Everything (Yes, Everything) Experts Want You To Know About Collagen Dosage

Unlike some other vitamins, minerals, and supplements, the science is relatively young and still emerging for collagen peptides. (It may seem like collagen has been around on the market for a while now, but relatively speaking—it’s a newer supplement option!)

So while you may find definitive recommendations on intake levels (like a Recommended Daily Allowance, or RDA) and status biomarkers for things like vitamin D (depending on your age, sex, nutrition needs, and lifestyle, of course), it’s just not the same for collagen at this time. 

To share more on the state of collagen science, mbg’s Director of Scientific Affairs Ashley Jordan Ferira, Ph.D., R.D.N. weighed in: “Collagen research publications actually date back to the 1940s, which sounds like a long time. Search PubMed, and you’ll find 400+ peer-reviewed journal articles relevant to ‘collagen peptides’ dating back to 1965. But clinical trials leveraging oral collagen peptide supplementation for a variety of health outcomes have only been completed in the past two decades, with the majority (around 30 human clinicals) completed in the past ten years. We are learning in real-time, which is honestly exciting and cutting-edge.”

So while we might not have an RDA for collagen (like we do with vitamins, minerals, carbohydrate, fiber, protein, and fat), a growing number of clinical studies point to specific, effective dosages based on outcomes—and can help us understand how much collagen we should be taking everyday. 

As for the amount of collagen peptides you are getting from your specific supplement, look for the grams of collagen per serving—it should be on the label. (Remember: not all collagen supplements are made the same! Options may have anywhere from 40 mg to 20 grams of collagen per serving. That’s quite a range.)