In recent years, it seems like we’ve heard a lot about collagen powders. They have almost been touted as a miracle supplement, offering tons of benefits for your hair, skin, and nails. But you might have also heard that collagen has the potential to aid in weight loss, too.
Although there hasn’t been a ton of research to date to support the effects of collagen powder on weight loss, there is evidence that it can, indeed, help your efforts. Improved hair, skin, nails, and potentially weight loss? I think we’re all a yes for that.
As a nutritionist and certified macro coach, I am always looking for ways to improve our health, specifically ways that are natural and whole-food based. After hearing several of my clients ask for my recommendation for the best collagen powder for weight loss, I decided to put together a comprehensive list of my recommendations, give you some insight and science to back it up, and advise of any potential safety precautions.
Let’s dig in!
Recommended Collagen for Weight Loss (If you're in a hurry) Table
Collagen | Protein | Calories | Transparency | Additional Flavor Options | Avg. Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
15g | 60 |
|
| 4.9/5 (2,684 reviews) | |
9g | 35 |
|
| 4.6/5 (9,987 reviews) | |
9g | 35 |
|
| 4.6/5 (9,987 reviews) | |
12g | 61 |
|
| 4/5 (7 reviews) | |
7g | 29 |
|
| 4.9/5 (934 reviews) | |
7g | 30 |
|
| 4.5/5 (3,226 reviews) | |
10g | 40 |
|
| 4.8/5 (3,277 reviews) |
First, What is Collagen?
Maybe you’ve heard the hype, but you really have no clue what it is. No worries, let me give you a quick explanation.
Collagen makes up 25-30% of the proteins in your body. It’s a major structural protein that gives structure to your connective tissue. These tissues include your skin, cartilage, tendons, muscles, ligaments, bones, and blood vessels. So it’s kind of a big deal.
Your body naturally produces collagen through certain cells, however, you can also add additional collagen to your body by either eating certain foods that contain it or supplementing with it directly. This is where collagen powder comes into play.
Collagen supplements are created from the bones and tissues of animals like cows, horses, swine, or fish (marine collagen). The purpose of these supplements is to help your body rebuild more collagen so that you have more to work with in your system.
There are many different ways to supplement your diet with collagen, including powders, gummies, pills, liquids, and packaged foods and drinks. The most common supplement form is powder.
How Does Collagen Powder Help With Weight Loss?
Although more research is needed to put a definitive answer to this question, there are studies that show collagen playing an indirect role in helping people achieve their weight loss goals. Here’s how:
Collagen helps to promote satiety or the feeling of being full
When you feel fuller, you eat less. When you eat less, your chances of losing weight are higher. Collagen powder is able to increase satiety because it contains protein, and protein-rich diets increase your satiety hormones which include glucagon-like peptide-1 and cholecystokinin.
It can help increase your muscle mass
Despite what we’ve been led to believe (I’m speaking mostly to women, here), muscle plays an important role in weight loss. The more muscle mass you have on your body, the more calories you’ll burn at rest, which will increase your overall calorie expenditure.
You might experience a reduction in fat accumulation
Although most of the formal studies done on collagen for decreased fat accumulation have been done on animals, there’s evidence that it can have an anti-obesity effect. This has been linked to an improvement in fat metabolism when taking collagen peptides. This 2016 study found that collagen peptides reduced cell size and weight gain in rats.
Collagen has been linked to decreased joint pain
When your joints are healthy, fluid, and moving pain-free, you’re more likely to move your body, thereby increasing your caloric expenditure, which is the key to weight loss.
Other Benefits of Collagen
Beyond the potential benefits for weight loss, collagen powder has been shown to provide these amazing benefits as well:
- Improved skin elasticity
- Reduction in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
- Reduced bone loss
- Improvement of brittle nails
- Improved hair health
- Heart health support
Compelling, right? Ok, let’s jump into what to look for in a collagen powder for weight loss next.
What Collagen Helps Lose Weight The Best?
The best collagen for weight loss is Type III collagen. This type of collagen helps lose weight by increasing the metabolism, as it is found mostly in blood vessels and muscles. When your metabolism increases, you will burn more calories at rest and during activity.
As a nutritionist, I've learned that the best type of collagen for weight loss is Type III collagen because it can speed up your metabolism and help burn calories.
What to Look for In a Collagen Supplement
Being a nutritionist for almost 5 years, I'm constantly getting asked what to look for in a collagen supplement. Just like any other product out there, not all collagen supplements are created equal. For guidance, I've compiled an important check list for you before choosing a collagen supplement.
Reputable Sourced Ingredients
Collagen is an animal product, so choose a product that’s sourced from a reputable source. The best collagen powders are made from grass-fed, pasture-raised animals or from wild-caught fish.
Free of Additives
It’s important to look for collagen that’s free of any additional fillers or additives and to find a brand that’s honest and transparent with its labeling, processing, and sourcing.
Safety: 3rd Party Tested
Lastly, keep an eye out for collagen that’s certified by a third-party testing company like NSF International or USP (United States Pharmacopeia).
Transparent Brand
In general, make sure it’s a product that you feel good about from a brand that you feel is trustworthy. Luckily, we’ve already put in the work to pre-vet quality supplement brands that are bringing integral collagen powders to the market. I’ll detail 7 of those brands and products for you next.
The 8 Best Collagen Powders For Weight Loss (And Why They Made Our List)
Onto the part that you’ve been waiting for, an explanation of the seven best collagen supplements for weight loss. We’ll take a look at each option and talk about the pros and cons of each.
1. 1st Phorm Collagen With Dermaval
1st Phorm is a well-known and highly respected supplement brand that’s dedicated to bringing the best of the best nutritional supplements to the market. 1st Phorm Collagen with Dermaval is no exception.
This product is low temperature processed hydrolyzed collagen powder that’s sourced from 5 different types of collagen from 5 different sources to provide you with the most diverse amino acid profile out there.
Plus, each serving of 1st Phorm’s collagen comes with 50 mg of Dermaval, a revolutionary phytonutrient-rich complex that helps your body maintain healthy levels of elastin. Elastin is responsible for the elasticity and firmness of your skin.
The 5 collagen sources available in 1st Phorm’s product include Collagen Matriz I, II, III, V, and X. These include:
- Hydrolyzed bovine collagen peptides
- Hydrolyzed bovine bone broth protein
- Hydrolyzed fish collagen peptides
- Chicken bone broth collagen
- Eggshell membrane collagen
This highly specified product is designed to promote healthier, stronger skin, hair, nail, bones, and joints, as well as provide anti-aging and weight loss benefits.
Users are encouraged to use 1-2 scoops with their favorite hot or cold beverage. There are multiple flavors available, including chocolate, french vanilla, fruity cereal, salted caramel, peppermint mocha (a seasonal favorite!), and unflavored.
Pros
Cons
2. Primal Harvest Collagen
Primal Harvest Collagen is an ultra-premium collagen peptides powder. It’s made from grass-fed type I & III pure hydrolyzed collagen from pasture-raised bovine without any antibiotics or added hormones. Primal Harvest is also made in a USA-based, GMP-certified facility, so you can feel great about the product’s integrity and ingredients.
One thing that really sticks out to me with this brand is that they offer complete ingredient transparency, so you know exactly what you’re getting, which is not common in the largely unregulated supplement world.
Here are some of the best features of this collagen supplement from Primal Harvest:
- It’s made from grass-fed bovine collagen
- It contains nine essential amino acids
- Gelcopep Technology ensures that it’s a premium, instant-mixing formula (aka you won’t be able to taste it or see it when mixed with your favorite food or drinks)
- It’s designed to help promote healthy skin, joints, gut and liver health, hair/skin/nails, and support weight loss
Primal Harvest recommends that you mix 1 scoop with your favorite beverage, smoothie, or light meal. Combined with a healthy routine that includes balanced nutrition, proper water intake, and sleep, this supplement can help you reach your weight loss goals.
Pros
Cons
3. Ancient Nutrition Multi Collagen Protein
Ancient Nutrition’s Multi Collagen Protein provides a healthy, nutritious, and clinically-proven supplement to your daily diet. With 10 grams of collagen per serving and 9 grams of protein, there’s a hearty dose of nutrition in each scoop.
This formula contains 5 types of collagen, is non-GMO, and is made from grass-fed, pasture-raised animals. Plus, it comes Vitamin C and probiotics, which can help promote weight loss through a healthy gut microbiome.
Some of the top, clinically-proven benefits of Ancient Nutrition’s Collagen include:
- Up to 53% improvement in exercise recovery
- Rapid reduction in joint pain and discomfort in just 7 days
- Improved appearance of crow’s feet (lines around the eyes) after four weeks
- 2 billion CFU Bacillus Coagulans for improved gut health
- 100% daily value of clinically studied Vitamin C that’s optimized for absorption
Another amazing perk of Ancient Nutrition, and one that I personally enjoy, is the fact that it comes in several different flavors to choose from. You can choose from unflavored, vanilla, chocolate, strawberry lemonade, chocolate, cucumber lime, or cold brew, making it a creamy and decadent addition to any drink or smoothie.
Pros
Cons
4. Thorne Health Collagen Plus
Thore Health is an impressive brand that’s dedicated to the highest quality products and the most extensive testing in the market. This unique collagen formula is built to nourish your hair, skin, and nails and prevent them from being damaged by environmental onslaughts.
Thorne Collagen Peptides feature a patented black and red currant polyphenol blend, a white peach extract and nicotinamide riboside, all of which have been extensively tested and clinically proven to provide beauty from within.
Benefits of Thorne Collagen include:
- Enhanced hair, skin, and nail health in just 4 weeks of regular use
- Promotion of cellular repair
- 12 grams of healthy protein per scoop
- Radiant skin from the inside out
- Very unique ingredients that aren’t found in any other products on the market.
Thorne Therapeutics offers supplements that truly stand apart from the crowd (in a very overcrowded market), which can be refreshing. I enjoy the fact that Thorne has been around for decades, quietly testing products and formulations before finally sharing them with us.
Pros
Cons
5. Further Food Collagen Peptides
Use Code: FHM15 for 15% OFF valid at official website only
Further Food offers a simple, effective, and affordable collagen peptides product that is accessible to everyone. This formula is made from grass-fed, pasture-raised bovine and it’s designed to support healthy, glowing hair, skin, and nails, as well as the promotion of healthy joints and gut.
Reasons to choose Further Foods Collagen Peptides include:
- It has 8,000 mg of hydrolyzed collagen peptides from grass-fed bovine
- Only real food ingredients are included, there are no preservatives, artificial flavors, or other junk
- It’s packaged in 100% post-consumer recyclable packaging
- With 10 g of protein per serving, it’s very satiating which can ward off hunger and excess calorie intake (weight loss)
- It’s independently lab-verified by a 3rd party for quality, potency, and purity
To consume Further Food’s unflavored collagen, simply mix in 1-2 scoops with your daily coffee, tea, or other drink and enjoy. Further Food also packages its collagen in convenient 24-pack, single-serving sticks so you can take your collagen on the go very easily.
Pros
Cons
6. Skinny Fit Super Youth Collagen Peptides
Skinny Fit Super Youth Collagen Peptides are made from 5 different collagen types from 4 different sources and are designed to cultivate youthfulness from the inside out. The 5 collagen types include Type I, Type II, Type III, Type V, and Type X, all of which come with a wealth of specified benefits to help improve your overall health and wellness.
The top benefits of choosing Skinny Fit’s Collagen include the following:
- Youthful, glowing skin
- Healthier hair, skin, and nails
- Improved bone and joint health
- Stronger, leaner muscle tissue
- Healthy weight loss and/or maintenance
- 4 different collagen sources, including chicken, bovine, and marine collagen
Overall, this product reminds me a lot of the 1st Phorm Collagen with Dermaval with its use of 5 different collagen types for a broad range of sources and benefits. Skinny Fit recommends that users consume 1 heaping scoop of their collagen 2-3 times per day for best results.
Pros
Cons
7. Live Conscious Collagen
Live Conscious Collagen (formerly known as Live Well Labs), offers grass-fed, pasture-raised pure hydrolyzed peptides that dissolve easily into your favorite food and drinks. This brand has racked up thousands of 5-star reviews for its collagen product and has even been recognized by multiple major publications as one of the best collagen supplements on the market.
Made from hydrolyzed type I & III, these collagen peptides are sourced from high quality, grade-A bovine and are certified free of hormones, and are 100% non-GMO. Furthermore, there are 19 amino acids inside to further enhance your results.
Live Conscious wants you to look and feel great from the inside out, which is why they enzymatically formulated their collagen to help you lose weight and enjoy healthier hair, skin, and nails.
Benefits of choosing Live Conscious collagen include:
- Made from Grade-A bovine without any antibiotics or hormones
- Clean, transparent labeling
- Improved hair, skin, and nails
Overall, Live Conscious offers a product that you can feel great about thanks to their use of only the highest quality ingredients and their transparent labeling which offers peace of mind in your choice. Also, the fact that this supplement has been 3rd party tested helps it to stand apart from the sea of other options out there.
Pros
Cons
8. Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides
Vital Proteins provides premium collagen that supports your body’s natural collagen production, promoting inner strength and outer radiance. With 20 grams of easily absorbed collagen peptides per scoop, Vital Proteins' Classic Collagen is an excellent option for lose looking to boost their collagen intake and promote weight loss.
This collagen is formulated with types 1 and 3 grass-fed, hydrolyzed collagen peptides, giving you peace of mind that Vital Proteins offers a healthy and trusted product. Furthermore, it’s Paleo-friendly, Keto Certified, and free of any soy, wheat, lactose, starch, corn, or artificial flavors.
To consume, you can simply dissolve two scoops into a cup of water, coffee, tea, orange juice, or your favorite drink or smoothie once per day for maximum benefits. Each serving size is two scoops and contains 20 g of collagen, 17 g of protein, and only 70 calories, making it easy to fit into your diet.
The top benefits of choosing Vital Proteins include:
- Collagen production support throughout the body
- Promotion of healthy, youthful-looking skin
- Supports healthy hair, skin, nails, and joints
- Made with two types of collagen (Types 1 & 3)
- It’s hydrolyzed for easy absorption
Pros
Cons
Who Should Consider Adding Collagen to Their Diet?
Anyone can consider adding collagen to their diet, however, you should always speak to your healthcare provider before adding in any new supplements to your diet. The benefits of collagen powder have been well documented and it’s generally considered safe for all populations.
For those who wish to experience healthier, stronger hair, skin, and nails as well as enjoy improved gut health and an overall more youthful look, supplementing your diet with collagen peptides powder might be beneficial.
Those who should avoid taking collagen supplements before speaking with their doctor include those who:
- Have a chronic disease
- Are taking prescribed medications and/or other dietary supplements
- Are allergic to fish
Are There Any Potential Side Effects?
There’s not a lot of research into the negative side effects of collagen, however, there is some anecdotal research that indicates that collagen supplements might cause the following effects:
- Increased feeling of fullness (not necessarily a bad thing for those looking to lose weight)
- Heartburn
- A bad taste in the mouth
Final Thoughts
Collagen powders might be able to indirectly help users lose weight by increasing their satiety (feeling of fullness), regulating their metabolism, and increasing the effect of resistance training on muscle mass (increase lean muscle mass). Additionally, collagen can also alleviate and prevent muscle and joint pain, which leads to a higher level of adherence to healthy exercise habits.
As with any supplement, it’s important to keep in mind that this isn’t a magic pill and that you must pair it with a healthy diet and exercise plan in order to realize the maximum benefits. Collagen supplementation is not a replacement for a healthy lifestyle, but rather, a safe and healthy tool for helping you make progress towards your goals.
All seven of the collagen powders that made our list have been personally vetted by our team and we’re happy to stand behind each as some of the best options when it comes to a healthy weight loss goal.
My Tips For Using Collagen
Adding a scoop of collagen powder to your daily routine is not only simple to do but it’s also very beneficial for your overall health. But don’t expect that any of these powders will magically provide you with all the proposed benefits overnight. It’s with continued use and in conjunction with other healthy lifestyle habits that you will begin to see progress.
With a healthy expectation and solid nutrition and movement plan in place, using a collagen supplement can be a great way to sneak in some extra protein and nutrients while also strengthening your overall health.