Research shows that taking 2.5 to 15 grams daily of hydrolyzed collagen is safe. A smaller dose benefits your joints and skin, while a larger amount may help with body composition and muscle mass.
A 2021 systematic review published in Amino Acids found that people treated with 5 to 15 grams per day of collagen peptide supplementation experienced reduced joint pain and functionality compared to those who didn't take the collagen. Taking this supplement daily may help people suffering from joint pain.
According to Pam Hartnett, MPH, RDN, “Collagen is generally considered a safe supplement to day daily. In fact, most studies that found a benefit to collagen supplementation looked at consistent daily intake and none of these studies found significant side effects.”
Collagen is considered to be well tolerated with no major side-effects. Minor side-effects include: a feeling of heaviness in your stomach. mild diarrhoea.
Collagen supplements may not be safe for: People with fish, shellfish, or egg allergies (collagen supplements may contain these allergens as ingredients)16.
Taking a collagen supplement will not cause you to gain weight. In fact, it can help support you on your weight loss journey along with proper diet and exercise. Collagen is beneficial to your bones, muscles, hair, skin, and nails.
Collagen's role in the body
Collagen is a protein that serves as one of the main building blocks for your bones, skin, hair, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. "Collagen is what keeps our skin from sagging, giving us that plump, youthful look," says dermatologist Dr. Ohara Aivaz.
Now that you know when to take and which areas of you need collagen, let's understand its effectiveness period. Generally, collagen takes about 8 to 12 weeks to see its major results on skin health, joint pain relief and bone strengthening.
Some adverse reactions to collagen supplements include headaches, digestive issues, fatigue, and skin rashes. If you experience any of these side effects after taking collagen, stop taking it and speak to your doctor.
What happens if I stop taking Collagen? If you stop taking collagen for a couple of days there will not be any significant effects. However, research shows that if you stop taking the supplement completely the benefits will slowly disappear and your skin will return to its original state.
Collagen supplements on average 3-4 times per year for most types of collagen. But with hydrolyzed collagen, you can continue to supplement for many years with the recommended dose to maintain the desired effect.
Improvements in skin, nails, muscle and joint health may become noticeable after three to six months of regular collagen supplementation, but results varied across scientific studies. Results may take longer depending on personal factors including age, nutritional status and overall health.
Type I collagen:
It is usually considered best for the skin. It is the most prevalent type of collagen in the body. This collagen preserved the levels of collagen in the skin, hair, or nails. Levels of type I collagen begin to decline around 25 years of age.
To date, there has been no conclusive evidence that taking collagen at a certain time of day provides the best results, so take it when you like!
While there are plenty of suggestions floating around, really, the best time of day to take your collagen supplement is whenever works best for you. Suppose you like to take it in the morning, great. If you prefer it as a snack during the day, great, or if you want to take it before bed, that's also great.
Collagen supplements have been shown to increase the body's hair building proteins, which can result in longer, thicker hair. Collagen may help reduce the appearance of gray hair by supporting the healthy structure of the hair follicle (where the pigment that gives hair its color is produced).
Are collagen supplements a good option for tightening loose skin? A: Collagen supplements aren't the best option if you want to improve the appearance of your skin. That's mainly because there's no evidence-based science to prove they work ― or that they're safe.
Collagen powder supplements are surging in popularity due to their anti-aging skin benefits. But, can collagen actually reverse wrinkles? The answer is yes.
It boils down to this: collagen has been shown within numerous studies to aid in fat loss. Due to its high protein concentration, it's definitely an ally when fat loss is the goal. Moreover, collagen may even help with the appearance of cellulite!
However, there is a common misconception that adding more collagen to your diet can cause weight gain. This is not the case, and in fact, it may indirectly help you lose weight.
Taking collagen may improve the health of your scalp and hair, but there isn't much objective evidence that it will result in hair growth for everyone who takes it. Other potential collagen benefits include improvements in the health of skin, joints and bones.