Collagen is one of the easiest supplements to add to your day. A scoop disappears into coffee, a smoothie or a glass of milk. But once you've bought a tub, the next question comes up fast: when is the best time to take collagen? Morning or night? Before a workout or after? With food or on an empty stomach?
Here's the honest answer from the research, plus a simple routine that makes daily collagen effortless.
The short version
| Question | What the research suggests |
|---|---|
| Best time of day? | No study has shown that one time of day works better. Pick the slot you'll stick to |
| What matters most? | Taking it every day for at least 8 to 12 weeks |
| Before a workout? | One small study found a collagen-type protein taken about an hour before activity boosted collagen-building markers |
| With food or without? | Either works. Most people mix it into a drink |
| How much? | Studies used anywhere from 2.5 g to 20 g a day. Our serving is 20 g |
Why timing matters less than you think
Collagen peptides are small protein fragments. Your body digests them the same way it digests other protein, breaking them into amino acids and short chains that travel through your blood. Collagen is especially rich in glycine, proline and hydroxyproline, the building blocks your body uses to make its own collagen.
That's why the research focuses on how long people take collagen, not when. In the trials linked to skin, nail and joint benefits, people took collagen once a day for weeks or months. None of them compared morning against evening.
What the long-term trials show
- Skin: A 2021 review pooled 19 randomized trials with 1,125 participants. Hydrolyzed collagen was linked to better skin hydration and elasticity and fewer visible wrinkles compared with placebo, with about 90 days of use as a common benchmark (de Miranda et al., 2021).
- Skin elasticity at 8 weeks: In a placebo-controlled trial, women aged 35 to 55 who took 2.5 g or 5 g of collagen peptides once a day had better skin elasticity after 8 weeks (Proksch et al., 2014).
- Nails: In a small open-label study, 2.5 g of collagen peptides once a day for 24 weeks was linked to 12% faster nail growth and 42% fewer broken nails (Hexsel et al., 2017).
- Joints: College athletes who took 10 g of collagen hydrolysate a day for 24 weeks reported better joint comfort during activity than the placebo group (Clark et al., 2008).
The common thread is daily use over weeks, not a particular hour.
Is there a best time to take collagen for workouts?
This is the one place where timing has been studied. Researchers gave eight healthy men a vitamin C-enriched gelatin drink (gelatin is a less broken-down form of collagen) about an hour before six minutes of rope skipping. With the 15 g dose, a blood marker of new collagen production doubled compared with placebo (Shaw et al., 2017).
It's a small study using gelatin rather than collagen peptides, so take it as a helpful hint rather than a rule. If you train regularly and care about tendons and joints, having your collagen about 30 to 60 minutes before a session is an easy habit to try, and pairing it with a vitamin C source, like a glass of orange juice or a handful of berries, mirrors the study setup.
Collagen also counts toward your daily protein. In a trial of older men doing resistance training, adding collagen peptides was linked to greater gains in fat-free mass and strength than training with a placebo (Zdzieblik et al., 2015).
Morning vs. night: how to choose
Morning collagen
Mornings are the most popular slot for one simple reason: coffee. Our chocolate collagen stirs straight into hot coffee and turns it into a mocha-style drink with 20 g of protein. If breakfast is already your routine, attaching collagen to it is the easiest way to never miss a day. Try our collagen coffee recipe for a quick start.
Pre-workout collagen
If you train in the afternoon or evening, a collagen shake 30 to 60 minutes beforehand fits the one timing study we have.
Evening collagen
A warm chocolate collagen drink is also a nice evening ritual. There's no evidence it works better at night, but there's no evidence it works worse either. If evenings are when you have time, that's your best time.
How to take collagen every day
- Pick one anchor. Morning coffee, your pre-workout shake or an evening warm drink.
- Mix two scoops of our Grass-Fed Collagen Peptides into 8 to 10 oz of coffee, milk or a smoothie.
- Add vitamin C from fruit or juice on training days, if you like.
- Give it time. Judge your skin and nails at 8 to 12 weeks, not after the first tub.
For more detail on what to expect and when, read how long collagen takes to work and our guide to daily collagen peptides.
Tips to get more from your collagen
- Consistency beats timing. A daily scoop at any hour beats a perfect pre-workout scoop three times a week.
- Keep eating protein. Collagen supports your total intake but isn't a complete protein on its own, so keep eggs, dairy, fish, meat or legumes in your meals.
- Pair it with everyday skin habits. Daily sunscreen and good sleep are easy wins to add alongside your scoop.
- Stay hydrated. Mixing collagen into a big glass of milk or a smoothie is an easy way to drink more through the day.
Is collagen safe to take every day?
Collagen peptides were well tolerated in the studies above, with no notable side effects reported in the skin trial. Ours is made from bovine hide, so it isn't suitable for vegetarians or anyone avoiding beef. If you're pregnant or nursing, managing a health condition or take any regular medicine, check with your doctor first.
Frequently asked questions
Should I take collagen on an empty stomach?
There's no research showing an empty stomach works better. Collagen is a protein, and your body digests it well with or without food.
Can I put collagen in hot coffee?
Yes. Our chocolate collagen dissolves in hot or cold drinks, and coffee is the most popular way to take it.
Is it better to take collagen at night for skin?
No study has compared night with morning for skin. Daily use over about 8 to 12 weeks is what the skin trials have in common.
Can I take collagen with my other supplements?
Most people do. Collagen is a food-based protein, so it fits alongside a multivitamin, creatine or magnesium. If you take creatine, see the best time to take creatine.
The bottom line
The best time to take collagen is the time you'll remember every day. Research supports daily use for at least 8 to 12 weeks for skin, nails and joints, and one small study suggests a dose about an hour before exercise may support collagen building in active people. Pick an anchor, make it a habit and give it time.
Ready to start? Shop Grass-Fed Collagen Peptides, 20 g of hydrolyzed collagen in every chocolate serving.
References
- de Miranda et al. Effects of hydrolyzed collagen supplementation on skin aging: a systematic review and meta‐analysis. International Journal of Dermatology. 2021. doi:10.1111/ijd.15518 (PubMed 33742704)
- Proksch et al. Oral Supplementation of Specific Collagen Peptides Has Beneficial Effects on Human Skin Physiology: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study. Skin Pharmacology and Physiology. 2013. doi:10.1159/000351376 (PubMed 23949208)
- Hexsel et al. Oral supplementation with specific bioactive collagen peptides improves nail growth and reduces symptoms of brittle nails. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. 2017. doi:10.1111/jocd.12393 (PubMed 28786550)
- Clark et al. 24-Week study on the use of collagen hydrolysate as a dietary supplement in athletes with activity-related joint pain. Current Medical Research and Opinion. 2008. doi:10.1185/030079908X291967 (PubMed 18416885)
- Shaw et al. Vitamin C–enriched gelatin supplementation before intermittent activity augments collagen synthesis. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2017. doi:10.3945/ajcn.116.138594 (PubMed 27852613)
- Zdzieblik et al. Collagen peptide supplementation in combination with resistance training improves body composition and increases muscle strength in elderly sarcopenic men: a randomised controlled trial. British Journal of Nutrition. 2015. doi:10.1017/S0007114515002810 (PubMed 26353786)
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
