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We are all aware of the increased interest in supplements of all types, but with all the information out there, it may be challenging for you to know which may be beneficial to your lifestyle and why. That’s why you have us! We’re going to break down all the ins and outs of collagen supplementation and do our best to answer all the questions you may have surrounding it.
First, we should discuss what the heck collagen even is, right? Collagen is the most abundant type of protein in the body, making up ~25-30% of the total protein mass in human bodies. It is a non-essential protein, meaning our bodies can produce it but its’ production slows as we age.
Collagen can also be found in many foods – specifically animal proteins – and plays a critical role in the function and structure of many tissues, including connective, cartilage, bone, and skin.
Typically made from collagen peptides (collagen chains that have been broken down), a collagen supplement is derived from connective tissues of animals. As there are several different types of collagen, supplements vary in their source and type. For example, supplements made from bovine (aka cattle) are the most common and consist of types I & III collagen – largely promoted for the improved health of hair, skin, and nails. In contrast, collagen sourced from fish consists of type II collagen and is revered for cartilage and joint health.
What can it do for me?
Claims regarding the positive impact of collagen supplementation range from joint health and arthritis symptoms to skin health, weight regulation and muscle growth. While more research is needed to show if a given source or type of collagen supplement produces superior results over another, there are promising findings thus far.
As with just about every nutrition question we are asked, it depends! Everyone is different and may see different results within his or her body and performance even when following the same routine as another individual.
One thing that we want to make very clear is that collagen is NOT a complete protein, meaning it cannot synthesize muscle production alone. This means we do not recommend it as a protein powder to be used post workout, keep your whey protein powders in the pantry for that! If you do decide to include a collagen peptide supplement, we recommend consuming it with vitamin C, for example mix the collagen powder into orange juice or a smoothie with fruits high in vitamin C, such as kiwi or strawberries.
Additionally, you cannot out-supplement a poor diet (and when I say diet, I do not mean any of the popular fad diets – I’m talking to you, keto – in the world today). Consuming a variety of macro- AND micronutrients through an assortment of whole foods is crucial to our overall health. Think about supplements as the icing on the cake and not the whole dessert, okay?
Special note for athletes:  Recently, there has been supporting evidence that consuming 15g of collagen with 50g of vitamin C, about 30-60 minutes prior to training may increase the production of collagen following the training session. Improvements in function, pain perception and instability in ligament and joint damage – specifically in knees and ankles – has also been seen following this regimen.
With all of that said, while there are promising results in some studies, many of the studies were on the smaller scale and much research is still needed to be completed. Collagen can be a great addition to your regimen, but let’s focus on you current dietary and healthy lifestyle habits first!
Written By: Marissa Casella MS, LD, RD
Kirmse, Marius, et al. “Prolonged Collagen Peptide Supplementation and Resistance Exercise Training Affects Body Composition in Recreationally Active Men.” Nutrients, vol. 11, no. 5, 2019, p. 1154., doi:10.3390/nu11051154.
Prowting, J. L., Bemben, D., Black, C. D., Day, E. A., & Campbell, J. A. (2021). Effects of Collagen Peptides on Recovery Following Eccentric Exercise in Resistance-Trained Males—A Pilot Study. International Journal of Sport Nutrition & Exercise Metabolism, 31(1), 32–39.
Santa Cruz, Jamie. “Dietary Collagen — Should Consumers Believe the Hype?” Today’s Dietitian, Mar. 2019, p. 26.
Shaw, G., Lee-Barthel, A., Ross, M. L., Wang, B., & Baar, K. (2017). Vitamin C-enriched gelatin supplementation before intermittent activity augments collagen synthesis. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 105(1), 136–143. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.116.138594
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ASSOCIATE DIETITIAN, RD, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
Francine Hoffman graduated with her Master’s in Nutrition with an Exercise Science specialization from South Dakota State University. She plans on working towards the sports nutrition specialization (CSSD) as she continues on her path of being a Dietitian!
Francine is passionate about helping athletes with several aspects of performance.  She enjoys educating on proper fueling and seeing that translate to success on and off the field. In addition, Francine is looking forward to building her clinical nutrition skills to better serve future athletes and clients.  She also has her CSCS, NSCA-CPT and she’s experienced with training a variety of individuals!
Francine loves spending her free time in the gym, exploring the outdoors, cooking, and playing the piano!
Stefanie is a University of Southern California graduate with a degree in human performance, having played women’s college basketball at both USC and New Mexico State University. She went on to play professional basketball for two years in Portugal and Germany. After spending her off-seasons in advertising at Gilbreath Communications Inc., Stefanie took on a full-time position as director of social media marketing and accounting at Gilbreath. In pursuit of another passion, Stefanie joined forces with her sister, Briana, to launch Power Portions, a healthy meal prep company developing nutritional meals for the athletic community as well as the general public. With her experience in business, accounting and athletics, Stefanie brings an excellent multi-faceted dynamic to Power Portions.
She has maintained a dedication to community service dating back to her college years, having been a volunteer for organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Monica (as a nutrition leader), Sports Buddies (Jewish Boys and Girls Club of Glendale), Elementary School Girls Basketball Camps in Lousada, Portugal, Feeding America, Save the Children and Ascent Humanity Outreach, among many others. Along with her dedication to healthy meal prep, Stefanie believes her faith has led her to serve children struggling with obesity and applies her experience in this area into Power Portions’ efforts to give back to society.
CEO, MCN, RDN, LD
Briana Butler is a registered dietitian nutritionist and former professional athlete serving the Houston area. Briana holds a bachelor’s degree in Human Performance from the University of Southern California and a masters’ degree in Clinical Nutrition from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. The latter of which she received after playing in the WNBA and overseas for three years. Upon retirement from professional sports, Briana followed her passion for health and athletics by pursuing a career in performance dietetics, believing from experience that nutrition efforts and performance are congruous. Since switching careers, Briana has worked with collegiate, professional (NFL, NBA, WNBA, NBA G-League, Ultra Marathon & Cyclist), NFL combine, NBA combine, and health and wellness clients in private practice and under world-renowned brands such as Southern Methodist University, EXOS, Gatorade Sports Science Institute, and the Dallas Cowboys. Above all, Briana finds purpose in being a wife to her husband Brice and full-time mom to her son Braiden.
ASSOCIATE DIETITIAN, MS, RD, LDN
Marissa is a registered dietitian from the Philadelphia and New Jersey areas with a passion for helping individuals reach their goals with an ALL foods fit mentality. After earning her bachelor’s degree in Nutrition & Dietetics from Immaculata University, Marissa went on to receive her master’s degree in Nutrition & Food Science from the University of Southern Mississippi. While completing her undergraduate degree, Marissa was a part of the women’s volleyball team and quickly implemented her knowledge learned in the classroom into personal goals of achieving success on the volleyball court. Witnessing small changes in her own lifestyle make large impacts on the court, strengthened her passion for sports nutrition and educating others to fuel their own athletic performances. Throughout her time as a registered dietitian, Marissa has worked in a variety of diverse settings while impacting the lives of individuals to meet their goals, large or small. Most recently, in her position as a sports & performance nutrition fellow at Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA, she was exposed to many experiences with both collegiate and professional athletes. Including but not limited to, team-wide and athlete-specific nutrition education, management, and administrative duties in order to provide all teams with the attention they need to thrive. Her specialties include individual and group nutrition counseling on sports nutrition, weight-related goals, gastrointestinal diagnoses, diabetes, allergies, and much more! When not immersed in the nutrition and sports world, Marissa finds herself cooking up new recipes in the kitchen, enjoying quality time with friends and family, or discovering new hiking trails to explore with her puppy, Miley!