The best collagen supplements for health, sport and longevity
- Helen Morton
- May 27
- 8 min read
Updated: Jun 8
Our list of the best collagen supplements recommended by nutritional therapists. Marine, bovine, multi-source and vegan options worth exploring for skin, joints, menopause, sport and longevity.
My previous article on collagen explained what collagen is and what it can be helpful for, as well as sharing who might benefit from taking collagen supplements and who might not. This article explains how to choose the best collagen supplement for your needs and our top supplement recommendations.
Quick reference guide to the best collagen supplements
Searching quickly for the best options for you? Check out our quick collagen recommendations list below.
Best for skin, hair and nails: Wild Nutrition Collagen 500 Plus, Ingenious Collagen+, Bare Biology Skinful Pure
Best for joints and bones: Cytoplan CytoProtect Joint Health, APE Nutrition
Best for muscle and recovery: APE Nutrition
Best for gut health and food-based collagen: Freja Bone Broth Shakes
Best for menopause: Wild Nutrition Collagen 500 Plus, Doctor Seaweed Collagen+
Best multi-source: Ancient Nutrition Multi Collagen
Best bovine (grass-fed): APE Nutrition, Ancient + Brave True Collagen
Best marine (ideal for pescatarians): Bare Biology Skinful Pure, Doctor Seaweed Collagen+
Best vegan-friendly (collagen builder): Fushi Vegan Collagen Builder
Best capsule format: Ingenious Collagen+, Cytoplan CytoProtect Joint Health
Best for travel: Ancient + Brave True Collagen, Vida Glow Natural Marine Collagen
Heavy metal and batch tested: Bare Biology Skinful Pure, Wild Nutrition Collagen 500 Plus, Vida Glow Natural Marine Collagen
With added cofactors: Ingenious Collagen+, Wild Nutrition Collagen 500 Plus, Doctor Seaweed Collagen+
Best budget: APE Nutrition
How to choose the best collagen supplement
With so many options on the market, the most important thing is matching the collagen supplement to your goal, whether that’s healthier skin and hair, more supple joints, menopause support, or simply topping up your daily protein intake.
Source matters too: marine collagen is predominantly Type I (this is your skin and hair), bovine encompasses Types I and III, while multi-source products span Types I, II, III, V, and X for broader tissue support. That said, Type I collagen accounts for around 90% of the body’s collagen, so a high-quality single-source product covers most people’s needs perfectly well.
Finally, remember to look for hydrolysed collagen or collagen peptides on the label, as these are broken down for easier absorption.
The best collagen supplements for health, sport and longevity
Here is our list of all our top recommended collagen supplements, including powders and capsules.
Best for: gut health and food-based collagen
Rather than an isolated collagen powder, Freja uses whole bone broth, making it one of the most food-based, gut-friendly options on this list. If you want collagen support alongside digestive benefits, this is a strong pick.
Ingredients: Nordic beef bone broth powder (67%), coconut sugar, natural flavouring
Nutrient levels: Per 25g serving: 21g collagen, 24g protein
Size: 300g (25g serving)
Cost per day: £2.08
Flavours: Plain, chocolate, strawberry, vanilla
Notes: From grass-fed, pasture-raised beef from EU sources. Not suitable for vegans or vegetarians.
Best for: skin, hair and nails, menopause
One of the more comprehensive options on our list, with added cofactors, and both heavy metal and batch tested (Friend of the Sea certified). A good all-rounder for women in perimenopause or menopause who want skin and structural support in one product.
Ingredients: Type I hydrolysed marine collagen powder (from tilapia), silica (Mesoporosil® Silicium), Vitamin C, Vitamin E, biotin
Nutrient levels: Per 3g serving: 3,000mg marine collagen, 12mg Vitamin C (15% NRV), 1.8mg Vitamin E (15% NRV), 50mcg biotin (100% NRV), 50mg silica
Size: 94g (31 servings)
Cost per day: £1.18
Flavours: Unflavoured
Notes: Not suitable for vegans or vegetarians.
Best for: skin, hair and nails, marine
MSC-certified and both heavy metal and batch tested, reassuring quality credentials for a marine product. A pared-back, single-ingredient marine collagen for those who want skin-focused support without extras.
Ingredients: Hydrolysed collagen peptides from pure marine cod skin (Gadus morhua)
Nutrient levels: Per 5g serving: 5,000mg hydrolysed collagen, 4.75g protein, 0.025g fat, 0g carbohydrates, 0.05g salt
Size: 300g (60 servings)
Cost per day: 67p (taken once per day), £1.33 (taken twice per day)
Flavours: Unflavoured
Notes: Halal and Kosher friendly. Not suitable for vegans or vegetarians.
Best for: travel, bovine
A firm favourite among UK nutritional therapists, this grass-fed bovine collagen is sourced from pasture-raised cattle and hydrolysed into small peptides for easier absorption. Practically tasteless and unflavoured, it dissolves easily into hot or cold drinks, smoothies and recipes without affecting flavour, making it one of the most practical collagen supplements to incorporate into a daily routine.
Ingredients: 100% Bovine hydrolysed collagen peptides (Type I)
Nutrient levels: Per 5g serving: 4.5g protein, 0g fat, 0g carbohydrates
Size: 200g jar or 200g recyclable sachet
Cost per day: £1.07 jar, £1.60 sachet
Flavours: Unflavoured
Notes: Not suitable for vegans or vegetarians. Also available in sachets (15 x 5g).
Best for: joints and bones, capsule format
A practitioner-grade capsule option focused on joint and bone support. Made with Colartix®, a hydrolysed collagen cartilage matrix containing naturally occurring peptides and chondroitin. The formulation is identical in composition to human cartilage, making it a thoughtful choice for those wanting targeted joint support in a clean capsule.
Ingredients: Colartix® (bovine source, containing hydrolysed collagen cartilage with naturally occurring peptides and chondroitin), plant cellulose (capsule shell).
Nutrient levels: Per capsule: Colartix® 410mg
Size: 90 capsules (22-45 servings)
Cost per day: £1.12 (2 caps per day), £2.24 (4 capsules per day)Flavours: UnflavouredNotes: Not suitable for vegans or vegetarians.
If you are unsure about using a practitioner grade supplement, we highly recommend that you seek the support of a qualified healthcare professional. Check out our UK practitioner directory here.
Best for: multi-source coverage
Draws from multiple animal sources to provide Types I, II, III, V, and X. This makes it one of the broadest-spectrum options on the list. Useful if you want to cover joint cartilage (Type II) alongside skin and structural support.Ingredients: Multi-collagen complex: hydrolysed bovine hide collagen peptides, fermented eggshell membrane collagen, chicken bone broth protein concentrate, bacillus coagulans (2 Billion CFU†), hydrolysed fish collagen peptides, Vitamin C (from lipid metabolite ascorbate)
Nutrient levels: Per 10.1g scoop: 9g protein, 10g multi-collagen complex, 90mg Vitamin C (100% DV)
Size: 707g (70 servings)
Cost per day: 85p
Flavours: Unflavoured
Notes: Grass-fed and pasture-raised. Gluten-free, soy-free, dairy-free. Not suitable for vegans or vegetarians.
Best for: joints, bones, muscle recovery and our best budget pick
A no-frills, grass-fed bovine collagen at an accessible price point. If your priority is joint and muscle support rather than skin-specific benefits, this is an honest, straightforward option.
Ingredients: Grass-fed bovine collagen peptides
Nutrient levels: Per 10g serving: 9.2g protein, 0g fat, 0g carbohydrates, 0.14g salt
Size: 400g (40 servings)
Cost per day: 75p
Flavours: Unflavoured
Notes: Sourced from grass-fed, regeneratively farmed cattle, free from hormones. Not suitable for vegans or vegetarians.
Best for: menopause, marine source
A marine collagen with added seaweed, a natural source of iodine and minerals that act as cofactors to support collagen synthesis. This is a solid menopause-focused choice for those who want a pescatarian-friendly product with functional extras built in.
Ingredients: Collagen peptides (from fish), iodine (from PureSea® Protect Seaweed)
Nutrient levels: Per 5g serving: 5g collagen peptides, 4.5g protein, 37.5mcg iodine (25% NRV)
Size: 150g jar
Cost per day: £1.47
Flavours: Unflavoured
Notes: Suitable for pescatarians, sustainably sourced and traceable. Not suitable for vegans or vegetarians.
Members of our UK Wellness Hub Facebook group get 20% off Doctor Seaweed products
Best for: capsule format, skin, hair and nails
One of the few capsule-format options here, with added cofactors. Good for those who don’t want to faff with powders and prefer a clean, supplement-style routine. Ingredients: Hydrolysed marine collagen peptides, hyaluronic acid complex, natural astaxanthin
Nutrient levels: Per daily dose: 627mg marine collagen peptides, 200mg hyaluronic acid, 4mg natural astaxanthin
Size: 45 capsules (15 servings) or 90 capsules (30 servings)
Cost per day: £1.97 (15 servings), £1.87 (30 servings)
Flavours: Unflavoured
Notes: Not suitable for vegans or vegetarians.
Get 15% off using our Ingenious discount code available in our private Facebook and LinkedIn groups (UK Wellness Hub). Or, get 10% off when you purchase this product through Healf.
Best for: travel, marine
Heavy metal and batch tested, and available in sachets as a secondary format alongside their tubs. As with Ancient + Brave True Collagen, the most sustainable approach is to transfer a few servings from your usual tub into a small reusable container rather than defaulting to single-use sachets. A premium marine option with a loyal following.
Ingredients: Natural marine collagen (ingredients vary for flavoured options)
Nutrient levels: Per 3g serving: 2.9g protein, 0g fat, 0g carbohydrates, 3mg sodium
Size: 90g (30 x 3g sachets) (30 servings)
Cost per day: £1.29 (1 serving per day), £3.88 (3 servings per day)
Flavours: Unflavoured (fruit flavours are available in mango, blueberry, peach, pineapple)
Notes: Not suitable for vegans or vegetarians. Dairy-Free and Gluten-Free. Also available in a 270g tub.
Best for: daily use, taste-led compliance
For people who struggle with plain powders, the cacao version makes getting collagen in feel more like a treat. Bovine-sourced and easy to stir into warm milk.
Ingredients: Organic raw cacao, organic cocoa, grass-fed bovine hydrolysed collagen peptides, organic beetroot, organic cinnamon, organic carob, organic ashwagandha, organic baobab, pink Himalayan salt
Nutrient levels: Per 10g serving: 14g carbohydrates, 3.74g protein, 2.98g fibre, 0.13g salt, 200mg ashwagandha
Size: 250g (25 servings)
Cost per day: £1.12
Flavours: Cacao
Notes: Not suitable for those with allergies to nuts and gluten. Not suitable for vegans or vegetarians.
Best for: vegan-friendly support
An important clarification here: truly vegan collagen does not exist. Collagen is by definition an animal protein. Fushi and similar products are collagen builders, which means they supply the amino acid building blocks and cofactors so the body can produce its own. This is a legitimate and valuable approach, but please be aware that it’s not a like-for-like swap.
Ingredients: l-glycine, organic brown rice protein, green tea extract, acerola blend, horsetail extract, gotu kola extract, l-proline, l-glutamic acid, l-arginine hydrochloride, l-hydroxyproline, l-alanine, Japanese knotweed extract, vitamin E, biotin, copper sulphate (capsule shell: HPMC)
Nutrient levels: Per 4 capsule serving: Vitamin E 7mg, Vitamin C 24mg, biotin 25mcg, copper 0.5mg, green tea extract 200mg, horsetail extract 100mg, silica 7mg, gotu kola extract 100mg, Japanese knotweed extract 51mg, resveratrol 50mg
Size: 120 capsules (30-day supply, 4 capsules per day)
Cost per day: £1.10
Flavours: Unflavoured
Notes: Certified organic. Suitable for vegans and vegetarians. Free from fillers, binders, wheat, lactose, preservatives, artificial colours and flavours, yeast
Are collagen supplements suitable for everyone?
Most of the collagen brands mentioned above recommend consulting a healthcare professional before use during pregnancy and breastfeeding. This is because of limited research in this area, rather than because of any known harm.
Additionally, anyone with kidney issues, on medication, or managing an existing health condition should speak to a qualified practitioner before starting a collagen supplement.
For those people wanting personalised dosage or product selection, working with a qualified nutritional therapist is the best route to take. Please look at our practitioner directory for more information.
Summary
Whichever product you choose, consistency matters more than finding the “perfect” supplement. A good-quality collagen, like any of the products in this article, taken daily will always outperform the best collagen taken occasionally. If you’re unsure where to start, the quick reference guide at the top of the page will point you in the right direction. If you’d like personalised guidance, our practitioner directory can connect you with a qualified nutritional therapist who can help.
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