Best Collagen Supplements: Top 5 Brands Most Recommended By Health Experts

Don’t be so quick to dismiss collagen supplements as the latest health fad. Collagen is quite important as it’s the primary building block of your body’s tendons and ligaments, skin, muscles, and bones. So, supplementing with this structural protein may increase bone strength, improve body composition, and benefit your joints and skin. And it’s because of these benefits that we searched the web to find the best collagen supplements available, according to experts.

This substance that your body produces naturally may play a role in a much larger act. In a recent study, researchers out of The Tisch Cancer Institute at Mount Sinai say, “Cancerous tumors secrete a form of the protein collagen that keeps them quiet for years, even as they spread to other parts of the body.” This means that tumor cells turn malignant only when their collagen supplies run out, so collagen may be a key factor in curing cancer. Collagen is used with great success to treat wounds that do not respond to other treatments, and now research shows that encasing a tumor in collagen may result in a similar result.

And because of how well collagen helps to reverse skin aging, it may be replacing Botox. In a new study out of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, scientists are using a new therapy that boosts the production of collagen while remaining safer than Botox injections. Botox paralyzes muscles and can lead to many unpleasant side effects, but these new injections contain messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA), which tell cells to make proteins. Experts say that this new way of delivering mRNA shows promise in treating many diseases, not just in replacing collagen.

That being said, collagen plays a vital role in maintaining a healthy body. Below is our list of the five best collagen supplements, according to health experts. Of course, we want to hear from you. Comment below to let us know which collagen supplement works best to keep your body looking and feeling young and strong!

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The List: Best Collagen Supplements, According to Experts

1. Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides

Blowing away the competition is this brand that you see on most store shelves these days. Rating it best for versatility, Good Housekeeping explains that “the collagen here is derived from grass-fed and pasture-raised cows, meaning these collagen peptides (in powder form) are completely flavorless and not at all ‘fishy’ tasting. This makes them versatile enough to add to coffee, water, smoothies or even sprinkle onto your dinner — and the tub even comes with a scoop so you can get the dosage right.”

Verywell Health shares that “It also contains vitamin C and hyaluronic acid to support your skin appearance. Vital Proteins is NSF Certified for Sport, meaning it does not contain substances prohibited by sports organizations and has the ingredient amounts listed on the label. It is also free from gluten, dairy, and sweeteners. Vital Proteins has both flavored and unflavored options that can be added to either hot or cold beverages.”

And if you’re looking for a collagen product focused more on skin health, Healthline recommends Vital Proteins Beauty Collagen Powder. “Vital Proteins produces many of the most popular collagen supplements on the market. Vital Proteins Beauty Collagen, which is specifically formulated to enhance skin elasticity and hydration, earns our pick for the best collagen supplement for better skin. It’s made with collagen peptides, sometimes called hydrolyzed collagen, which have been broken down into smaller compounds that are easier for your body to absorb. In addition to collagen, it features probiotics and hyaluronic acid, a compound that plays a key role in skin repair, wound healing, and tissue regeneration. With 15 g of collagen per serving and flavors such as Lavender Lemon, Watermelon Mint, Tropical Hibiscus, and Strawberry Lemon, this product is designed to make it easy to boost your collagen consumption to support better skin.”

2. Ancient Nutrition Multi Collagen Protein

If you’re looking for a supplement with a collagen blend, Medical News Today writes: “According to the company, this supplement contains five different types of collagen. This collagen comes from beef, chicken, fish, and fermented eggshell membranes. Other key ingredients include SBO probiotics and vitamin C. There are five different flavors to choose from, including unflavored, vanilla, chocolate, strawberry lemonade, and a Brain Boost Vanilla flavor, which contains added Ashwagandha root and leaf extract, cucumber lime, and cold brew.”

Treeline Review places this powder at the top of their list. “Ancient Nutrition Multi-Collagen Protein powder is our overall best collagen peptide powder. It’s called ‘multi-collagen’ because it contains all five types of collagen: Types I, II, III, IV, and V collagen. This means that it comes with the benefits of all those types of collagen including joint health, skin health, or gut repair. To get all five types of collagen, Ancient Nutrition contains chicken, fish, eggshell, and bovine collagen. In contrast, the Vital Proteins collagen supplement, our former overall winner, which has only Type 1 & II and only contains bovine collagen.”

And if you’re looking for convenience, Forbes lists the Multi Collagen Protein Stick Packs as a go-to: “‘This product provides the consumer with efficacious amounts of type I, II, III, V and X collagen,’ says Dr. Wallace, continuing: ‘This product does the trick for skin, joint and bone health due to the larger dose and array of collagens present. It’s also easy to add to water or other beverages like coffee.’ With mild taste and very little texture, our reviewer found this collagen powder easy to incorporate into a variety of beverages, and appreciated the added probiotics and vitamin C.”

3. Youtheory Collagen Powder & Tablets

“Adding Youtheory Collagen with Vitamin C to your routine is a simple and convenient way to squeeze more collagen into your diet. Each serving contains 90 mg of vitamin C and 6 g of bovine collagen, which is less than many other collagen capsules contain. Vitamin C is an important vitamin that stimulates collagen synthesis, promotes wound healing, and protects against skin damage. This product is also NSF-certified and free of dairy and soy,” writes Healthline.

Mixing powder not your thing? Not to worry, Health.com shares that “If you prefer to take your collagen in pill form, Youtheory Collagen Advanced may be a good option for you. Each capsule contains one gram of collagen, and a full recommended serving size (six capsules) contains six grams plus 100 percent of your daily vitamin C needs. Most research on collagen supplements suggests that between five to 15 grams is an adequate dose, which is actually difficult to find in capsule or pill form. It’s third-party tested for heavy metals and other contaminants as well as to confirm that the capsules actually contain the amount that’s listed on the supplement facts panel. It is also significantly less expensive than most powders. Lastly, it’s worth noting that unlike powders, capsules are not a meaningful source of protein.”

And for some science-based information on this product, The Derm Review notes that “Youtheory Collagen provides 6,000 mg of hydrolyzed collagen in each serving. Hydrolyzed collagen is used because the body cannot absorb collagen in its whole form since it is a very large and complex protein. Therefore, to increase collagen’s bioavailability, supplement manufacturers use hydrolyzed collagen. This simply means that collagen’s long amino acid chains are broken down via a chemical or enzymatic process into peptides consisting of just two or three amino acids together. These peptides are then easily absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract.”

4. HUM Collagen Love

“These collagen capsules pack .6 g of collagen per serving, which is sourced from grass-fed and pasture-raised bovine animals. They also contain a blend of other ingredients and herbal extracts to support skin health, including hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, red wine extract, and grapeseed extract. This product from HUM Nutrition is non-GMO, gluten-free, and made without any artificial sweeteners or flavors. What’s more, it’s triple-tested for purity and verified by an independent lab to ensure potency,” writes Healthline.

Medical News Today adds that “HUM says it produces sustainable, hypoallergenic collagen supplements that do not contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs), gluten, or artificial colors or flavors. It adds that it tests the quality of all its products in-house and through independent labs. These collagen capsules also contain vitamin C and other antioxidants that may help promote skin elasticity and firmness. HUM Nutrition states on its website that its collagen supplement can help reduce the effect of free radicals and visible signs of aging.”

Garage Gym Reviews appreciates this product, but notes that it is expensive compared to others. “Formulated by a registered dietician, this product comes in capsule form, making it easy to take. Each serving of three capsules contains 60 milligrams of vitamin C, which helps protect the skin from sun, stress, pollution, and free radicals. It also contains 600 milligrams of a collagen peptide hydro-matrix, which includes collagen I and collagen III sourced from grass-fed, pasture-raised beef, as well as chondroitin sulfate, an anti-aging compound.”

5. Momentous Collagen Peptides

“Their collagen peptides powder specifically delivers two types of proprietary collagen—one targets your joints, the other is good for hair, skin and nails. It also includes vitamin C, which is a major plus as vitamin C helps boost collagen absorption,” writes Eating Well.

The bran also makes a liquid form, allowing you to take your collagen anywhere, anytime, according to Health.com. “Momentous Collagen Shot is one of the most convenient ways to take collagen. It comes as an individually packaged liquid shot that you can drink on-the-go, making it a great option for active people who want to add collagen to their workout routine. Small studies suggest that collagen may help reduce joint pain in otherwise healthy active young people. With 10 grams of collagen per serving, it’s also an easy way for athletes to consume protein before or post-workout which may support recovery when paired with some carbohydrates. Momentous recommends to take two shots 30-60 minutes before exercise to help support collagen synthesis or one shot per day if not exercising.”

Verywell Health also recommends this brand for those with an active lifestyle. “If you are an athlete or active individual looking for a collagen supplement, we recommend Momentous Collagen peptides. If you experience joint pain, this particular supplement may be especially beneficial since it contains FORTIGEL collagen hydrolysate which may help reduce joint pain in healthy athletes. The recommended time to take this collagen supplement is one hour before exercise for best results which may be hard to remember.”

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Best Collagen Supplements: Top 5 Brands Most Recommended By Health Experts