Collagen Supplements: Types, Sources and Doses
Collagen is dosed in grams rather than milligrams, sold by type, and sourced from several different animals. Those three variables, plus servings per container, are what separate one tub from another.
Types and sources
Type I and III are typically bovine or marine derived; type II usually comes from chicken. Marine collagen is sourced from fish. The type and source are on the panel and determine whether a product suits your diet as well as what it contains. Our guide to collagen types covers the distinctions.
Peptides, hydrolysed, gelatin
“Collagen peptides” and “hydrolysed collagen” describe processing — the protein broken into shorter chains — rather than a different protein. Gelatin is collagen processed differently again and behaves differently when mixed. See collagen peptides vs collagen.
Dose and format
Powders dominate because the gram doses commonly used are impractical in capsule form — reaching a 10 g powder dose can take a great many capsules, which is the single most useful thing to check before buying a capsule product. Our dosage guide covers the ranges used in the literature.
A note on the category
Collagen is marketed heavily for skin, hair and joints. Research on ingested collagen peptides exists and is worth reading honestly: it is a live area with mixed findings, and results from a study using a specific peptide preparation at a specific dose do not transfer to every tub on the shelf. We describe what products contain; we do not tell you what they will do for you.
Comparing products
Our collagen comparison filters by brand, format and pack size. Related: biotin and blended hair formulas.
References
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements — Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss and other supplement fact sheets
- NCCIH — Dietary and Herbal Supplements