There are many different ways you can take collagen supplements–tablets, liquids and powders are all popular ways to boost your collagen intake. Collagen powder is the number one choice for many when it comes to consuming collagen as a supplement, however, tablets and capsules are also super-convenient ways to increase your collagen intake.Â
When it comes to collagen powder, there are a number of benefits of taking collagen in powder format. When collagen is hydrolysed into a powder, it packs a bigger punch than a pill. Hydrolysed collagen contains broken-down collagen molecules, that means it’s more easily digested overall and better tolerated than some other protein powders. That being said, collagen capsules are definitely a more convenient way to boost your collagen intake and they are a great alternative for those who don’t enjoy taking collagen in powder format
What is collagen?
Collagen makes up about 75-80% of our skin’s structure, providing a sort of scaffolding support to keep our skin plump, firm and hydrated. As we age, our body’s ability to naturally produce collagen declines. From around our mid-twenties, production drops by around 1% per year, with a 30-50% total loss in women by post-menopause.
Other factors like smoking, stress, overexposure to sunlight and a poor diet can also cause a decrease in the amount of collagen our body produces. Consequently, a decrease in collagen leads to wrinkles, dry and sagging skin, thin hair, brittle nails, and can result in joint problems due to weakened cartilage.
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Types of collagen
Marine collagen in particular is highly bioavailable, meaning that it is extremely well absorbed in the body. Because of its small particle size, it is 1.5x more efficiently absorbed by the body compared to bovine or porcine-derived collagen.
There are at least 16 types of collagen found in the body, however, 80-90% of the collagen in the body consists of three types – Types I, II and III. Let’s take a close look at each of those collagen types and their roles in your body:
Type I - This type accounts for the majority of your body’s collagen and is made of densely packed fibres. It provides structure to skin, bones, tendons, fibrous cartilage, connective tissue and teeth.
Type II - This type is made of more loosely packed fibres and is found in elastic cartilage, which cushions your joints.
Type III - This type supports the structure of muscles, organs and arteries.
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How should I take a collagen supplement?
If you follow some of the leading influencers on Instagram, it would seem like you have to mix your collagen powder supplement into exotic recipes or you’re somehow doing it wrong.
Whether it’s the latest keto shake or maybe a fancy chia pudding, it seems like collagen needs to be added to the latest faddy food in order to be effective, but this couldn’t be further from the truth.
The bottom line is that collagen powder can be mixed into pretty much anything. Your morning porridge, a glass of orange juice, your daily coffee fix – these are all perfect for adding collagen powder so choose an option that works for you.
The beauty of collagen powder is that it is so versatile. You can bake with it, cook it, dissolve it or even mix it into ice lollies. As long as you take a supplement daily, it’s up to you how you want to take your collagen supplement.
5 ideas for ways to take your collagen powder supplement
Coffee
Coffee is one of the most popular ways to take a collagen powder supplement, especially if you are using an unflavoured collagen powder. Collagen powder dissolves really well in hot drinks making coffee the perfect vehicle – you won’t even notice you have anything other than coffee in your cup!
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Smoothies
Whether you simply enjoy a smoothie in the morning for breakfast or you shake up a protein smoothie following a workout, a smoothie is another great option for adding collagen powder.
Adding collagen powder to your pea protein shake after a hard workout might be the best gift you can give your body for recovery. That’s right, add two different scoops of two different protein sources to your post-workout shake! Just throw in a scoop and shake away.
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Porridge
Porridge is another great vehicle for your daily collagen powder fix. Like coffee, collagen powder is great in hot porridge as it dissolves quickly and is heat stable. You can choose to go Unflavoured and you will not even notice you have anything other than oaty goodness in your bowl or you could mix things up a bit and give our Vanilla Marine Collagen Beauty Powder a whirl. Yum.
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Tea
We’re spotting a bit of a theme here! It seems our customers love to dissolve their collagen powder into hot food and drinks which makes absolute sense – it’s definitely the easiest way to dissolve your collagen powder and get your daily dose without noticing any difference to your usual routine.
Since tea is one of the most popular drinks around the world, it’s a super easy and reliable way to take your daily collagen powder supplement.
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Water
This is a bit of a surprise to many people, however, collagen powder dissolves really well into water (cold or warm). We would definitely recommend using a flavoured collagen powder if you are going to go with straight up water as it can be a bit flavourless if not.
The good news for you is that there are some amazing flavours that work perfectly with water. The Lemon & Lime flavour is perfect for mixing with still or sparkling water, or for something a little more tropical try our Mango or Pineapple & Coconut flavour.
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If you are looking for other inspirational ideas when it comes to taking your daily serve of collagen powder, here are some alternatives:
- Milk
- Hot Chocolate
- Baking (muffins, brownies, pancakes, bread)
- Orange Juice
- Cooked eggs
- Yoghurt
- Soup
Diversify the way you take your collagen powder supplement
Hopefully this has given you some great ideas of all the different ways you can take your collagen powder supplement. If you have never taken collagen before, then maybe this might encourage you to take your first steps and give it a try.
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 - Article by Two Islands Co.
