Does Collagen Make You Poop? Here's What The Research Says

When considering taking a new supplement, you should certainly try to learn as much about it as you can. This is why we have such an extended inventory of educational articles for our readers and mbg supplement fans. 

When it comes to collagen powder, there are a plethora of both beauty-centric and full-body benefits, some more extensively researched than others.* However, there's one unexpected question we''ve heard again and again of late: Does collagen make you poop? 

Exciting strides have been made in the realm of collagen research in the past few years. One specific area that's been in the spotlight is collagen and digestive health, which may come as a surprise for some who only know collagen for its beauty-related benefits.

Earlier this year, a two-phase clinical study1 researched the effect of a daily collagen supplement on key aspects of digestive health. You can check out the full breakdown here for a deep dive into the study's process and detailed results. Otherwise, keep reading for a quick summary. 

In the study, 40 healthy women took 20 grams of bovine collagen peptides each day, split into two servings. The results? After eight weeks of collagen supplementation, 93% (13 out of 14 women) of those who completed the study experienced noteworthy improvements in digestion, including bloating and abdominal comfort.* 

Additionally, poop came into play: 94% (15 out of 16 women) increased their bowel movement frequency. More specifically, 19% (3 out of 16 women) increased from historically going No. 2 only once per week or less to once per day since starting the collagen supplement.

The study notes that potential explanations for this change in bowel movement frequency could be a shift in the gut microbiome composition because of the increased protein load or simply because of an increase in water consumption (or some other exciting mechanism, so TBD!). This particular area of research is young, so more studies will help us really understand how collagen supplementation might assist with laxation (aka poops).*

While there is research studying collagen supplementation on bloating, abdominal comfort, and even bowel movements, it's not a bulky area of research yet. So does collagen make you poop? It might, but more clinical trial research is warranted to back up a hard yes or no.

However, the above clinical and other collective research has shown that collagen helps improve gut health. For example, science has demonstrated that levels of certain types of collagen are lower in individuals with digestive challenges2. And one of the main amino acids in collagen peptides, glutamate (aka glutamic acid)3, functions as a critical signaling molecule in the enteric nervous system (yes, your GI tract has its own neuronal connections) and is important for gut-brain axis communications, too.

Some collagen formulas (like mbg's beauty & gut collagen+), also include other gut-centric bioactives, like amino acid L-glutamine, which supports digestive health because it's a major fuel source4 for the cells in the intestine.*

Read collagen's full list of benefits here.

It's important to learn about all the benefits of the supplements you take, especially those you're considering adding to your daily regimen. If you're thinking about trying a collagen supplement, you should know that there is research linking it to healthy gut function (including poops), in addition to its beauty-related perks.*