Collagen is a protein that makes up connective tissues, such as the skin. When you have too much collagen, your skin can stretch, thicken, and harden. It also can cause damage to internal organs, such as the heart, lungs, and kidneys.
There is no upper limit on how much collagen you can take per day, but most experts recommend taking between 15 and 30 grams per day. If you're new to taking collagen supplements, start with the lower end of this range and increase gradually as your body adjusts to the supplement.
Can you take too much? Collagen is generally considered to be a safe and nontoxic daily supplement for healthy individuals, and most people won't experience adverse side effects. Still, some have reported symptoms, such as an unpleasant taste, feeling overly full, or other stomach complaints ( 27 ).
Some research has found that taking daily collagen powder could help make your bones denser, slowing the aging process that makes them brittle and helping your body to produce new bone. Skin elasticity and hydration. Collagen supplements have been shown to improve skin hydration and elasticity for older people.
Collagen supplements may lead to mild side effects such as bloating, heartburn, and feelings of fullness. If you have food allergies, make sure to purchase supplements that don't contain your allergens.
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. It also helps to improve your heart health.
Collagen supplements may not be safe for: People with fish, shellfish, or egg allergies (collagen supplements may contain these allergens as ingredients)16. People with a Kosher or Halal diet. People with a vegetarian or vegan diet.
If we discontinue collagen for a long time, troublesome problems with joints or lack of skin firmness can quickly return. Some people, instead of completely giving up our collagen, drink shots less frequently, e.g. every few days. It is also a great way to maintain the positive effects of its operation.
"Collagen is what keeps our skin from sagging, giving us that plump, youthful look," says dermatologist Dr. Ohara Aivaz. Your body naturally makes collagen, but this production decreases with age.
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.
Collagen supplements cannot cause hair loss, though too much collagen in the skin can cause another condition called scleroderma. While some collagen supplements can cause mild side effects depending on the patient, any hair loss is unrelated and can be symptomatic of a more serious issue.
According to a 2021 review published in the International Journal of Dermatology, compared with those who do not supplement with collagen, taking collagen every day for 90 days is linked to better hydration and elasticity. Additionally, collagen takers may experience fewer wrinkles on their skin.
Considering that most studies use 2.5 to 20 grams of collagen protein per day for purposes like reducing pain or increasing healing, most people who use these standard doses are at zero risk of consuming excessive amounts of collagen.
Those who took collagen peptides experienced a greater improvement in muscle mass and strength. They also lost more fat mass than the placebo group. These results suggest that collagen supplements can support loss of body fat by enhancing the effects of weight training on muscle mass.
However, it's important to know that some people may experience GI (gastrointestinal) discomfort or feelings of fullness when consuming over 10,000mg of collagen per day. And while this is typically nothing to be too concerned over, we prefer to play it safe and stick to recommending 10,000mg or less.
The good news is that collagen is considered safe for most people, and there is no standardised upper limit. In most cases, more collagen often gives you better results. This is why we usually recommend taking up to 10,000mg of marine collagen on a daily basis.
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). When collagen creams or gels are applied directly to the scalp, gray hair can appear darker and less dry.
If you experience any itching, swelling, or difficulty breathing after taking collagen supplements, it's important to stop taking them and see a doctor immediately.
Does Collagen Tighten Saggy Skin? Studies have indicated that supplemental collagen is beneficial for skin health, including tightening sagging skin (known as elasticity), boosting hydration, and lessening the appearance of wrinkles.
Take it at night
Taking it at night tends to be the other tip that is most often heard regarding collagen supplements. This is because your body recovers while you sleep, allowing your body plenty of time to process the collagen.
Timing for collagen supplements depends on the reason you are taking them. If you have experienced gases or gut issues with these supplements, it is best to have them in the morning blended in with your smoothies or in a cup of coffee. If you want a good night sleep, you can take it at night with a glass of milk.
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!
That's right: supplementing with collagen could boost your body's collagen levels, which, in turn, may counter low estrogen levels.
The evidence from the reviewed studies suggested that both collagen supplements improve skin moisture, elasticity, and hydration when orally administered. Additionally, collagen reduces the wrinkling and roughness of the skin, and existing studies have not found any side effects of its oral supplements.
When taken by mouth: Collagen peptides are possibly safe. Collagen peptides have been safely used in doses up to 10 grams daily for up to 5 months. Side effects are rare.