How Long Does it Take for Collagen Supplements to Work?
Many people wonder how long it takes to see all the amazing benefits of hydrolyzed collagen.
How long does it take for collagen supplements to work?
The answer to this question depends on the benefits you’re looking for. I’ve broken down some of the peer-reviewed scientific studies on hydrolyzed collagen into a handy chart for when we should start to see individual benefits.
I’ve been purchasing Vital Proteins brand hydrolyzed collagen lately because it is one of the best priced brands on Amazon, and it is also available in whole foods who I know have high standards for the products they allow on their shelves.
Now let’s talk about the research:
Skin
4 weeks to start seeing it work
12 weeks for max results
I’m starting here because one of the first things you’ll notice when supplementing with a collagen supplement such as gelatin hydrolysate (another way of saying hydrolyzed collagen) will be skin improvements (followed closely by stronger hair growth.)
Collagen can work wonders to improve skin. Since skin improvements are the effects that kick in first collagen supplements are often targeted at people specifically looking to improve their skin. If you look at the marketing for some of the most popular brands such as Neocell capsules you’ll see they call the product “beauty builder” etc.
I prefer to look at hard science than product advertisements to determine what will work – so here goes:
In 2015, a series of studies published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology found that taking collagen peptide supplements resulted in marked decreases in the hallmarks of skin aging. These benefits including decreases in wrinkles and a substantial increase in skin moisture. These benefits were dose dependent, meaning that greater results were observed when participants drank more of the collagen. This tremendous beauty boost should play a big role in every woman’s daily beauty routine.
The study showed minor results as early as 4 weeks and major results at 12 weeks with collagen fragmentation (wrinkles) being reduced by up to 31.2%
The publication also cited two studies with related results. One showed an increase in dermal collagen density at 12 weeks and another clinical trial detected an increase of procollagen and elastin in skin lymph fluid after 8 weeks of oral supplementation.
Another study published in the Journal of Nutrition in 2006 found that Hydrolyzed Collagen supplements in combination with a topical application of the vitamin astaxanthin repaired damage caused by ultraviolet radiation and reversed photo-aging over the course of 24 weeks.
So it’s true, collagen IS a beauty builder and an effective way to combat aging. It takes at least 4 weeks to start helping and the results get better as you continue consistently taking the supplement.
Joint Pain
3 months for healthy individuals with sports related injuries
3-6 months for osteoarthritis
A 2013 study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition found significant improvements in joint mobility and reduction at 120 days of supplementation with only 40mg of type II collagen. This study was performed on healthy subjects who had no prior history of arthritic disease or joint pain at rest but experienced joint discomfort with physical activity. The study concluded that type II collagen supplementation both prolonged how long one could exercise before joint pain occurred and shortened recovery time after exercise.
A 2009 study in the International Journal of Medical Science found that subjects with arthritic knees showed significant enhancement in daily activities after 90 days of supplementing with 40mg of type II collagen, suggesting an improvement in their quality of life. The effects were a substantial improvement over supplementation with glucosamine/chondroitin. Notably results continued to improve over time.
Since hydrolyzed collagen does not always contain type II collagen I want to go ahead and cite one more study.
Another 2009 study in the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition found that 6 months of supplementation with powdered hydrolyzed collagen resulted in a significant improvement in knee joint comfort as assessed by visual analogue scales to assess pain and the Womac pain subscale. Those who benefitted most were individuals with the most joint deterioration and the least intake of meat proteins in their regular diets.
If you are looking for a hydrolyzed collagen that contains type I, II, and III specifically for joint pain you should check out Ancient Nutrition Bone Broth Collagen.
I like them because they are also stocked at whole foods, which means the quality control people at whole foods approve of the brand. I also like them because they contain type I, II, and III (all of which are good for joints) without adding type V and X which are not supported by research and may actually be bad for you (I’m shaking my finger at you Dr. Axe multi-collagen!) It’s also vanilla flavor which works really well in coffee.
It is worth noting that there are many other peer-reviewed published studies citing the benefits of hydrolyzed collagen for joints and osteoarthritis. I have come across several blogs in my research on collagen where writers claim to debunk claims that hydrolyzed collagen supplements improve joint pain. Please, rely on real scientific research which is incredibly optimistic about this supplement.
Conclusions
Collagen peptides (also known as hydrolyzed gelatine or collagen) can provide remarkable health, healing, and strengthening with long term supplementation. However, you’re not going to see results within the first few weeks. Some results may even take up to 6 months.
This is unfortunate for many suppliers on review-heavy sites like amazon who get negative reviews and returns by customers who expect results too quickly. If a recommended brand has some negative reviews on these sites always look closer. If those bad reviews are customers who were disappointed in their lack of results in the first few weeks, consider giving the brand a shot anyway.
This doesn’t bother me as I personally plan to take hydrolyzed collagen for the rest of my life. My nails are stronger, my hair has never been in better shape, my skin has markedly improved, and longterm back and knee pain are noticeable decreased. Anecdotally, this supplement has practically been a miracle for me and my entire immediate family. That’s why I’m so obsessed with reasearching and writing the truth about it here.
I believe everyone should have the chance to benefit from collagen hydrolysate. For more information on this supplement, and suggestions for the best available brands, please see my main hydrolyzed collagen information page.
Citations
Asserin, J., Lati, E., Shioya, T. and Prawitt, J. (2015), The effect of oral collagen peptide supplementation on skin moisture and the dermal collagen network: evidence from an ex vivo model and randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials. J Cosmet Dermatol, 14: 291–301. doi:10.1111/jocd.12174
Yoon HS, Cho HH, Cho S, Lee SR, Shin MH, Chung JH Supplementating with dietary astaxanthin combined with collagen hydrolysate improves facial elasticity and decreases matrix metalloproteinase-1 and -12 expression: a comparative study with placebo. J Med Food 2014;17:810–6.
Lugo JP, Saiyed ZM, Lau FC, Molina JP, Pakdaman MN (2013) Undenatured type II collagen (UC-II®) for joint support: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in healthy volunteers. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 10(1):48. doi: 10.1186/1550-2783-10-48.
P. Benito-Ruiz, M.M. Camacho-Zambrano, J.N. Carrillo-Arcentales, M.A. Mestanza-Peralta, C.A. Vallejo-Flores, S.V. Vargas-López, R.A. Villacís-Tamayo & L.A. Zurita-Gavilanes. A randomized controlled trial on the efficacy and safety of a food ingredient, collagen hydrolysate, for improving joint comfort. International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition. Vol. 60, Iss. sup2, 2009
Crowley DC, Lau FC, Sharma P, Evans M, Guthrie N, Bagchi M, Bagchi D, Dey DK,Raychaudhuri SP. Safety and efficacy of undenatured type II collagen in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee: a clinical trial. Int J Med Sci. 2009 Oct 9;6(6):312-21. PubMed PMID: 19847319; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2764342.
April 1, 2018 @ 1:52 pm
Can collegen ll help knees that are bone on bone.
April 18, 2018 @ 2:31 am
Mary Jo I’m so sorry to hear that you or someone you know has bone on bone knees! I would definitely personally take collagen if that were me, but I’m not a doctor so I cannot make any medical promises. I know that other websites devoted to bone-on-bone knee issues recommend things that amount to getting more collagen (egg shell and bone broths) so if people are finding relief using those methods then hydrolyzed collagen would be even better. Take care!
May 23, 2018 @ 6:49 pm
Hi,
I’ve started taking hydrolyzed collagen and its only been ten days and the dry skin on the soles of my feet have completely healed, and my nails have grown but its only been ten days!
I have been taking it with Vitamin C and I seem to have no cravings for sugar, can this come from the collagen?
Your article is excellent! thank you I had a great read!
Melody
June 17, 2018 @ 3:44 am
Hi Melody,
I’m so glad to hear the collagen is helping you so much and so quickly! Vitamin C does aid in the absorption of hydrolyzed collagen. Some brands like to add it but I prefer to get my vitamin C naturally from fruits and veggies. Thank you so much for the compliments and for visiting my blog!
May 25, 2018 @ 4:15 pm
Thank you for writing this informative article. I began using Dr. Axe’s collagen (yes, I read what you wrote…probably will change brands) one week ago. I’m hoping to see a difference in my skin and nails. In my early 50s I noticed, almost overnight, that my skin was sagging. This was about the same time when I was diagnosed with RA….maybe a connection there? My RA is somewhat in remission but I do have minor inflammation in a joint or two. I look forward to seeing some results!
June 17, 2018 @ 3:42 am
Thank you for the compliments Lori Anne! I’m not a doctor, but it sounds like all of those issues are related to natural collagen loss that we all go through as we age. I wish you the best and hope you see some improvements from that collagen supplementation soon!
June 29, 2018 @ 2:59 pm
Thank you for the excellent article! I was looking for answers to these exact questions! I also have vital proteins, I just started it and really like that the powder doesn’t have a “taste”. Do you use the powder or the capsules?
Lisa
October 29, 2018 @ 5:00 am
Lisa, I use the powder but only because I find it more convenient to mix it in my morning coffee than take capsules separately with water. It shouldn’t make any real difference for absorption but I try not to take too many capsules.
August 11, 2018 @ 1:11 pm
I’ve been taking collagen for about 3 to 4 months now and my aches and pains are so much better my hair looks better my nails are growing amazingly my skin is glowing I love it I am going on vacation and I’m not able to bring the powder on the plane do you think it is okay to take a 9 day break or should I just purchase some when I get to my destination
October 29, 2018 @ 5:09 am
I can see that I didn’t respond to this quickly enough and I’m so sorry! I hope everything worked out for you. I try to find a way to keep collagen and a green powder with me when I’m traveling. Especially if it’s helping with pain, it takes a while to build up in your system and relieve that pain so I wouldn’t want to sacrifice that if I could help it.
August 31, 2018 @ 3:07 pm
Great article with helpful information!!!
Thank you, this was exactly what I was looking for!
Gina
October 29, 2018 @ 4:48 am
Glad I could help, Gina!
October 2, 2018 @ 6:49 pm
Hi im 25 years old and my skin is awfull despite of having a good diet..so hopefully collagen will help. Should i take it daily for life?or is better leave periods without taking it in between?thanks
October 29, 2018 @ 4:47 am
Maria, I personally take it every day and intend to for life. I think of it more as a food than a supplement. It’s basically beef protein in a more digestible/bioactive form.
October 4, 2018 @ 7:00 am
Hi , i am using hydrolyzed collagen “le visage plus” for skin , it give me the results bit not as me required , for how long should i use collagen i mean how many months ? Can you also suggest me best collagen ?
October 14, 2018 @ 5:31 am
Very useful – thank you – I’m 74 and suddenly masses of wrinkles so I am glad there is hope!
Going to get Purple Collagen during the week and all your hard work researching this will help me find a good product.
Best wishes to you,
Emile
October 29, 2018 @ 4:45 am
Glad I could help & I hope it works out great for you!
October 27, 2018 @ 7:56 pm
Does it help with fibromyalgia.
Thanks
October 29, 2018 @ 4:44 am
Marie, I’ve never heard of anyone using collagen for fibromyalgia. I looked into it for you and it looks like people with fibromyalgia have lower amounts of intramuscular collagen. I can’t find any evidence that supplementing with collagen has helped anyone but I have to say it would be worth a try. If you try it out please comment back here to let me know how it goes!
One thing I have heard of helping with fibromyalgia pain has been CBD and full spectrum hemp oils. I have a very dear friend who uses the Immortal Tortoise brand of hemp oil because it contains both CBD and THC but such low quantities of THC that it just helps with pain and doesn’t get you high or show up on a drug test. That’s anecdotal but she absolutely swears by it.
November 17, 2018 @ 5:29 am
Thank you for this article. I just started taking collagen (one week) and I’m already feeling better. I currently suffer from joint pain and heard about the benefits of collagen when I was looking for something to help with my thinning hair and brittle nails. Thought I give it a try. So the brand I have says I should take 6 pills a day. Why so many?
December 15, 2018 @ 4:15 pm
That’s exactly why I take collagen as a powder supplement and mix it in my coffee and smoothies. You have to take quite a bit of it! It doesn’t taste bad. I prefer to hide it in my food and beverages than to take so many capsules.
December 1, 2018 @ 8:29 pm
he blog was how do i say it… relevant, finally something that helped me. Thanks
December 15, 2018 @ 4:06 pm
I’m so glad I could help!!!
January 15, 2019 @ 3:40 am
Does it help with terrible teenage acne
February 13, 2019 @ 3:51 am
It can definitely help with acne but with teen hormones it probably won’t be 100% solution all on its own.
January 15, 2019 @ 7:12 pm
Great info!!
January 17, 2019 @ 2:32 am
I was wondering if it’s ok for my wife to take my men’s collagen?
February 13, 2019 @ 6:06 pm
What brand is it? What’s in it? If it’s just collagen it’s fine. The “men’s” part is probably just a marketing gimmick.
June 19, 2019 @ 5:06 am
Hello! Are collagen supplements in liquid form also work the same way as other forms? And is it safe, as well? I have been taking this collagen in liquid form with 13,000mg of collagen per bottle.
March 5, 2020 @ 7:41 pm
Hi Clarisa, collagen in a liquid form is pretty much the same thing. I can’t comment on the safety because I don’t know the product and how they source their collagen or what else might be in it. Sounds like you’re taking 13 grams, which is more than the amount they used in the studies – but I’m pretty sure that’s okay too.
July 25, 2019 @ 7:47 am
Hi there to all, how much collagen do you all take and how often do you take it?
March 5, 2020 @ 7:37 pm
Hey Beth! I take a heaping tablespoon of collagen peptides almost every day, unless I forget!
August 5, 2019 @ 10:12 am
I am 55 and lost 40lbs. Can a collagen supplement help with sagging skin? What kind of results can I expect if I take for the rest of my life? What can I do to maximize the benefits of a collagen supplement? Thank you for such a great article.
March 5, 2020 @ 7:33 pm
Wow good work! That’s amazing! Honestly, I just look at the research that’s available and that’s what I write about. Unfortunately, I don’t see any studies specifically about tightening sagging skin from weight loss. I have seen them for prolonged and intermittent fasting, you might want to look into that. It certainly wouldn’t hurt and may very well help, that’s just a guess at this point. There’s plenty of evidence that it supports healthy skin and keeping skin strong and flexible as we age. We should expect to have fewer visible signs of aging, as well as sturdier joints and even healthier organs taking it for the rest of our lives. That’s my plan, anyway!
September 19, 2019 @ 4:27 pm
Hi
Thanks for such an informative article. I’ve just started taking collagen to help with joints going through menopause and hopefully some skin benefits too, and interested in your comments about type V and X. I am taking So Body Co Collagen, which includes these and am now concerned that they might not be good. Am interested in your comments
November 3, 2019 @ 12:40 pm
Wonderful article! This is the kind of info that we’re supposed to be sharing on the internet.
It’s a shame too many websites are blindly selling garbage products or giving identical recipes that don’t even work. No idea what’s going on around here! Glad to find good resources like your!
Thank you 😀
March 4, 2020 @ 11:24 pm
Thanks Marge! I appreciate the compliments. I think there is a LOT of good info on the internet though, you just have to know how to look for it!
November 13, 2019 @ 12:31 am
Heya! I came across this and I in finding It truly
useful it helped me out a lot. I’m hoping to do something similar and help others like you
helped me.
March 4, 2020 @ 11:18 pm
That’s terrific! Best of luck Mindy!
December 6, 2019 @ 10:05 am
Thanks a bunch for sharing this with all folks you actually understand what you’re speaking about!
Bookmarked.
January 15, 2020 @ 6:56 pm
What is the best collagen to take I’m trying it for better skin nails and trying to get rid of my pooch from my c section yes I’m younger but why not start now my body is suffering since pregnant .
March 4, 2020 @ 9:16 pm
I currently take Immortal Tortoise brand collagen from immortaltortoise.com a lot of the brands are really similar but I like that their packaging is compostable and biodegradable without being more expensive than other products. My pile of empty plastic containers was starting to get to me and I’m glad I made the switch because their product is also really high quality. But, all of these brands of collagen will basically work the same way.
Good luck on your goals!
February 19, 2020 @ 12:16 pm
Thank you for this “How long does it take for collagen supplements to work?” article! Very helpful!
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March 4, 2020 @ 8:30 pm
I’m so glad – thanks for stopping by!