it, like a smoothie with nut butter, along with your collagen supplement will help satisfy your appetite better than a sugar- or carb-based snack," says Albert Matheny, M.S., R.D., CSCS. “There are no controlled studies that address this issue,” Galligan says. “However, the popular literature is in agreement that collagen supplements seem to work equally well when taken at bedtime or in the morning.” As Ferira puts it, “Collagen peptides are efficient when it comes to absorption in the gut and utilization by the various cells and tissues in your body, any time of the day.” As with all supplements, consistency is key—so if you’re more likely to remember it in the morning with your coffee, by all means. But if you like to blend it in with your lunch smoothie? That’s great too! Do what works best for you. But like all good things, it can take a bit of time, and individual experiences will vary. And given how collagen peptides work, their benefits start showing up in the body at different durations. If you want more information, check out our full explainer on collagen results. But in the meantime, here are the rough estimates based on the most up-to-date information: Powders are also a convenient way to add a meaningful dose of collagen to your nutrition routine, whether blending into a sweet smoothie with colorful fruits or mixed into your morning coffee or latte. If you prefer other delivery methods—drinks, tonics, capsules, gummies—that’s fine; just know that you’re likely not getting as much collagen in these products. However, if you look to your specific needs and desired outcomes, the research can help guide us to a more specific answer.
