It's recommended to take 2.5-15 grams of collagen daily. This article will explain the health benefits of collagen and how much to take daily.
Key Takeaways About Daily Collagen Amount
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It's recommended to take between 2.5g and 15g of collagen daily, although individual recommendations vary.
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Daily collagen dosing depends on health goals, protein intake, and dietary patterns.
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The benefits of collagen supplementation include improving skin hydration, increasing muscle growth, supporting gut health, improving bone and joint health, and regulating blood sugar.
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The most effective way to take a collagen supplement is in the form of collagen powder.
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Consuming more than the recommended dose may cause minor unpleasant side effects such as digestive upset, headaches, or fatigue.
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There have been several double blind placebo controlled trials and randomized placebo controlled trials to support the findings in this article which explain how much collagen per day you should take.
What Does Collagen Do?
Collagen, the most abundant protein in your body, plays a crucial role in maintaining healthy skin, bones, joints, and gut.
The body naturally produces collagen, and we also get it from collagen-rich foods and collagen powder supplements.
The body's natural collagen production declines with age, which is why many people look to collagen supplements.
Collagen can improve the appearance of skin by increasing hydration and reducing wrinkles. Collagen provides structural support to bones, tendons, ligaments, joints, and even blood vessels.
Collagen supports gut health by helping to maintain a healthy gut barrier. Collagen also increases nail growth and strengthens brittle nails.
How Much Collagen Should You Take Daily?
The right amount of collagen for you will depend on several factors.
As a general rule of thumb, experts recommend a daily collagen intake ranging from 2.5g and 15g daily.
Factors to Consider When Calculating Daily Collagen
Health Goals
Collagen recommendations will vary depending on the reason for taking collagen in the first place.
If your goal is to improve skin health and reduce wrinkles, a lower daily intake, such as 2.5 to 5 grams of hydrolyzed collagen, may be sufficient.
If you're looking to support joint or musculoskeletal health, taking up to 10 to 15 grams might be more appropriate.
Calculate Your Daily Protein Intake
When determining your daily collagen intake, it's important to factor in your collagen intake to your daily total protein intake.
The average adult should consume 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. Many adults have protein needs that exceed this amount, especially athletes or older adults.
If you regularly eat meat, fish, dairy, or beans, or other protein rich foods, it's possible that you're meeting your protein needs.
However, if you have increased protein needs, increasing your daily functional collagen peptides intake may be appropriate.
Your Current Diet
Your current diet will help dictate how much collagen per day is appropriate.
If you consume a diet that is plentiful in high protein foods or collagen-rich foods such as bone broth, organ meats, pork skin, and fish skin, it's possible that you're already supporting your body's natural collagen production.
If you regularly include a dietary supplement rich in protein, it's important to factor this into your total daily protein intake as well.
If you're not typically eating these foods, it's possible that you would benefit from increasing your collagen intake through supplements.
Consuming a diet high in protein and collagen-rich foods can help increase the collagen your body already has.
How Much Collagen to Take for Skin Improvement?
Oral supplementation of collagen has been shown to improve skin health in many ways. Many studies suggest that specific bioactive collagen peptides can reduce the appearance of wrinkles, increase skin elasticity, improve skin hydration, and contribute to an overall youthful glow.
If your main goal is to target skin health and reduce wrinkles, aim to consume at least 3g of collagen supplements daily.
Studies show that those who consumed 3g of collagen per day for 4 to 12 weeks observed notable improvements in skin health, particularly more hydrated skin (1).
Studies show that if healthy humans take collagen peptides at this amount, they can experience improved skin hydration and elasticity, leading to a more youthful appearance. However, it's important to note that individual results may vary.
How Much Collagen Per Day for Muscle Mass?
Collagen can help facilitate the synthesis of new muscle proteins, stimulate muscle growth after exercise, and improve body composition.
Although more research is needed, some experts recommend consuming 15 grams of collagen per day to increase muscle strength.
Keep in mind that you may get some collagen naturally from your diet, so all 15 grams don't necessarily need to come from supplemental collagen peptides.
Collagen is not typically a go-to protein for building muscle mass even though it contains most of the amino acids necessary for building and repairing muscles.
There is likely much more benefit to consuming other sources of protein, particularly whey protein, which is a complete protein with all nine essential amino acids, if your primary goal is to build muscle.
Although collagen probably shouldn't be your only protein source, since it doesn't provide you with all nine essential amino acids, it can be a great addition alongside other high-quality protein sources to help support lean muscle and overall muscle health.
Collagen Protein Dosage for Gut Health
Collagen supplementation plays a vital role in supporting gut health as it contributes to strengthening the lining for the intestines.
A stronger gut barrier leads to a healthier, more resilient, and better functioning digestive system. Studies suggest that it's ideal to consume 2.5 to 5g of collagen daily to promote gut health and support the gut lining.
This is especially recommended as we get older and our natural collagen production starts to decrease.
How Much Collagen to Take for Bone Health?
To support bone health a higher daily collagen intake of around 10 to 15 grams is often recommended.
However, some studies say consuming just 5 grams of collagen peptides daily is effective for supporting bone density.
Collagen is a key component of bones, providing strength and structure to connective tissues. Specific collagen peptides also improve bone mineral density and bone markers, and can help the body produce more bone.
A randomized controlled trial found that taking collagen in postmenopausal women helped to preserve bone density (3).
While individual recommendations may vary, it's safe to say that effective dosages range between 5 and 15 grams of collagen daily.
There are also supplements such that may be particularly beneficial for bone health such as calcium collagen chelate, which is collagen bound to a highly absorbable form of calcium.
Collagen to Take for Blood Sugar Benefits?
Collagen peptide supplementation may also have potential benefits for blood sugar regulation and metabolic health.
Taking 15g of collagen peptide supplements in the morning alongside a balanced breakfast may help stabilize blood sugar, preventing sharp spikes in the body's response to carbohydrates.
The benefit that collagen provides on blood sugar may not be specific to collagen protein and this effect may also be observed from consuming 15 grams of any protein alongside a balanced meal.
Further research is needed to better understand the benefit that collagen may provide in regards to blood sugar management, although it's understood that a high protein diet can help your body better regulate blood sugar.
Collagen Protein Supplements for Arthritis and Joint Health?
Most studies suggest that 2.5 to 5 grams of collagen supplements daily is effective to support healthy joints.
Collagen supplementation can also help improve mobility by reducing joint pain and inflammation. Studies suggest that collagen may even help improve osteoarthritis symptoms.
According to the Arthritis Foundation, taking 4g of collagen daily is likely effective for those with arthritis, as collagen is a protein that is used to support connective tissue.
However, some experts think consuming closer to 15 grams daily is best (2).
It's best to check with your healthcare provider to better understand the right amount for you.
Collagen Powder vs Pill: Which One is Better?
What is the Best Type of Collagen Supplement
While there are different types of collagen supplements, the purest, most absorbable form of collagen is hydrolyzed collagen peptides.
When looking for collagen supplements, be sure to look for those with collagen in this form, which may be labeled as collagen hydrolysate.
In fact, there are three different types of collagen – type I, type II, and type III. Type I collagen is the most prevalent type of collagen found within the body, particularly in skin, hair, nails, and joints.
Of all the types of collagen, it's best to supplement with type I collagen as it has the most widespread benefits throughout the body.
Plus, most collagen supplements in the literature are type I and these specific collagen peptides are most widely supported to improve skin elasticity and hydration.
It's less common to find type 2 and type three collagen in supplemental form as these are a bit more localized and help support the structure of cartilage and organs.
Also ensure to opt for collagen peptides or hydrolyzed collagen for the most effective form.
What is the Best Way to Take Collagen Supplements?
It's best to take collagen supplements in powder form. Powders are extremely versatile and you can add other ingredients to enhance your nutritional intake.
For example, you can make a high-protein, anti-inflammatory collagen smoothie by including foods high in protein as well as adding anti-inflammatory foods.
To maximize the health benefits of your collagen supplements, include vitamin C rich foods. Vitamin C is a precursor for making collagen in the body, so including vitamin c can help increase collagen production as well. Some examples of foods high in vitamin C include citrus fruits, bell peppers, strawberries, or leafy greens like spinach.
You can also mix a plain collagen powder into a bone broth for a collagen-rich snack.
Anti-Inflammatory Cherry-Peach Smoothie with Collagen
Ingredients:
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1 scoop Naked Collagen
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¼ cup frozen cherries
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1 ripe peach
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½ frozen banana
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1 cup non-dairy milk
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1 tbsp chia seeds
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1 serving of leafy greens (or greens powder)
Directions:
Simply blend all ingredients together until smooth. Enjoy!
Are There Negative Effects of Taking Collagen?
Collagen is a very safe and effective supplement with minimal reported side effects.
It's important to take the recommended amount to ensure that it's effective and without side effects.
What Happens if You Take Too Much Collagen?
Consuming more than the recommended dose may leave you with some minor side effects.
Some people experience an upset stomach, headaches, or fatigue.
Consuming more protein than your body needs will lead the body to store excess in the form of either glycogen or fat.
FAQs About Daily Collagen Intake
Here are some common questions and answers about daily collagen intake:
Is 20 grams of collagen a day too much?
Taking 20 grams of collagen daily is safe for many individuals, but it may not be necessary. Most experts recommend a collagen intake ranging from 2-15 grams daily.
If you're an athlete or have particularly high protein needs, consuming 20 grams of collagen daily might be appropriate.
Is 100 mg of collagen a day too much?
100 mg of collagen is the equivalent of 0.1 grams, which is actually not very much collagen at all. You likely would not notice any benefit from taking a dose this small.
Consuming at least 2 grams daily will help reap any benefit from the supplement.
How much collagen should I take a day for weight loss?
Taking collagen supplements does not directly correlate to weight loss and research doesn't support collagen for weight loss specifically.
Weight loss is complicated and cannot be achieved from just one supplement alone. Rather, weight loss depends on many factors including genetics, activity level, and overall dietary patterns.
If you're hoping to lose weight you should consider collagen as part of your daily protein intake, along with making sure to eat foods high in protein.
How much collagen should I take at a time?
Collagen can be taken in a single dose. The body can easily absorb and utilize 20-30 grams of protein in one sitting, so it would be effective to consume your daily collagen at one time.
