What Is Collagen Powder (& How to Use It)

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What is collagen protein and how to use it
Wellness Mama » Blog » Health » What Is Collagen Powder (& How to Use It)

I’ve been a big fan of gelatin since our family went on the GAPS diet and it helped my son be able to tolerate dairy again. I’ve also seen huge benefits with my skin, hair, and nails since I started incorporating more gelatin and collagen into my diet.

What Is Collagen?

In short, collagen is an insoluble protein that accounts for 1/3 of the protein in our bodies and 70% of the protein in our skin. Many people are familiar with its role in the skin, which is why it is in so many beauty products. What many people don’t realize is collagen is so much more than just a beauty remedy. (More on that later.)

The collagen molecule is a complex protein made up of over 1,000 amino acids, the main ones being proline, glycine, and hydroxyproline (in a unique triple helix configuration of three polypeptide subunits. (Sorry, science nerd moment!)

But what does this mean on a practical level?

Why We Need Collagen

It means collagen is incredibly strong. In fact, type I collagen (a type found in the human body) is stronger than steel gram for gram. It is fundamental to healthy cell reproduction, joints, connective tissue, and more.

The particular amino acids in collagen and gelatin are said to be especially beneficial in the body for:

The important thing to know is that these amino acids come from bones and cartilege (usually from cows) and are not present in muscle meats. As we trade traditional cooking methods like making homemade bone broth for modern convenience, we are getting less and less collagen and gelatin in our diets.

More in a bit on how to make up the gap, but first:

How to Boost Collagen Protein (From the Inside Out)

Here’s the thing. All of those beauty products that contain collagen won’t do much for your skin. This is because collagen molecules are too big to be absorbed through the skin. That doesn’t mean collagen isn’t really beneficial though… just that we have to get it from the inside out.

So how to get it? There are a few ways:

Natural Sources of Gelatin

Collagen (and gelatin, its cooked counterpart) is naturally found in high quality broth and in cuts of meat that contain skin or bone. If you’ve ever made bone broth and had it “gel” when it cooled, this is due to the collagen naturally present in the bones and connective tissue, which becomes gelatin when cooked.

There are also gelatin powders like this that contain 6 grams of protein per tablespoon and are relatively odorless and tasteless. This makes them easy to mix into warm drinks or recipes for an extra boost of quality protein,

Natural Sources of Collagen

Collagen has many of the same properties as gelatin and is the form actually found in the body. When we lack collagen due to diet or aging, we need a way to get it from the inside out.

Collagen and gelatin aren’t interchangeable, but they both do have their advantages. Some people, especially those with severe digestive issues, won’t handle pure gelatin protein well until they address their digestive problems. Bone broth is a great option in this case, but another good option is collagen peptides (another name for hydrolyzed collagen/collagen hydrolysate), which is essentially a cold-water soluble and more easily digestible form of gelatin.

Because of the unique way hydrolyzed collagen is prepared, it has higher amounts of the amino acids that support healthy cell growth and reproduction especially in connective tissues, hair, skin tissue, cartilage, ligaments and so on. It also absorbs more quickly due to a lower molecular rate.

How to Use Collagen Hydrolysate and Gelatin Powders

What is collagen hydrolysate and how to use itMy absolute favorite source of gelatin and collagen is homemade bone broth (or a high quality grass-fed bone broth like this one), but it isn’t always possible to have access to homemade broth.

As much as I love broth, there are also times (like a scorching August) when a cup of hot broth is not very appealing, so I prefer a different option instead.

Gelatin powder and collagen powder are great options that we use often instead of broth.

Gelatin Powder Uses

Gelatin is great not only due to its benefits but because of its ability to “gel” in recipes. It works really well in jellos, marshmallows, and other recipes for this reason.We use gelatin for making a lot of different gut-healthy recipes like:

This is the grass-fed gelatin that we use.

The one downside to gelatin powder… it only mixes into warm/hot liquids and clumps up in cold drinks because of its ability to gel. Enter collagen!

Hydrolyzed Collagen Powder Uses

Collagen powder won’t gel like regular gelatin, but it dissolves easily both in cold drinks (like smoothies) and hot drinks. I use it almost daily for protein and healthy fats added to:

Bonus: It’s not only good for you but adds a delicious creaminess and froth! We use collagen from both Bulletproof as well as Vital Proteins. While the majority of collagen comes from bovine, there is marine collagen for anyone that needs the sourcing to come from fish or other marine life.

What We Do

We still drink bone broth regularly (either homemade or this brand). I also still use regular grass-fed gelatin in anything we need to “gel.” I’ve found that everyone in our family seems to digest the collagen hydrolysate/peptides form more easily, so now we use that most of the time for a quick boost of protein.

I’m curious- have you ever tried gelatin or collagen hydrolysate? How did it work for you? Share below!

This article was medically reviewed by Dr. Scott Soerries, MD, Family Physician and Medical Director of SteadyMD. As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor.

Collagen Hydrolysate is an easier to digest form of gelatin that does not gel but that contains essential amino acids like proline and glycine.

Katie Wells Avatar

About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Comments

492 responses to “What Is Collagen Powder (& How to Use It)”

  1. Tina Avatar

    So if I have a Histamine intolerance, should I stay away from the collagen?

  2. Kella Avatar

    I bought the collagen and the gelatin from Great Lakes about a month or so ago. I started taking the collagen prior to trying the gelatin, as I thought it was easier just to mix it into my drink twice per day, as I was pretty busy at the time. Anyway, I took one rounded tablespoon in the morning, and one before bed, as stated on the can, but the day after I began taking it, I had hives. I didn’t really think anything of it, as I was also taking two other supplements and thought it must have been one of them. I then had hives for two, almost three days(actually they only happened at night, which I still don’t understand-buildup?) following the initial hives, each day forgoing one of my two other supplements, and the collagen, but I still had the hives for another day after stopping all three. I was also awoken each night by terrible gastrointestinal pain, like heartburn to the extreme. I had read online that this type of pain, along with the hives, could indicate a histamine reaction, and could maybe be from the collagen. Have you ever heard of this? I just started taking the collagen again this morning after a little over two weeks of not taking it, but only took about half of a tablespoon, out of fear of it happening again…I still don’t know if I’m going to take any tonight yet or not. Do you think I should just work up to the recommended amount? I want to take it, for its touted health benefits, but don’t want to overload my system or something.

      1. Kella Avatar

        Thanks for your response. I didn’t get a full-blown reaction this time around, but I did get fairly itchy, so I took it as a sign that my body just doesn’t agree with it, and quit taking it.

    1. Katie Avatar

      look into how arginine affects the Human Growth Hormone (makes any sort of virus in the body act up) it can be combated apparently with lysisne I believe

  3. Lisa Avatar

    I have used collagen for over a year. I had taken a part time job on a couple years back that I eventually had to take a break from due to several physical issues that I was having. It is fast paced, can be physically demanding, and has me on my feet for the duration. I have always been an advocate of supplementation, and in fact was already using several that had been very beneficial in managing my arthritis. However upon taking this job I began having issues again. Enter the collagen. I cannot tell you if it is just the collagen, a combination of my other supplementation with the collagen or what. But I am sooo grateful to the Lord for opening my eyes to this. I have since gone back to my part time job WITH ABSOLUTELY NO PROBLEMS AT ALL like the problems I was having before. I can recall coming home from my shift and sometimes having such a hard time getting out of my car because of aches and pains! Now?? I can hop out of my car, and bound the steps leading to my door. I am amazed and very, very happy. I feel 10 to 15 years younger than my age, and can keep up with people young enough to be my children. I exercise for 30-40 minutes daily in addition to my job. I can’t say how it will work for others, but for me I plan to continue with its use!

    1. Sissy Avatar

      Hi Lisa.
      I don’t know how old your post is, but hopefully you are still there to reply.
      Never seen posts without dates but your experience sounds like my husband and we really need help.
      Can you please let me know what you have used in regards to the arthritis & the collagen type/brands? What really worked for you?
      If we can get some of his pain under control it would be worth a try.
      Thanks

  4. Tara Avatar

    I have seen a couple people asking but I don’t think I have seen a response. I am avoiding beef and pork, and would like to know if there is a chicken-based collagen hydrolysate that someone would recommend.

    Thank you.

    1. Rebecca Avatar

      There is a supplement called Hydraplenish Hyaluronic Acid (by Nature’s Way), which is sourced from chicken collagen (from chickens supposedly fed a natural vegetarian feed). This supplement emphasizes the hyaluronic acid part of the collagen, which has many benefits, but I believe it is roughly the same as a hydrolysed collagen. The other name for it is BioCell Hydrolysed Collagen Type II. Biocell collagen II appears in various other brands using this supplement, as I believe it is a patented process. I liked the Hydraplenish due to price, available at Vitamin Shoppe. But you can do a search for BioCell Collagen, and they have a lot of the health and science info on their site. As far as I know this comes in capsules so probably not to use in recipes but just to take as a supplement.

  5. Ashley Avatar

    Disregard…I just saw your response to someone else saying you consider both brands good. *phew*

  6. Ashley Avatar

    Just saw this post and was wondering why you switched from Great Lakes to Vital Proteins? I’m not sure I can afford Vital Proteins on top of all our other less-than-cheap supplements and dietary choices…. I’m still using the plain old Great Lakes kosher stuff, hoping you’re not about to tell me their sources are shady…

  7. Rachel Avatar

    Hi, I am about to make my first batch of homemade baby formula and have at home Great Lakes Collagen Hydrolysate. Is this suitable to use for the formula or do I need to buy the gelatin version? Thanks!

  8. sheila Avatar

    I have been diagnosed with Hashimotos. Since reading all of the great reviews and benefits of collagen hydrolysate (Great Lakes green can) I decided to try it. I started small and worked up slowly, but felt like my Hashi symptoms were getting significantly worse. It took me a while to realize that it was the collagen that was affecting me. Anyone else have this problem?? Anyone have any better results with the Vital Proteins brand? I want the health benefits of collagen, but I can’t handle how it made me feel.

  9. Stephanie Avatar

    Kate — want to try this out! Curious — why the switch from the Great Lakes brand to the Vital Proteins? Is one better than the other? Thank you kindly for your response.

  10. Diana M Avatar

    I went to my Natural Grocers to get me some gelatin in pill form because the gummies were going down faster than I could make them. That grocery store had like a bookcase-sized wall of all kinds of different things: gelatin, collagens, hydrolyzed acid (or something). I stared at the dozens of bottles like /(@o@;;;)\ and had an associate help me. I don’t remember the name brand, but it does have vitamin C, shark/chicken cartilage, and a few other components that she said were basic to making sure everything fully absorbed. Is there one that’s really better than the other?? I got a bunch of information about the different types, but I’m not learned enough on the situation to make a good purchase. :/

  11. Kate Avatar

    Hi, I have experienced the same but don’t have any answers for you! I switched from beef bones to lamb neck bones for my bone broth as I was reacting to the marrow and now I’m ok with it. I switched to the green can too and have noticed great changes. I sometimes use a small amount of the red one to make gravy or jelly for my daughter but I wouldn’t handle 2 tblsp of it a day. Perhaps stick to the green one?

    1. stephanie Avatar
      stephanie

      Thank you for your reply Kate! i’m glad i’m not alone in this…I was just so sad because you typically read such great things about it. So you can tolerate the green can but not the red?
      I am giving myself a break from all of them for a week or two and let my body take a break. It was trully so bad that I am scared to try any of them again. Along with the depression, allergic reaction, and hormone related problems, my body hurt all over. But I do plan to introduce the green can back in eventually, thank you for the suggestion.

  12. stephanie Avatar
    stephanie

    I love your blog and all your info. Thank you for sharing! I did want to share my experience with the gelatin…in case someone could benefit from this…and to see if anyone has a suggestion for me. I have been taking the Green can since June of this year (for leaky gut). At first it was hard on my stomach, but after I introduced a GI Repair powder I was able to handle the green can with no problem. I did notice my skin seemed softer, my nails grow faster, my hair seems to grow faster too. I also bought the Red can because there were so many good recipes for it, and because I red it works BETTER at healing the leaky gut. I ruined myself the first day by following directions on the can. It clumped up and looked disgusting, and I mixed it with a tea, and downed it…but I could not keep it down. The smell, taste, and texture were repulsive. I was so sad, because I had heard so many good benefits. So now months later I got brave enough to try a recipe using the Red can from a blogger, Chocolate mousse. It turned out great, and I loved it! Then I got brave the next day and made hot chocolate with cinnamon and added a tablespoon of the Red can gelatin. To my lovely surprise, it dissolved quite perfectly, and the hot chocolate was great! So I thought I was on to something here. Yay! So for a week and a half I started taking the Red can, 2 heaping tablespoons a day, one in the morning and one at night. After a week, I developed severe depression….and I just started feeling very strange. This was not me at all. It really affected my hormones and my mood. I also started having sinus problems….and itchy hives (that I typically have when I eat a food i’m allergic too) so one day I was trying to think what is wrong what do I need to change. The Red can gelatin was not the first thing to pop into my head BECAUSE there have only been tons of good reviews about it. But at the end of the day that was the only thing that I had changed in my diet or life. So I stopped and within one day my depression was gone. So I’m putting this out here just in case someone else has had this experience. I read that it might be because of a detox of the liver..and that after a few weeks it would go away. I might be willing to tough it out but I want to make sure this statement is true. Any suggestions? I’d love to hear from you!

    1. Cindi Avatar

      Hi Stephanie, that you had hives makes me wonder if perhaps your body isn’t reacting to histamines. Have you looked into that at all? If that’s what your experiencing, it might make sense for your body to have a reaction to the gelatin but not the collagen, as your gut hasn’t healed enough for your body to be able to deal with the histamines. I am by no means an expert in anything, but I’ve recently been looking into such things for myself, and so your post rang a bell for me. Maybe you could stick to the green can until your gut has healed some more? Just a thought… I’d be interested in hearing how it turns out for you! 🙂

    2. vincent Avatar

      I started taking 1 tablespoon twice a day and it made me much more ill. I suffered from the exact same thing. When I take gelatin: itching, severe depression with intense & frequent crying and suicidal ideas, sugar cravings, etc.

      I stopped and, 20 hours later, I feel better already. Crazy.

    3. Zoya Sophia Orobia Avatar
      Zoya Sophia Orobia

      Yes, I agree with you. I too noticed that Im having depression but not mood swings. After a dose i would feel emotional and cry for nothing. Yet i would still continue taking collagen, I’ve noticed big changes after only 2 weeks

  13. tina Avatar

    I saw where someone ask the question about baking with it and adding it to pancakes, is it OK to do so? Sorry if missed the response.

  14. cathima Avatar

    Hi
    Thanks for your blog. Would Irish Moss or karageen be a vegetarian alternative?

    Cathi

  15. Sag Avatar

    Hi Katie!

    Where can i buy bone broth? Making it myself is too much for me lol!
    Thanks!
    Sag

  16. Rochelle Avatar

    Hi Katie,

    Just purchased a can of the Great Lakes Gelatin, Collagen Hydrolysate so yet to experience it – but suddenly wondered if it is ok to consume during pregnancy and nursing? Thanks 🙂

  17. Missy Avatar

    I was reading the Amazon reviews for this and noticed a lot of complaints that the way this product is made that it turns the proteins into something resembling MSG, causing headaches, fatigue, and other issues. Obviously you haven’t had problems, but aren’t you concerned about long term excessive exposure to free glutamate?

    There was also a comment earlier about how they’re going to get certifications and whatnot for their certified grassfed beef status, but there’s a review from March of this year on Amazon talking about how Argentine beef is not grassfed, they’re as bad as American raised beef on GMOs, hormones, antibiotics, etc. In fact, that particular reviewer directly challenges that affiliates are lying to people about the quality of this product to continue making money.

    Just wondering what your thoughts are since that was just one of many comments to challenge the validity of what you’re stating and that maybe this isn’t that great of a product.

  18. Katie Avatar

    I have a two year old, can I put this into her green smoothies and how much would you say a day? Should a two year old do it daily, or how many times a week? We are veggies, but I feel I can use this on my family to help make sure we stay healthy. Thank you very much for anyone that can help me.

  19. Julie Avatar

    I bought some collagen hydrolysate after reading this article mainly to help with my acne scarring. I also ordered glutamine capsules after my doctor recommended them, not realizing that they will also help build collagen. Just wondering if it is fine for me to use both? I plan to ask my doctor on Monday but thought maybe I could get an answer here first. Thanks!

  20. Keiton Avatar

    Hey Katie, I love the blog, you are awesome.
    I’ve recently take a blood test and found out that I have an insane amount of allergies, (I have Leaky Gut apperantly)
    These allergies include beef. In fact the only proteins I CAN have is turkey, chicken, and tuna.
    No nuts, beans, or other meats..

    My question is, that since my body seems to be reacting to proteins, is collagen hydrolysate safe for me to use seeing as it is a protein and I am allergic to beef?

    Is this a stupid question??

    1. Shelbie Avatar
      Shelbie

      I came to this site for the same reason; beef allergy. Were you ever able to find an answer? It would help me greatly 🙂

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