Collagen: What Time to Take It and for How Long

Collagen is a protein that is part of your skin, hair, nails, bones and joints. Many people take it every day as a supplement, and the same questions almost always come up: what time to take it, how, and for how long. Here we answer them with what the label of a bottle says and what a study measured.

What time is best to take it?

The label doesn't set a time. The label of Neocell Pomegranate Liquid Collagen says: "Take one (1) tablespoon (15 mL) daily, alone or mixed into 6 oz. of water or juice."

What does count is taking it every day. Pick a time you can repeat: with breakfast, in your morning juice or before bed.

How long should you take it?

Collagen is not a one-day thing: you take it daily and for weeks. A study published in the journal Skin Pharmacology and Physiology (2014) gave collagen peptides once a day to 69 women aged 35 to 55 for 8 weeks. At the end, skin elasticity in the women who took it had improved compared with those who took a placebo (see the study).

In that study, the skin was measured after 4 and 8 weeks of taking it every day. The key is consistency. The 16 oz bottle has about 32 tablespoons ("Servings Per Container about 32"): at one a day, it lasts about a month.

If you want to know what collagen is, what the body uses it for and what else studies say about the skin, see Is it good to take collagen?.

Liquid or capsules?

Both forms contain collagen; what changes is how you take it.

• Liquid: you measure it with a spoon and take it alone or mixed. In Neocell, each tablespoon (15 mL) has 4 g of "BioActive NeoCell Collagen Peptides™ (from Grassfed Bovine)." Once opened, the label asks: "Refrigerate after opening."
• Capsules or tablets: you swallow them with water, and they are easy to carry in your bag or when you travel. Check how many the label asks for each day.

What is hydrolyzed collagen?

It is collagen broken into smaller pieces, called peptides. The Neocell label explains it like this: "large collagen molecules are enzymatically broken down into small peptides."

What the Neocell label says

• "Hair, Skin & Nails Support*"
• "…a refreshing beauty experience that supports healthy hair, skin, and nails.*"
• "Store unopened container in a cool, dry place." "Warning: Keep out of reach of children." "For adults only. As with any supplement, if you are pregnant, nursing, taking any medication or have a medical condition, consult your doctor before using this product. Discontinue use if any adverse events occur." "TAMPER EVIDENT: Do not use if safety seal is broken or missing."

*"This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease."

Where to find it

In our store we have Neocell Pomegranate Liquid Collagen, 16 oz. All the collagen products we carry are in Collagen Products.

For more details, call us at 787-304-0458.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.