Collagen is a very important protein in the body, accounting for 30% of all protein, playing multiple supporting roles from hair, joints, to skin and nails and ultimately helping to maintain flexibility, elasticity, hydration and strength.
Whilst supplementing collagen cannot compare to a balanced and healthy diet, it does top up your body with additional resources so that it can create collagen.
However, when is too much? The answer to this question really lies in your lifestyle needs and goals.
There has been research conducted on the results of different amounts of collagen taken over 8 to 24 weeks. Generally the current understanding is that between 2.5 grams to 20 grams of collagen supplements is safe to consume every day on top of your existing diet.
So, why up to 20 grams of collagen?
There a is a range purely because your goals, and ultimately your bodily needs, will determine how much collagen you need to consume to achieve them.
For example, a body builder or an athletic runner will need more collagen daily than a beautician or a model.
This is because the collagen in different parts of your body deplete at different rates, and the amount of collagen needed to replenish the different parts vary based the parts themselves and on your lifestyle (basically how you use your body).
How much collagen should I take?
Always check the label from the manufacturer of your collagen supply, remember there are different collagen types that serve different purposes, and there are different collagen sources such as bovine collagen so the directions of intake may be slightly different too.
As a rough guide you can do the following :
- Improving skin health : Take 2.5–10 grams daily
- Improving bone health: Take 5 grams daily
- Supporting your joints: Take 5–10 grams daily
- Helping with arthritis : Take 10 grams daily
- Improving muscle health : Take 15–20 grams daily
Can’t I just take more collagen?
So here we say it depends, yes if you take more collagen it will lead to you seeing results sooner than later but there are 2 ways to look at it.
First of all, it is absolutely fine to prioritise only one thing such as only improving your skin health. You do not need to tackle everything.
By keeping your intake low, you can make your collagen peptides or powder supply last longer yet still enjoy the benefits – especially if you are already on a tight budget.
Adding to this, if you aren’t weight lifting or doing extra exercises, then it is sensible to say you would not need to max out on the collagen intake, purely because your body has no additional need for it.
Secondly, from a science perspective there is a maximum limit of 20 grams per day and in some studies 25 grams.
Once you reach this maximum limit, your body will have reached its capacity in its ability to effectively create collagen and extract the benefits.
Essentially you will not see any more difference in the benefits if you were to take 50 grams of collagen per day versus 20 grams.
Therefore the most efficient, and optimal intake of collagen including financially, is to stick within that 2.5 grams to 20 grams range, and shape it around your lifestyle needs.
Remember, your body is very efficient in how it recovers and maintains itself, so it will do 2 things:
- Use only what it needs and discard the rest – so you’re literally throwing money down the toilet.
- Reach that saturation level where you stop seeing additional benefits as your body can only extract so much, which studies have highlighted is at 20 grams per day with some stating 25 grams.
