Celebrity-endorsed smoothies, luxe skin cream, and, yes, supplements—it seems that everywhere you look, collagen is a buzzy star ingredient. In fact, the word collagen itself has become almost synonymous with long hair, strong nails, and plump skin, making it easy to understand why these dietary supplements have amassed so much buzz. But whether you’re sipping on bone broth or incorporating the best collagen supplements in your routine, can they really live up to their promises of hair growth, glowing skin, and a healthier gut?
Nutritionists’s Favorite Collagen Supplements:
- Best All-Around: Ancient Nutrition Multi Collagen Protein, $53
- Best for Hair, Skin Nails: Agent Nateur Holi (Mane) Supplements, $99
- Best With Vitamin C: Youtheory Collagen with Vitamin C, $23
- Best for Greens: 8Greens Skin Supplement with Marine Collagen, $18
- Best Capsule: Hum Nutrition Collagen Love Skin Firming Supplement, $40
- Best Marine Collagen: Vida Glow Original Marine Collagen, $42
- Best for the Body: Shore Magic Hydrolyzed Marine Collagen Protein, $120
- Best Liquid Collagen: SpoiledChild E27 Extra Strength Liquid Collagen, $49
Ahead, we’ve tapped six skin experts (think: dietitians, nutritionists, and dermatologists) to weigh in on everything you need to know about collagen supplements—from hair, skin, and nails benefits to the best collagen products to shop.
In This Article:
- What is collagen, exactly?
- What are the expected benefits of taking collagen supplements?
- What to Look for in a Collagen Supplement
- Which collagen is best — type 1, 2, or 3?
- Can collagen help with menopause symptoms?
- Can collagen help with anti-aging?
- When should you see results of collagen supplements?
- How much collagen should you take a day?
Best All-Around Pick: Ancient Nutrition Multi Collagen Protein
- Why We Love It: Designed to be mixed with water or even added to cookies, Ancient Nutrition’s unflavored powder features ten unique types of collagen that promote both healthy skin and restful sleep. “[This] comes from real food sources and also contains probiotics and vitamin C,” notes Garcia. “It also helped me tremendously with my hair regrowth.”
- Expected benefits: Healthy skin and nails, hair growth, digestive support, and better sleep
- Certifications: According to Ancient Nutrition, this is backed by “clinically studied ingredients”
- Form: Powder
- Collagen Type: 10 types of collagen (types I, II, III, IV, V, VII, VIII, X, XII and XXII) from 4 sources (collagen derived from fermented eggshell membrane, bovine hide collagen peptides, chicken bone broth protein concentrate, and hydrolyzed fish collagen peptides)
- How to Take It: According to Ancient Nutrition, add one scoop to 8 ounces of water, coffee, or smoothie.
- What It Tastes Like: Unflavored
- Serving Size: 1 scoop
- Collagen Per Serving: 20g
- Additional Ingredients: Proteins, SBO probiotics (2 billion CFU bacillus coagulans), vitamin C
- Dietary Notes: Gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, nut-free, Non-GMO, pasture-raised, grass-feed
Best Collagen for Hair Growth: Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides Advanced with Hyaluronic Acid Vitamin C
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- Why We Love It: Vital Proteins’ grass-fed and pasture-raised bovine collagen is a favorite among Vogue editors, and has amassed quite a following—even Jennifer Anniston is a fan; she told Vogue previously that she likes to mix a scoop into her morning coffee.
- Expected Benefits: Healthy hair, nails, skin, bones, and joints
- Certifications: Not listed
- Form: Powder
- Collagen Type: Bovine hide collagen peptides (type I and III)
- How to Take It: According to Vital Proteins, add 1-2 scoops into hot or cold liquids to your desire. When I take this collagen, I prefer to put it into a smoothie.
- What It Tastes Like: No taste
- Serving Size: 3 Tbsp
- Collagen Per Serving: 20g
- Additional Ingredients: Protein, vitamin C, hyaluronic acid
- Dietary Notes: Gluten-free, dairy-free, no artificial sweeteners
Best Capsule: Hum Nutrition Collagen Love Skin Firming Supplement
- Why We Love It: Hum Nutrition’s range of nutritionist-formulated supplements includes this bestselling concoction, formulated with grass-fed, pasture-raised bovine collagen, plus skin brightening vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, and grape seed extract.
- Expected Benefits: Improved skin firmness and elasticity
- Certification: According to Hum Nutrition, the brand uses “verified clean ingredients,” “clinically tested actives,” and is “triple tested third-party validated for purity quality.”
- Form: Capsule
- Collagen Type: Collagen types I and III (sourced from beef)
- How to Take It: According to Hum Nutrition, take three capsules daily with food.
- What It Tastes Like: N/A
- Serving Size: 3 capsules
- Collagen Per Serving: 600 mg
- Additional Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, grape seed extract, red wine fruit extract, chondroitin sulfate
- Dietary Notes: Grass-fed, pasture-raised, and free of milk, eggs, fish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soy, artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives
Best Collagen for Joints: Garden of Life Grass Fed Collagen Peptides Powder
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- Why We Love It: Garden of Life’s formula has earned Garcia’s stamp of approval for being a “grass fed, wild- and pasture-raised source of collagen, [that] does very good third-party testing.”
- Expected Benefits: Promotes skin elasticity, strong nails healthy hair
- Certifications: NSF-Certified Gluten-Free, Keto Certified, IGEN Non-GMO Tested, Certified Paleo
- Form: Powder
- Collagen Type: Bovine hide collagen peptides (Type I and III)
- How to Take It: According to Garden of Life, use one scoop with water, smoothies, or in baked goods.
- What It Tastes Like: No taste
- Serving Size: 1 scoop
- Collagen Per Serving: 20g
- Additional Ingredients: 1.5 Billion CFU probiotic (lactobacillus plantarum), protein
- Dietary Notes: Grass-fed, pasture-raised collagen, no added hormones or antibiotics, soy-free, dairy-free
Best Collagen with Vitamin C: Youtheory Collagen with Vitamin C
- Why We Love It: The draw to Youtheory’s collagen supplement is that it features vitamin C to give the hair, skin, and nails a boost no matter your life stage. “Vitamin C is vital for making collagen, helping to support the body’s natural production of it,” says Valerie Agyeman, RDN, a dietician and women’s health advocate based in Washington, DC.
- Expected Benefits: Support healthy aging and a more youthful appearance
- Certifications: Not listed
- Form: Tablet
- Collagen Type: Hydrolyzed collagen (type I and III)
- How to Take It: According to Youtheory, take six tablets per day—at once or in doses.
- What It Tastes Like: N/A
- Serving Size: 6 tablets
- Collagen Per Serving: 6,000 mg
- Additional Ingredients: vitamin C
- Dietary Notes: Gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free
Best Liquid Collagen: SpoiledChild E27 Extra Strength Liquid Collagen
- Why We Love It: If you prefer to drink your supplements, then the best liquid collagen might be good for you. With just one to two teaspoons a day, SpoiledChild’s E27 combines collagen with vitamin C and hyaluronic acid to promote smoother skin, strong joints and bones, and even improved digestion.
- Expected Benefits: Support healthy skin hair, gut health and weight goals.
- Certifications: Not listed
- Form: Liquid
- Collagen Type: Bovine collagen (type I and III)
- How to Take It: According to SpoiledChild, take one to two tablespoons daily.
- What It Tastes Like: Two flavors—mango or pineapple
- Serving Size: 1 tablespoon
- Collagen Per Serving:
- Additional Ingredients: vitamin C, hyaluronic acid
- Dietary Notes: Sugar-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, non-GMO, soy-free
Best Greens Collagen Powder: 8Greens Skin Supplement with Marine Collagen
- Why We Love It: With a fresh apple flavor, one of 8Greens’s effervescent marine collagen tablets contains as much Vitamin A as four cups of broccoli and as much Vitamin C as a whopping 25 stalks of celery. No wonder fans include supermodels Christy Turlington and Helena Christensen. Think of it as a greens powder-collagen supplement duo.
- Expected Benefits: Glowing skin
- Certification: PETA-approved
- Form: Tablet
- Collagen Type: Marine collagen
- How to Take It: According to 8Greens, drop one tablet into 8 fl. oz. of water, let dissolve, and drink.
- What It Tastes Like: Apples
- Serving Size: 1 tablet
- Collagen Per Serving: 500mg
- Additional Ingredients: Protein, vitamin C, biotin, zinc, potassium, proprietary greens blend (this includes ingredients like organic matcha green tea, turmeric, organic broccoli, kale, and spinach)
- Dietary Notes: Non-GMO, gluten-free, dairy-free, made with natural flavors
Best Marine Collagen: Vida Glow Original Marine Collagen
- Why We Love It: Incorporate one of Vida Glow’s Marine Collagen powder packets into your daily self-care routine for a wealth of skin-saving advantages, from enhanced elasticity to smoothed fine lines and wrinkles.
- Expected Benefits: Improved skin elasticity, plus healthy hair, skin, and nails
- Certification: According to Vida Glow, this is “tested for heavy metals, mercury, and other contaminants.”
- Form: Powder
- Collagen Type: Hydrolyzed marine collagen (type I and III) from sustainably-sourced fish skin
- How to Take It: According to Vida Glow, mix one sachet into 8-20 fl. oz. of liquid one to three times per day. (One serving for those 25-35, two servings for ages 36-45, and three servings for those 45 and up.)
- What It Tastes Like: No taste
- Serving Size: 1 sachet
- Collagen Per Serving: 3g
- Additional Ingredients: Protein
- Dietary Notes: Dairy-free, gluten-free
Best Collagen for Hair, Skin Nails: Agent Nateur Holi (Mane) Supplements
- Why We Love It: Combining pearl powder with collagen from deep sea fish, Agent Nateur’s nutrient-dense collagen powder supports supple skin, longer hair, and strong nails. Add one scoop to any raw food or drink, be it a cup of matcha or a green smoothie bowl.
- Expected Benefits: Healthy hair, skin, and nails
- Certification: Not listed
- Form: Powder
- Collagen Type: Marine collagen (type I, II, III, and IV) from wild-caught, kosher fish
- How to Take It: Add one scoop to a beverage, smoothie, matcha, coffee, or dressing.
- What It Tastes Like: No taste
- Serving Size: 1 scoop
- Collagen Per Serving: 10g
- Additional Ingredients: Pearl powder, protein, silica, magnesium, calcium, potassium
- Dietary Notes: Non-GMO, gluten-free, petrochemical-free
Best Collagen for Anti-Aging: Oxomio Beauty Icon Ultimate Collagen Beauty Complex
- Why We Love It: Stamped with its bottle and batch number, Oxomio’s ultra-potent elixir is formulated with made-in-France, wild-caught marine collagen peptides and elastin peptides from Japanese bonito fish. Expect strengthened skin—and a cherry-flavored finish.
- Expected Benefits: Improve skin elasticity. Reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and texture.
- Certification: Created with MSC-Certified Peptan
- Form: Powder
- Collagen Type: Wild-caught marine collagen peptides (type I)
- How to Take It: According to Oxomio, mix two scoops into 8 oz of water or your favorite drink.
- What It Tastes Like: No taste
- Serving Size: 2 scoops (10.8g)
- Collagen Per Serving: 10g
- Additional Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, proteoglycans from salmon cartilage, elastin peptides from Japanese Bonito fish
- Dietary Notes: Gluten-free
Best for Pregnancy: Needed Prenatal Collagen Protein Powder
- Why We Love It: “During pregnancy, collagen is generally considered safe and can support skin elasticity, joint health, and gut integrity—key factors as the body undergoes significant changes,” says Ella Davar, RD, a registered dietitian and founder of Gut-Brain Method. “It is essential to choose a clean, high-quality source, such as grass-fed collagen, and watch out for food sensitivities and allergies.” This prenatal collagen supplement from Needed checks all those boxes, with hydrolyzed Collagen Protein that’s ethically sourced from the hides of grass-fed, pasture-raised, hormone-free bovines. That said, if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, it’s especially important to talk to your doctor first before considering a collagen supplement, says Agyeman.
- Expected Benefits: Supports healthy joints, pelvic floor tissue, skin elasticity, and postpartum hair and healthy glow.
- Certification: Clean Label, Climate Neutral, B Corp, 3rd Party Tested
- Form: Powder
- Collagen Type: Hydrolyzed bovine collagen
- How to Take It: According to Needed, mix one scoop into a single serving of food or drink.
- What It Tastes Like: Neutral
- Serving Size: 1 scoop
- Collagen Per Serving: 15 g
- Additional Ingredients: None
- Dietary Notes: Non-GMO, free of 9 major allergens, gluten, and unwanted fillers
Best Powdered Collagen: Thorne Collagen Plus Dietary Supplement
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- Why We Love It: Thorne is a trusted supplement brand across the board, since they always ensure third- party testing. This formula features what the brand calls a “dream team of skin-health ingredients” including a polyphenol blend, ceramides, and Nicotinamide Riboside (a precursor to NAD+).
- Expected Benefits: Nourish skin, hair, and nails, and protect them from environmental stressors.
- Certification: Third-party contents certified
- Form: Powder
- Collagen Type: Collagen peptides (bovine)
- How to Take It: According to Thorne, mix one scoop with 8 to 12 ounces of water daily, or as recommended by your healthcare provider.
- What It Tastes Like: Tart passion berry flavored
- Serving Size: 1 scoop
- Collagen Per Serving: 13 g
- Additional Ingredients: MitoHeal, HydroPeach, Nicotinamide Riboside (NR)
- Dietary Notes: Gluten-, dairy-, and soy-free
What is collagen, exactly?
Collagen is a structural protein, rich in amino acids, abundantly found in the body. Skin, cartilage, bones, connective tissue, and tendons use collagen for structural support.
While our bodies naturally produce collagen, factors like aging, sun damage, and more can cause that production to decrease. That’s where collagen supplements can come into play. “I ve been using and recommending collagen for years—not just for skin and hair but also for gut health and gut lining repair,” says Ella Davar, RD, registered dietitian, founder of Gut-Brain Method.
True collagen supplements are made from animal or fish proteins and contain short chain amino acids, peptides. You can also get more collagen in your diet with foods like bone broth, chicken, turkey, and fish.
What are the expected benefits of taking collagen supplements?
What are collagen supplements actually supposed to do for the body? There is still some debate on their efficacy, but many experts say they can be an excellent addition to any health or skin care routine. To get the scoop (pun intended), Agyeman shares all the purported benefits—from healthier hair and stronger nails to improved muscle mass. A breakdown, below:
- Youthful-looking skin: “Collagen supplementation may help improve skin elasticity and hydration by supporting the body s natural collagen production, but there are many factors when it comes to the overall health of your skin, therefore a collagen supplement may not be a quick fix to keeping that skin feeling and looking youthful,” she explains.
- Stronger nails: “Anecdotally, some individuals have reported that collagen supplementation strengthened their nails, reducing brittleness and breakage,” Agyeman says. “The research is mixed but it may potentially support nail growth and overall nail health by providing essential amino acids.”
- Improved muscle mass: “Collagen plays a role in muscle structure and function, aiding in muscle repair and growth,” she notes. “Supplementing with collagen if needed may support muscle mass maintenance, which can be beneficial if you are highly active.”
- Improved cardiovascular health: “Some research suggests it may indirectly benefit cardiovascular health by reducing arterial stiffness,” says Agyeman. “However, more studies are needed to fully understand collagen’s impact on cardiovascular health.”
- Better sleep: “The research on the calming effects of glycine, an amino acid found in collagen, and its potential to improve sleep quality is mixed, some individuals claim it made them fall asleep quickly or stay asleep for longer,” she explains.
What to Look for in a Collagen Supplement
When choosing any supplement, it’s important to find one that doesn’t contain any unnecessary additives or fillers.
- Types of Collagen: There are 28 types of collagen overall, but five main ones to look out for. For cosmetic benefits (i.e: youthful, glowing skin) look for Type I, which is what impacts the skin, bones, and ligaments. Type II is found in cartilage, so this is beneficial to support joint health. Type III is found in the muscles and organs, and works in tandem with Type I to support skin health.
- Form: You’ll notice that collagen supplements vary in form—think powders, capsules, and liquids. Choose which works for you based on your diet, activities, and general supplement preferences.
- Third-Party Testing: Because the FDA does not regulate collagen supplements in the U.S., you may want to find something that has been third-party tested; this means the supplement’s ingredients have been evaluated by a third-party, and can stand up to its claims.
Which collagen is best – type 1, 2 or 3?
“Most collagen supplements contain types I, II, and III, the primary collagen types in the body,” Agyemang says; so look out for these if you’re looking to improve your skin, hair, and bone health.
“Type I and Type III are the most abundant in the body, supporting skin, hair, nails, and gut lining, while Type II is beneficial for joint and cartilage health,” says Davar.
Can collagen help with menopause symptoms?
“Several studies suggest that collagen supplementation can help with menopause-related symptoms such as decreased skin elasticity, joint stiffness, and bone loss, as estrogen decline accelerates collagen degradation,” says Davar.
One study also showed that high collagen supplementation (2.5 mg/mL) helped manage weight gain in response to estrogen deficiency. However, “there is no evidence collagen will help with common symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes, fatigue, night sweats, and mood changes,” says Castilla.
Can collagen help with anti-aging?
“There is some mixed evidence that hydrolyzed collagen peptides are absorbed and can help with some aging skin symptoms,” says Castilla. “The most evidence is found for women in their 50s to help improve skin dryness and skin elasticity.”
What’s more, the anti-aging benefits may go beyond aesthetics: “Research indicates that collagen peptides, when combined with vitamin C, enhance the body s natural collagen synthesis, making supplementation a great tool for longevity and overall health,” adding that it can help people with maintaining muscle mass and supporting joint health as they age.
When should you see results of collagen supplements?
Brown says that while the results are not immediate, you may see perceptible benefits in a few months. However, consistency is key: “An easy and effective way to incorporate collagen is by adding it to coffee or cacao, for consistent intake and sustained benefits I recommend taking it three to five times per week,” says Davar.
What’s more, collagen production requires vitamin C, so ensuring adequate intake is important for any kind of potential results, says Castilla.
That said, some experts are still skeptical on their efficacy. “The biggest issue with any supplement is that there is no regulating body confirming purity and efficacy. There are often reports of contaminants or misclassifications of supplement concentrations. You really need to trust the brand,” says Castilla.
New York City-based dermatologist Patricia Wexler, MD, isn’t entirely sold either. “There are no negative side effects—but there is a lot more research to be done,” says Wexler, cautioning that many of the studies have been paid for by the companies producing the supplements.
How much collagen should you take per day?
Generally speaking, research suggests that 2.5 to 15 grams of collagen per day is suitable for the American diet. That said, it’s generally best to take the recommended amount on the package—and, as always, consult your trusted health service provider before adding any kind of supplement to your diet.
Meet The Experts
- Valerie Agyeman, RDN, is a dietitian and host of women’s health podcast, Flourish Heights.
- Linda Ellison, PhD, is a biochemist, physicist, founder and CEO of kaü Health.
- Oz Garcia is a celebrity healthy aging expert.
- Patricia Wexler, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City, specializing in body symmetry.
- Ella Davar, RD, is a registered dietitian and founder of Gut-Brain Method
- Carmen Castilla, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City.