3 Red Flags In A Collagen Supplement You Shouldn't Ignore, From Experts

Needless to say, everyone has a unique set of collagen criteria. However, there are some universal red flags to look out for on your search; these signs below can help you weed out some less than stellar formulas: 

"Anything that is marketing itself as a 'vegan collagen' does not have collagen inside of it," says mbg's director of scientific affairs and in-house nutritionist Ashley Jordan Ferira, Ph.D., RDN, on the mindbodygreen podcast. "That would be like saying, 'Go drink some vegan bone broth'—it is not ever going to be vegan. Collagen comes from cows, chickens, and fish." 

You can also seek out brands that source collagen in a responsible and high-quality way (for example, we source ours from grass-fed, pasture-raised Brazilian cows), but if you see "vegan" plastered on a label, it's not a good sign. "Let's go ahead and bust the mythical unicorn that is 'vegan collagen.' It doesn't exist," adds Ferira. 

As a result, you can find quite a range of doses; options may have anywhere from 40 milligrams to 20 grams of collagen per serving. But from the available research we do have, we support a range of 10 to 20 grams a day. Why? Well, take a look at some of the clinical research data: 

So if you do the math, a range of 10 to 20 grams would consistently hit all of these full-body benefits,* which is why we landed on 17.7 grams for our formula. "We don't mess around with potency here," Ferira says on the podcast. "There are products out there with 10 grams or less, sometimes 5 grams or less. That's not what we're doing here." 

Essentially, your body cannot effectively produce collagen without the antioxidant10,* and because many Americans aren't getting the recommended amount of this essential water-soluble micronutrient11, many experts encourage you to find a collagen powder that contains vitamin C already in the blend. Plus, vitamin C stabilizes the collagen you already have, thanks to its antioxidant properties that can help combat free radicals.* 

As collagen supplements continue to flood the beauty market, you might want to be cognizant of these few red flags. While everyone has different preferences (ingredients, form, etc.), it's important to wade through the marketing language so you know, exactly, what you're getting out of your collagen.