Are You Taking Any of These Collagen Products?

Many collagen supplements use low-grade “tannery” scraps, lack third-party testing, and contain undisclosed amounts of actual collagen. Some also harbor heavy metal contaminants and cheap filler amino acids Choose products that clearly disclose their collagen form (such as hydrolyzed peptides or whole-food bone broth collagen), avoid vague proprietary blends, verify ingredient sources, and look for transparent quality testing — whether through named third-party certifications or publicly available certificates of analysis Homemade bone broth, meat cuts like shanks and oxtail, organ meats, and fish with skin provide natural sources of collagen in your diet Regular muscle meats contain minimal collagen and higher amounts of pro-inflammatory amino acids. In contrast, collagen is rich in anti-inflammatory glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline Aim for collagen to comprise roughly one-third of your daily protein intake (about 15% of daily calories), which mirrors collagen’s roughly 30% amount of total protein in the body Adequate protein intake is important for optimal health. However, it’s not simply about eating enough protein, you also need to consider the kind of protein. I recommend getting one-third of your overall daily protein intake from collagen-rich sources, as 30% of your body is comprised of this protein. It provides structure for your skin and bones, and it even lines your blood vessels and organs.1 Unfortunately, many people aren’t getting enough collagen from their diet, which has led to the creation of a wide variety of collagen supplements. These products certainly have their place, but not all collagen products are created equal. Choose unwisely, and poor efficacy could be the least of your problems. Unfortunately, many supplement manufacturers have jumped on the collagen bandwagon with an eye on profit rather than true wellness. Here are some of the most common red flags to look out for: Lack of transparency in sourcing and processing — Some lower-cost collagen supplements use low-grade raw materials, including hides processed through industrial channels — so-called “tannery grade” hides. Reputable manufacturers use food-grade, traceable sources and disclose how their collagen is processed. Many high-quality products use hydrolyzed collagen peptides, which are broken down into smaller units for ease of digestion. Other formats, such as properly prepared bone broth collagen, may provide collagen in a whole-food matrix that some individuals prefer. The key is transparency in sourcing and processing. In my research, I discovered that roughly 1 in 4 leading collagen supplements fail basic quality standards. Some don’t even bother printing the amount of protein or collagen on the label, while others can’t (or won’t) pinpoint where their collagen came from. Lack of toxicology testing — Because many collagen products are sourced from conventionally raised animals, they likely contain heavy metals like lead, arsenic, and cadmium that accumulate in bones and hides. Independent tests in 2020 found that 64% of the collagen brands tested had measurable arsenic, 37% contained lead, and 17% had cadmium.2 Third-party labs are available to test for all of these contaminants, but many brands don’t bother getting certified. Label protein can be spiked — When companies do test their products, some game the system. A common trick is “nitrogen spiking” — adding cheap amino acids (like glycine or taurine) that artificially boost the protein content reading. Lab tests measure total nitrogen to estimate protein; extra non-collagen aminos can inflate those numbers. The result? Even if a collagen powder’s lab report looks compliant, you might be ingesting fillers instead of functional collagen peptides. If a product advertises a certain amount of collagen but doesn’t list any protein on the nutrition label, the true collagen content may be negligible. Mislabeling like this means you could be paying for collagen you’re not actually getting. Marine collagen is often a mystery mix — Some marine collagen products fail to disclose the fish species or sourcing method. High-quality marine collagen should clearly identify the species and origin of the fish used. If a label only says “marine collagen” but won’t name the species or source, consider that a red flag. Beware the add-ins — Finally, beware of collagen products jazzed up with flavors, sweeteners, and trendy add-ins instead of focusing on quality. I’ve seen collagen powders with artificial flavors and dyes to make them more appealing or marketed as “keto collagen coffee creamer” with lots of fillers. Branding and added ingredients should not distract from what matters most: a clean, well-sourced collagen product with transparent labeling and quality testing. The table below is a summary of our review of some of the most popular collagen supplements sold on Amazon for quick comparison. Product: Alaya Multi Collagen Peptide type: Multi (bovine, marine, chicken, eggshell) Collagen per serving: 8.6 g (per scoop) 3rd-party tested?: No Red flags/additional comments: Lack of testing. But company indicates that product is made from grass fed, wild-caught, and hormone-free sources3 Product: Ancient Nutrition Multi Collagen Protein* Peptide type: Multi (bovine, chicken, fish, eggshell) Collagen per serving:10 g 3rd-party tested?: Yes4 Red flags/additional comments: Lacks specific testing dates; certificates of analysis are provided as “typical for all lots” only5 6 7 Product: Anthony’s Collagen Peptide Powder Peptide type: Bovine (Type I/III from bovine) Collagen per serving: 11 g 3rd-party tested?: No8 Red flags/additional comments: n/a Product: Bulletproof Collagen Peptides Peptide type: Bovine (grass fed) Collagen per serving: 20 g 3rd-party tested?: No9 Red flags/additional comments: n/a Product: ForestLeaf Advanced Collagen Peptide type: Bovine (hydrolyzed and grass fed)10 Collagen per serving: 1 g (2 capsules) 3rd-party tested?: No Red flags/additional comments: Very low dose Product: Garden of Life Collagen Peptides Peptide type: Bovine (grass fed pasture-raised) Collagen per serving: 20 g 3rd-party tested?: Yes11 Red flags/additional comments: Contains additional probiotics Product: Great Lakes Wellness Collagen Peptide type: Bovine (grass fed pasture-raised) Collagen per serving: 20 g 3rd-party tested?: Yes12 Red flags/additional comments: Testing confirmed by IGEN Product: Live Conscious Collagen Peptides* Peptide type: Bovine (pasture-raised) Collagen per serving: 15 g 3rd-party tested?: Yes Red flags/additional comments: Third-party tested but not specified13 Product: Microingredients Multi Collagen Peptide type: Multi (bovine, fish, poultry, eggshell) Collagen per serving: ~10.88 g 3rd-party tested?: Yes Red flags/additional comments: Third-party tested but not specified14 Product: NativePath Collagen Peptides Peptide type: Bovine (grass fed) Collagen per serving: 10 g 3rd-party tested?: Yes Red flags/additional comments: Met label claim; no major red flags besides lack of specific third-party certification15 Product: Nature Made Collagen Gummies Peptide type: Unknown (likely bovine or porcine) Collagen per serving: 100 mg (0.1 g) 3rd-party tested?: No Red flags/additional comments: Collagen content not disclosed as protein; extremely low dose16 Product: Nature Target Multi Collagen Peptides Peptide type: Multi (bovine, marine, poultry, and eggshell) Collagen per serving: 10 g 3rd-party tested?: Yes Red flags/additional comments: Source not disclosed; third-party tested but not verified17 Product: Orgain Collagen Peptides Peptide type: Bovine (grass fed) Collagen per serving: 18 g 3rd-party tested?: No Red flags/additional comments: No third-party certification, only internal testing18 Product: Physician’s Choice Collagen* Peptide type: Bovine (grass fed) plus digestive enzymes and probiotic blend Collagen per serving: 7 g 3rd-party tested?: Yes Red flags/additional comments: Moderate dose; instructions say…