The Best Time & Way to Take Collagen Supplements
As a leader in ingestible beauty and the world’s number one marine collagen brand, we set out to deliver expert-backed education. By breaking-down the science behind marine collagen and how to take collagen to supercharge its results, here we answer the ultimate question: does drinking collagen work?
What is collagen?
Collagen is the most abundant protein in your body, serving as the main structural component of connective tissues like skin, bones, cartilage, tendons, and ligaments. As we age, our natural collagen production decreases, which can lead to visible signs of aging like wrinkles, sagging skin, and brittle nails.1
This decline affects not only your skin's appearance but also the health of your bones and joints. Marine collagen, derived from fish skin, is a highly bioavailable form of collagen that can help replenish your body's natural stores when taken as a supplement. This specific type of collagen is particularly effective for skin care and overall body rejuvenation.
What are the benefits of collagen?
Taking collagen supplements offers numerous scientifically-backed benefits for your overall appearance and wellbeing:
- Improved Skin Elasticity and Hydration: Multiple clinical studies show that marine collagen can enhance skin firmness and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Research specifically on Type I collagen demonstrates significant improvements in skin health.
- Stronger Hair and Nails: Collagen provides the amino acids needed to build keratin, the protein that makes up your hair and nails, resulting in faster growth and reduced brittleness.
- Joint Support: The amino acids in collagen can help maintain the integrity of your cartilage, providing relief from joint pain and supporting back health.
- Bone Strength: Recent studies indicate that regular collagen supplementation can help maintain bone density and support overall bone health, especially important as we age.
- Gut Health: Collagen contains glycine and glutamine, amino acids that may help rebuild the tissue lining your digestive tract and promote optimal digestive health.
When marine collagen is hydrolysed, bioavailable and supplemented consistently, you will maximise marine collagen benefits and see visible results in weeks.
What is the best way to take collagen?
No matter how you're drinking collagen, consistency is key with ingestible beauty. So the best way to take collagen is to supplement marine collagen daily in a flavour and routine that suits you.
Collagen in Water
What to drink collagen with depends on your personal preference and favourite flavours. Vida Glow Natural Marine Collagen is available in unflavoured Original and four natural flavours, including best-sellers Blueberry and Peach. These fruit-infused sachets of marine collagen are popular stirred into chilled water or green teas – or can be added to sparkling water for a refreshing sip with beauty benefits.
If you're looking to strengthen skin, hair and nails while increasing your water intake, Vida Glow Mango and Pineapple give chilled water a bright boost – as the perfect summer collagen drink.
Collagen in Smoothies
Adding collagen powder to your morning smoothie is an excellent way to incorporate it into your daily routine. The mild taste of unflavoured collagen blends seamlessly with fruits, vegetables, and other smoothie ingredients, making it an easy addition to your beauty regimen. Simply add a sachet of Vida Glow Original to your favourite smoothie recipe for an extra boost of skin-loving amino acids.
Collagen in Coffee or Tea
For a multitasking coffee in the morning hustle, Vida Glow Original sachets can also be supplemented as a collagen coffee – for caffeine and a skin-firming treatment in one. The heat from your coffee or tea won't affect the efficacy of the collagen, making this a convenient option for busy mornings.
Collagen in Food
Collagen powder can be incorporated into various recipes without affecting the taste or texture of your meals. Add it to oatmeal, yogurt, soups, or baked goods for a discreet way to consume your daily collagen. The unflavoured Original variety works best for culinary applications, as it won't alter the flavour profile of your dishes. For optimal nutrition, consider adding collagen to foods rich in vitamin C such as citrus fruits or bell peppers, as this vitamin enhances your body's natural collagen synthesis. Many health-conscious individuals are now incorporating collagen into everyday foods as a simple way to support both bone health and skin appearance.
Liquid Collagen
While powder forms offer versatility, some prefer ready-to-drink liquid collagen options for convenience. Liquid collagen supplements can be consumed directly or added to beverages of your choice. However, powder formats like Vida Glow Natural Marine Collagen offer superior absorption rates and versatility.
SHOP THE STORY
Should collagen be taken every day?
Research strongly supports the benefits of daily collagen supplementation for enhancing skin elasticity, hydration, and density. A comprehensive study found that a daily intake of 2.5g to 10g of hydrolysed collagen over 8 to 12 weeks led to measurable improvements in skin health markers, including elasticity and hydration. The body absorbs collagen peptides, which become bioavailable and contribute directly to the skin’s extracellular matrix, helping counteract the age-related decline in natural collagen levels
What is the best time of the day to drink collagen?
The best time of day to drink collagen is whenever is most convenient for you. Whether you’re taking one or three daily serves, consistent, daily supplementation is essential to achieve marine collagen’s tangible benefits.
Looking at the science, the clinical studies behind the best time to take collagen are inconclusive. Some suggest collagen peptides are better absorbed on an empty stomach, such as first thing in the morning – but the clinical evidence isn’t there yet. And when supplementing collagen before bed, the body’s state of rest hasn’t been found to improve collagen absorption or production.
While it’s unclear if timing has any impact on collagen supplementation, what we do know is consistency is key to seeing results. Meaning, finding your best time to take collagen daily is essential.
So, take the time to think through your beauty and daily routines. Experiment with at-home, in-office and on-the-go supplementation to find your best time to take collagen.
To get you started, here’s some of Vida Glow’s favourite ways to drink collagen.
Take collagen in your morning coffee
If there’s one thing that’s never skipped, it’s a morning coffee. Make the most of your existing routine and get a caffeine and collagen boost in one. Whether you take yours hot or iced, keep a box of Vida Glow’s Natural Marine Collagen sachets on your kitchen counter or deskside to support skin, hair and nails every morning.
Hydrate and strengthen through the day
Take your ingestible skincare routine between the office, gym and errands with a naturally flavoured water bottle of Natural Marine Collagen. The subtle sweetness of Blueberry or Peach make marine collagen sachets easy and enjoyable to supplement – and will help you up your water intake on-the-go.
Refresh in the afternoon
When hot summer days call for an uplifting sip, try Natural Marine Collagen in chilled water. Tarte and bright, Vida Glow’s Pineapple or Mango sachet make for a juicy cool-down pick-me-up.
Top-up collagen before bed
If a cup of tea is part of your wind-down routine, add in one last serve of marine collagen. Our founder Anna Lahey favours chamomile tea with a sachet of Original, while a sachet of Pineapple in green tea is another Vida Glow favourite. For beauty benefits in a calming bedtime routine, try making a serve of Natural Marine Collagen your final accomplishment of the day.
What is the best form of collagen to take? Pills, liquid or powder?
Collagen supplements are available as powders, pills or liquids – but collagen is most efficacious as a hydrolysed marine collagen powder drink, like Natural Marine Collagen.
Vida Glow marine collagen is naturally hydrolysed with enzymes, which breaks down raw, ‘native’ marine collagen peptides into bioavailable amino acids. These amino acids are the building blocks of the body’s natural collagen production. Unlike native collagen peptides which have a high molecular weight and are poorly absorbed, hydrolysed marine collagen is efficiently absorbed through the lining of the stomach. By ingesting collagen as collagen water, marine collagen amino acids enter the bloodstream with an absorption rate above 90% – for heightened collagen uses and firmer skin, stronger hair and healthy nails, fast.
By contrast, pills and capsules add an extra barrier to absorption while powder and liquid collagen supplements in the proper form are readily available for the body to absorb. Your body's ability to utilize collagen is directly related to the form in which you consume it, making the hydrolysed powder form an optimal choice for most people.
Should I take collagen on an empty stomach?
Yes, collagen can be taken on an empty stomach without causing stomach upset. While further research is needed, some suggest taking marine collagen on an empty stomach increases its absorption. It is just advised to not exceed more than 10 grams of marine collagen a day (no more than three Vida Glow Natural Marine Collagen sachets or scoops).
How to take collagen powder? On its own or with food?
Drinking collagen before and after eating is effective and safe, it’s a matter of which suits your routine best. While marine collagen can be supplemented mixed into meals if desired, it’s well tolerated by many and doesn’t need to be taken with a meal.
What does collagen taste like?
Vida Glow Natural Marine Collagen is a fine powder from high-quality fish skin. Our Original flavour is tasteless when blended with flavoured drinks like tea, coffee or juice. For those with sensitive tastes or wanting to take collagen straight in water, we suggest our fruit-infused flavoured options.
Can collagen be mixed with coffee?
Yes, Vida Glow Natural Marine Collagen can be mixed with coffee. For regular coffee drinkers, ‘collagen coffee’ is must-try with a sachet of Original.
How does heat affect collagen?
Vida Glow Natural Marine Collagen range is heat stable – so its efficacy, taste and texture aren’t affected by heat.
Whether it’s an ice-cold sip or warm and comforting cup, the way to take collagen is to find a supplementation method that you can commit to it. Taking collagen should enjoyable. Glowing skin, healthy hair and fast-growing nails are only a daily glass of water or coffee away.
Want to know how supermodel Irina Shayk takes her Vida Glow Natural Marine Collagen? Find out here.
