The Truth Revealed on Collagen Tablets, Powders and Capules

Researched & Posted by
Simon White*

Last updated on
Evidence Based
Expert Reviewed

*Supplement Informer is made up of the views and opinions of our beauty and nutrition expert Simon White who is a qualified nutritionist from the University of Sheffield. The scoring is determined at his own discretion and should not be used for accuracy purposes. We are able to provide this service for free thanks to the referral fees we receive from a number of service providers along with an ownership stake in one or more of the brands. These referral fees may affect the rankings and score assigned to specific vendors. Disclaimer: Furthermore, though many vendors appear on the Supplement Informer, this DOES NOT imply endorsement of any kind and the results of using such products may vary. The information and vendors which appear on Supplement Informer is subject to change at any time.

Why Collagen Tablets and Capsules are a Scam.

The internet is littered with brands selling collagen tablets or capsules, however do they really work and how effective are they? We spoke to a range of nutritional experts in the UK and they all gave us the same answer which concludes that tablets and capsules just dont work and the scienece on why is a 20 second read below!

Reason 1

Tablets and capsules are a convenient way to take supplements and in many cases they are a great option for people who need to quickly take their supplements with very little fuss, however the fact is tablets and capsules cannot physically contain anymore than 500mg of collagen and studies show that collagen supplementation is only effective when dosing at 5,000-10,000mg per day. If a tablet or capsule only contains 500mg of collagen this means you need to taking a minimum of 10 tablets day after day. Who wants to swallow that many tablets every day? Do you?

Reason 2

Collagen needs to be taken in combination with Vitamin C, Hyaluronic Acid, Zinc and Copper. If a brand is packing all these other vital ingredients into a tablet it leaves less space within the tablet or capsule for the actual collagen so you may end up only getting 300mg of collagen per tablet or capsule.

Reason 3

Tablets are also not built for fast results. They are designed to work their way through your system before they start getting absorbed and up to 40% of the tablet or capsule will generally be wasted before it even gets through to your small intestine.

What is the best way to take collagen and why?

So based on the fact we need to deliver 5-10g of collagen per day to the system to give good results we need a convenient, fast method of delivering that collagen to our system. We also need to make sure the method is pain free and also something we can do easily every day with very little hasstle. The answer is powdered collagen.

Powdered collagen mixed with water not only provides us with enough collagen per day to get visible results quickly but also allows brands to add in all the synergystic ingredients required to make collagen work. Collagen is only the fuel the body needs. The Vitamin C, Zinc, Hyaluronic Acid and Copper are the factories which go to work with the collagen to ensure its absorbed correctly into the body.

Which is the best powdered collagen on the market right now?

With countless different collagen products vying for your attention, how do you really know which one will actually deliver on collagen’s big promises of glowing, firm, and all-round youthful looking skin?

There are several household brands, some back by celebrity influencers use expensive PR and marketing to sell their products however if you open up the hood and look at whats underneath do the products match up to the claims they are making?

That’s why we’re here. We researched the top selling collagen supplements on the internet and made purchases to test some of 2023’s most talked about collagen products. We combed through the scientific research and interviewed beauty specialists and collagen experts*

Some of the supplmements we were informed could even make your hair, skin and nails worse which is why you need to keep reading to make sure you get the scoop on what we discovered.

BEWARE: Not All Collagen Powders Are Equal

In the course of our research, we discovered a few things. Powdered collagen comes in mostly 2 formats, bovine and marine collagen. Bovine collagen only contains 5% Type 1 collagen vs Marine collagen which contains 95% and is therefore a much more of a potent choice for hair, skin and nail benefits

Here’s what to look for in beauty focussed collagen powder…
and what you MUST AVOID at all costs.

Must Haves

  • Collagen Source

    Marine Collagen is preferred over Bovine for beauty benefits as it contains more Type 1 Collagen.

  • Collagen Format

    Powders are more effective than tablets and capsules

  • Collagen Potency:

    A minimum of 5000mg per day is recommended by scientists.

  • Essential Additional Indredients

    Collagen works best when paired with a strong Vitamin C, Zinc, Copper and Hyaluronic Acid. Do not consider any powdered collagen unless it contains at least 100mg of Vitamin C.

Must Avoid

  • Calorie Bombs:

    Look out for nasty added sugars which can cause weight gain and acne.

  • Unecessary Bulking

    Some brands will bulk their powders with maltodextrin and other nasties. Stay away.

  • Artificial Ingredients:

    Like sweeteners, preservatives, and other “fillers”. These chemicals poison your body and can reduce the absorption of important vitamins and minerals.

  • Environmentally Unfriendly Packaging:

    Avoid plastics and non-recyclable packaging. Save the environment!

Our Research Backed
10-Point Approach

In addition to our ‘Must Haves’ and ‘Must Avoids’, we have a dedicated ‘Evaluations Team’ that compares and ranks each tested collagen product according to a Research-Backed 10-Point System. We want you to know how our ranking system works:

How We Picked Our Top Choice – A Guide To Our Rankings:

After intense research, interviews with customers, and extensive personal testing, we narrowed down hundreds of different collagen products into our top 4 and eventually crowned a winner.

  • 94

    Hours of
    Scientific Research

  • 11

    Hours of
    Expert Consultations

  • 52

    Customers
    Interviewed

Evaluation Criteria

  • Taste & Ease of Use
  • Value
  • Results
  • Synergistic Ingredients
  • Company Reputation

#1

Glow Powder Marine Collagen
by Rock & Roses Supplements

Evidence Based
Expert Reviewed
Evidence Based
Expert Reviewed
  • Ingredient Quality

  • Collagen Potency

  • Value

  • Returns Policy

  • Overall Customer Happiness

  • 9.8/10
  • 9.6/10
  • 9.4/10
  • 10/10
  • 9.6/10

A+ Rating

9.7

Total Ranking

PROS

  • 90-day money back guarantee (no questions asked)
  • 6g serving per day of collagen (tablets/capsules only contain 1g)
  • Contains Hyaluronic Acid (so no need to buy separately)
  • Made in the UK with Peptan F2000 collagen (regarded as the gold standard in collagen)
  • No artificial additives, flavours or colourings and keto friendly (won’t put on weight consuming)
  • Use SUPPLEMENT10 for a 10% Discount

CONS

  • Currently only available online
  • Out of stock occasionally due to recent spikes in demand.

The Bottom Line

Glow Powder Collagen by Rock & Roses Supplements has been voted #1 by our nutrition expert Simon White*, with a 9.7 out of 10 score.

What We Loved

Rock & Roses was the only brand using the special enzymatic hydrolysis process for optimal absorption3. It was also the only brand transparent about their collagen source, and therefore the only brand we can be certain is safe to consume.

Rock & Roses are the only company offering a “No questions asked” 90-day money Back Guarantee.

Plus, they’ve included a number of synergistic ingredients needed for optimal results. They’ve managed to pack in:

  1. A high dose of all-important Hyaluronic Acid, which keeps our skin plump and moist8 and works hand-in-hand with collagen to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, even-out skin tone and restore a youthful radiance.9
  2. No fewer than four separate sources of Vitamin C, including Coconut Water and Acerola Cherry (one of the most potent sources of Vitamin C on the planet)10. Not only is Vitamin C essential for collagen production, it also helps prevent breakdown of our body’s collagen in the first place, and works together with other nutrients to maximise their power.7
  3. Silica from Bamboo Extract (a far more potent source than the cheaper “horsetail” competitors use). Silica’s benefits include the promotion of strong silky hair (many hair experts consider silica , unbreakable nails, and gymnast level flexibility (okay we’re exaggerating a bit there, but when you look into the research behind it, Silica really is incredible) And finally…let’s not forget an often-overlooked factor to consider with collagen supplements…one that had our testers fighting over whose could take the Glow Powder boxes home… Taste. The delicious Honey Mango and Pink Coconut flavours easily masked the normally bitter taste of collagen and made the lucky tester’s daily dose a highlight of their breakfast. But don’t just take our word for it…

 

There’s just one small thing…Rock & Roses is a small company right now, so they don’t have massive inventory like other “household-name” beauty brands.

That’s why when people find out about Rock & Roses Glow Powder Collagen, their inventory sells out fast.

But if you’re reading this page, then you might be in luck. Rock & Roses let us know they set aside part of their recent shipment specifically for this review.

However, it’s likely Rock & Roses will sell out of their current inventory within the next 24 hours.

Try the only proven to be safe, delicious collagen peptide drink that’s delivering anti-aging results that even as a collagen expert still surprise me by clicking the button below risk-free now.

Yes, I Want My Glow Powder Collagen Now

#2

Absolute Collagen
by Maxine Laceby.

  • Ingredient Quality

  • Collagen Potency

  • Value

  • Returns Policy

  • Overall Customer Happiness

  • 8.6/10
  • 9.1/10
  • 7.9/10
  • 5.0/10
  • 8.4/10

B Rating

7.8

Total Ranking

PROS

  • Made in the UK
  • Ready-made liquid, no need to dissolve
  • Made from responsibly sourced marine life
  • Well known brand.

CONS

  • No Money-Back-Guarantee
  • Uncertain Collagen Source
  • Left a horrible and bitter taste
  • Contains preservatives
  • Unknown but likely synthetically manufactured Vitamin C only
  • Only a 10% large order discount available
Click to Shop Now

#3

Gold Collagen Forte
by Minerva Research Labs.

  • Ingredient Quality

  • Collagen Potency

  • Value

  • Returns Policy

  • Overall Customer Happiness

  • 7.1/10
  • 8.7/10
  • 6.8/10
  • 5.0/10
  • 7.2/10

C Rating

6.9

(83 Reviews)

Total Ranking

PROS

  • Ready-made liquid, no need to dissolve
  • Neutral taste
  • Well known brand.

CONS

  • No Money-Back-Guarantee
  • Uncertain Collagen Source
  • Expensive
  • Wasteful packaging
  • Just 10mg of Hyaluronic Acid per dose (vs 100mg in Glow Powder)
Click to Shop Now

#4

Ingenious Beauty Ultimate Collagen +
by Ingenious Beauty.

  • Ingredient Quality

  • Collagen Potency

  • Value

  • Returns Policy

  • Overall Customer Happiness

  • 7.1/10
  • 3/10
  • 7.8/10
  • 5.0/10
  • 7.2/10

D+ Rating

6.0

Total Ranking

PROS

  • Made in the UK
  • No artificial preservatives

CONS

  • No Money-Back-Guarantee
  • Contains none of the other ingredients essential for collagen production
  • Large Capsules which are difficult to swallow
Click to Shop Now

#5

Vichy LiftActiv Collagen Specialist Day Cream +
by Vichy.

  • Ingredient Quality

  • Collagen Potency

  • Value

  • Returns Policy

  • Overall Customer Happiness

  • 6.3/10
  • 3/10
  • 5.2/10
  • 5.0/10
  • 6.9/10

D Rating

5.3

Total Ranking

PROS

  • Sweet, pleasant fragrance
  • Hypoallergenic and paraben (preservative) free.
  • Nice looking pot

CONS

  • No Money-Back-Guarantee
  • Poor Price / Performance
  • Cream left a crumbly film on the tester’s face
  • Dries out face making wrinkles look more apparent
  • Low collagen potency
Click to Shop Now

SOURCES & CITATIONS

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1606623/ - Decreased Collagen Production With Age

2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7695755/ - Role of Collagen in bodies

3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6891674/ - Collagen Peptides and Hydrolysis

4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6835901/ - Type of Collagen for Minimising Fine Lines & Wrinkles

5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7230273/ - Bovine vs Marine Collagen

6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30681787/ - Dosing Guidelines

7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6204628/ - Effect of Vitamin C and Collagen Synthesis

8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3583886/ - Hyaluronic Acid Claims

9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3583886/ - Hyaluronic Acid Benefits

10. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6098779/ - Acerola Cherry Benefits