The collagen protein supplement market is booming right now. Collagen has gone from being a fairly niche supplement to being very mainstream. Collagen has become a popular daily supplement, and it's no surprise you'll find the market flooded with so many products.
But how can you choose which collagen supplement is best for you? What are the best collagen protein powders on the market right now?
The best collagen protein powder depends on what you want it for. Ignore any guide telling you a product needs all five collagen types: type I is what the skin research uses, and most supplements are type I and III from bovine sources, or type I from marine. More types is a marketing point, not a quality one.
We've taken a closer look at what you should look for when you buy your next supplement.
Key points
- Depends on you. the best collagen protein powder depends on what you are looking for.
- Five types. look for a powder that contains all five main types of collagen.
- Check the source. confirm the collagen source if you have dietary restrictions.
- Peptides matter. choose collagen peptides or hydrolysed collagen so it is easier to use.
- Stay consistent. take it consistently as part of your daily routine.
How to Pick the Best Collagen Protein Powder
Just as you will tailor your workout to suit your body type and aims, the best collagen protein powder for you might be different from the best option for someone else.
However, you can make sure you are choosing high-quality collagen supplements and try to find a supplement that suits your needs.
Here are some things to consider when choosing your next collagen protein supplement.
Collagen source
Collagen occurs naturally in connective tissue, and therefore collagen supplements are not vegetarian or vegan. Most collagen protein powders are extracted from cattle (bovine), pigs (porcine), sheep (ovine), chicken, or fish (marine). Depending on your dietary restrictions, you should check the source of the supplement.
Collagen types
There are five main types of collagen. Generally, the most popular collagen powders contain a combination of types 1, 2, and 3. Depending on why you want to take collagen and the potential benefits, you should look for a powder supplement that contains the best type of collagen for you.
Collagen peptides
Collagen can be challenging for the body to break down and process. This means some collagen can't be used effectively. The best collagen protein powder supplements should say either "collagen peptides" or "hydrolysed collagen," which indicates the collagen has been broken down and is easier for your body to use.
The Best Collagen Protein Powders
In the end, the best protein powder is one you are happy taking and gives you the desired results. With new powders available all the time, you're sure to find something you like. However, here are a few of the most popular collagen protein powders right now.
1 Emrald Labs Collagen+
Our house-brand option, and the one with the deepest stock. Available in chocolate, mango, vanilla and unflavoured, with 11.8 g of protein per serve. Low calorie, no sugar, dairy free. A sensible default if you have no particular requirement. Collagen+
2 Emrald Labs Collagen Protein
The same brand in a protein-water format: lighter, clearer, and easier to drink through the day than a milky powder. Chocolate or vanilla, in 500 g and 1 kg. Worth choosing if you find creamy shakes heavy. Collagen Protein
3 Collagen Switch
Made with both bovine and marine collagen, so it covers more collagen types than a single-source powder. A source of nine essential amino acids, with added glycine and L-glutamine. Chocolate, mango pineapple and strawberry kiwi, plus an unflavoured version for smoothies. Stock runs lower than the house brands, so check availability. Collagen Switch
4 Pillar Collagen Repair
The one to choose if you compete in a tested sport: it is Informed Sport certified, which means batch tested against banned substances. Formulated with patented collagen peptides and unflavoured, so it disappears into anything. 50 serves. Collagen Repair
5 Chief Grass-fed Collagen Protein
Grass-fed bovine collagen in dark chocolate, vanilla or unflavoured. Made in Australia, gluten free and nut free. A good pick if sourcing matters to you. Grass-fed Collagen Protein
If you want it in coffee
Glow Collagen Coffee combines marine collagen with coffee, which removes the "remember to take it" problem entirely for anyone who already drinks one every morning.
Final Thoughts
With so many collagen protein powder supplements on the market, you can try several different brands and flavours until you find the best collagen protein powder for you. Make sure you check the source of the protein if you have dietary restrictions, and ensure you take it consistently as part of your daily routine.
With so many great flavours and options, what are you waiting for? Find your new favourite collagen supplement today.
Which collagen is best for weight loss?
None of them, and it is worth saying that plainly on a page recommending products.
Collagen does not cause weight loss and there is no evidence that it does. Fat loss comes from sustained energy balance. Any protein can help indirectly by improving satiety, but collagen is worse at that than whey, because it is less satiating gram for gram.
If a collagen product is marketed on weight loss, that is a reason for scepticism rather than confidence.
Does collagen help with belly fat?
No. No supplement targets fat in a specific part of the body.
Spot reduction is not a thing, however many products are sold on it. Where your body stores and loses fat is largely down to genetics and hormones, not to what you drink in the morning.
Is collagen good for high cortisol?
There is no meaningful evidence linking collagen supplementation to cortisol.
The things with actual evidence for chronic stress are unglamorous: sleep, exercise, and addressing whatever is causing it. If you are concerned about cortisol specifically, that is a GP conversation and a blood test, not a supplement purchase.
What is the downside of taking collagen?
- It is not a complete protein. Low in tryptophan and short on leucine, so it should not replace your main protein source.
- Cost. The most common real downside. It is an ongoing purchase for a modest effect.
- Allergens. Marine collagen is from fish, bovine from cattle.
- Mild digestive upset in some people, usually settling within a week.
- Not in pregnancy without checking with your GP.
Where to go next
- How strong the evidence is for each collagen claim.
- How to take it: dose, timing and mixing.
- Does it actually work for skin?
