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Is There A Best Time To Take Collagen? We Consulted The Experts To Find Out

Author:

Korin Miller

Medical reviewer:

Wendie Trubow, M.D., MBA

January 18, 2024

Contributing writer

By Korin Miller

Contributing writer

Korin Miller is a freelance writer specializing in general wellness, relationships, and lifestyle trends with a master’s degree from American University. Her work has appeared in Women’s Health, Prevention, Self, Glamour, and more.

Medical review by

Wendie Trubow, M.D., MBA

Functional Medicine Gynecologist

Wendie Trubow is a functional medicine gynecologist with almost 10 years of training in the field. She received her M.D. from Tufts University.

January 18, 2024

The best time to take a collagen supplement is whatever time works for you.

When you decide to take a collagen supplement, it's only natural that you'd want to max out the benefits—since collagen supplements have been shown to support hair, skin, bone, muscle, and joint health.

However, you may hear people claim that there's a "best" time of day to take collagen—and in doing so, you'll increase its efficacy.

We tapped the experts to debunk the most common claims, plus a tip on when to actually take yours.

The claim: You should take collagen on an empty stomach

Many people believe that your body is better able to break down proteins like collagen when you take them on an empty stomach. They encourage taking a collagen supplement first thing in the morning before you've had breakfast.

The verdict

To unpack this theory, it's a good idea to first understand how your body digests food. The sight and smell of food stimulates cells in your stomach wall to secrete acid, even before food arrives in your stomach, says James Galligan, Ph.D., a professor of pharmacology and toxicology at the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine.

Your stomach produces even more acid when the vagus nerve, which helps regulate digestion (among other things), is stimulated, he says. "The presence of food in the stomach further stimulates acid secretion," Galligan says. Acid is required to break food down, but collagen survives passage through your stomach, he explains.

Ultimately, it doesn't make a huge difference if you take collagen on a full or empty stomach. "The bulk of the breaking down of proteins actually happens in the small intestine, so full stomach, half-full stomach, or empty stomach—there will be little difference," says Scott Keatley, R.D.

Summary

Experts say it does not make a huge difference if you take collagen on a full or empty stomach.

The claim: You should use collagen as a snack

Given that collagen is a protein, some people think that mixing your collagen supplement with a midday smoothie or coffee will help keep you fuller longer. As a result, you won’t be as tempted to reach for something less healthy later in the day.

The verdict

How well your collagen supplement fills you up ultimately depends on what you take it with, according to Galligan.

"On their own, collagen supplements are unlikely to fill you up because of the small volume of each," he says. However, having something with fiber and fat in it, like a smoothie with nut butter, along with your collagen supplement "will help satisfy your appetite better than a sugar- or carb-based snack," says Albert Matheny, M.S., R.D., CSCS.

But if you just take it with a midday coffee, it will fill you up just about as much as a coffee would otherwise.

Summary

Collagen supplements on their own will not fill you up. However, having something with fiber and fat in it, along with a collagen supplement can help satisfy your appetite.

The claim: You should take collagen at night so your body processes it during the REM cycle

Some people claim collagen is more effective at night because your body is naturally recovering while you sleep, and by syncing up with that recovery cycle the amino acids will be put to better use.

The verdict

This is just a theory at this point. "There are no controlled studies that address this issue," Galligan says. "However, the popular literature is in agreement that collagen supplements seem to work equally well when taken at bedtime or in the morning."

Matheny agrees: "Think of collagen as more of a general in-your-system-type supplement," he advises. Not only that, but it takes anywhere from three to five hours for collagen to get from your mouth through your small intestine, where it's absorbed, so this could be a tricky thing to try to sync up with your REM cycle, Keatley says.

Summary

There is little research on this theory. Experts say it takes anywhere from three to five hours for collagen to get fully absorbed in the body, so it could be difficult to sync up with your REM cycle.

So, when's the best time to take collagen?

Research on the way mechanisms and effects of collagen supplements on your body are still in the early stages, but there's nothing to suggest right now that you need to take collagen at a particular time or even a certain way, Galligan says.

Ultimately, you should take your collagen supplements whenever it's easy and convenient for you. The key is to find the time of day that you can make it part of your routine—because any supplement works best when you actually take it.