Best Collagen Powder for Weight Loss

There are so many collagen powders on the market, and it can be overwhelming trying to figure out which one is right for you. Not to mention, some of them taste terrible!

Luckily, we’ve done the research for you and compiled a list of the best collagen powders for weight loss. These top 10 supplements are based on reviews, nutrients, taste and mixability to help you reach your goals.

Maybe you’ve been working hard to lose weight, but the scale just won’t budge. You know that collagen can help with weight loss, but you don’t know which brand to try or where to start.

This guide is for you. Let's get right into it because I know you're busy.

First a quick note: Bluebird Provisions is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

 

Best Collagen for Weight Loss

The best collagen for weight loss includes Sports Research, Bluebird Provisions, Wholesome Wellness, Zen Principles, Live Conscious, Orgain, Obvi, Physician's Choice, Purely Optimal and Youtheory.

Let's go through each below.

1. Best Overall: Sports Research Collagen Peptides Powder

Sports Research Collagen Peptides Powder a grass fed product with 10 grams of protein per serving. What I love is that the brand prides themselves on third party testing.

They use 'Informed Choice' to test specific batches of their products. This verifies that there is the exact nutrition facts and ingredients in the product that they claim.

In my experience, 99% of brands do not do this because it is expensive. The fact that they do this says a lot and is the reason they are top of my list.

The product is bovine (beef / cow) derived and claims to support healthy skin, hair, nails, joints and bones. It is unflavored, gluten-free, soy-free and dairy-free.

There is a lofty 130,000 reviews at the time of publishing with a 4.6 star average. This definitely passes the test in terms of customer feedback.

The price of Sports Research is $36.95 per pound which works out to $2.3 per ounce.

Buy on Amazon
Buy on Sportsresearch.com

2. Best USA Sourced: Bluebird Provisions Bone Broth

Bluebird Provisions bone broth is the only product on the list I could verify with 100% certainty is sourced from USA animals.

You can read the buyers guide at the end for my spiel on it, but sourcing is important. You can trust that it is made in a USDA certified facility that is also BRC certified and non-gmo.

Bone broth is a whole food source of collagen that tends to be less processed and also has electrolytes, hyaluronic acid and proteoglycans like glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate.

What I love about Bluebird is the 12 grams of protein with 10 grams collagen per cup. It also tastes delicious on its own or in cooking.

Bone broth has gelatin that helps to keep you full and satiated between meals.

I typically add tbsp in my morning porridge for extra amino acid and it keeps me full until lunch. The price is $27.93 for a 200 g recyclable pouch which works out to 3.99 per oz.

This is a bit more than most other powders on the list, but you get more electrolytes, glycine and proline in a less processed version of collagen.

Buy on Amazon
Buy on Bluebirdprovisions.co

3. Most Popular: Wholesome Wellness Multi Collagen Protein Powder

Wholesome Wellness Multi Collagen combined bovine collagen with beef bone broth and chicken bone broth collagen, fish collagen and egg shell membrane collagen.

Did you catch all of that? Are all of these necessary? People argue on both sides, and ultimately, we do not know the answer as to which one of these is superior and whether all of them need to be included.

Why don't we know for sure? There are no studies comparing these mixes with a regular version.

But if you're looking for a balance of sources, this is the best option at $39.96 per pound (16 oz) or $2.5 per ounce.

When I tried Wholesome Wellness, it mixed easily into cold water and had a minimal taste. Keep in mind that all collagen powders have a bit of a taste. So if you have a very sensitive pallet then make sure you try it before using it in coffee or something like that.

You get 7.8 grams of collagen per serving. And the key differentiator with Wholesome Wellness is that it provides types I, II, III, V, and X collagen in one supplement.

There are 15,000 reviews with an average of 4.5 stars.

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Buy on Wholesome-wellness.com

4. Best on a BudgetZen Principles Grass-Fed Collagen Peptides

Zen Principles Grass-Fed Collagen Peptides is bulk sized powder that comes in a 3 lb tub.

This unflavored product mixes well, and comes from grass fed and pasture raised beef sourced from Brazil and Argentina.

The brand recommends mixing into warm or room temperature liquids. If you want to do so with a cold liquid they advise you mix in room temperature then at ice to cool it down.

In my experience, I mainly mixed a scoop of this into my warm porridge in the morning. It mixes well with no taste. Just as advertised. It is the prefect way to get some extra amino acids like glycine and proline to fuel your day.

Each serving contains 20 grams of collagen peptides and is recommended to be taken once per day. Zen Principles is ideal if you want to purchase in bulk at a great price of $0.98 per ounce ($46.95 per 3 lb tub).

It is manufactured in a GMP (Good Manufacturing Process) facility which ensures safety and quality.

At the time of publishing, there are 3400 reviews at 4.5 star average.

Buy on Amazon
Buy on Zenprinciple.com

5. Best For Women: Live Conscious Grass Fed Collagen Peptides Powder

Live Conscious Grass Fed Collagen Peptides Powder is priced at $34.95 ($2.18 / Ounce) on Amazon.

This hydrolyzed powder comes from bovine hides which is rich in collagen type I and type III. It comes from grass fed and pasture raised cattle from Brazil (according to an email from their customer support team).

Live Conscious has 10 grams of protein per serving with 40 calories and 55 mg of sodium. It is gluten free, free from soy, dairy and artificial / natural flavors.

What I love is that Live Conscious Grass Fed Collagen Peptides Powder comes with a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. If you have any issues they will replace or refund your order.

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Buy on Weliveconscious.com

6. Best For Men: Orgain Hydrolyzed Collagen Peptides Powder

Orgain Hydrolyzed Collagen Peptides Powder is another unflavored grass fed and pasture raised bovine product.

You can trust them for investing in 3rd party testing through IGEN. This is a program that batch tests supplements for GMO's. You can rest assured that there are no GMO's in this supplement. Look for he IGEN logo on the back of a product to verify for yourself.

The price is a competitive $23.49 per pound which works out to $1.47 per ounce. One thing to note is the suggested serving size is 20 grams (scoop). There is no research that uses 20 grams per day or serving.

So you can likely use half a scoop to start and see how it goes.

Orgain is hydrolyzed, meaning the collagen is broken down into smaller, more easily absorbed amino acids. Some people find that it makes it easier to digest than regular collagen powders.

There's an impressive 30,000 reviews on Amazon with an average of 4.5 stars.

According to Amazon, the bovine hides are sourced from Argentina.

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Buy on Orgain.com

7. Best Packaging: Obvi Collagenic Fat Burner

Obvi Collagenic Fat Burner includes blend of bovine, eggshell, marine and bone broth collagen along with some other vitamins and minerals in one convenient pill.

Along with the multi collagen mix (which contains 5 types of collagen (I, II, III, IV, and X) and is free from gluten, soy, and dairy), you also get the following:

1. Vitamin B12
2. Biotin
3. Magnesium
4. Chromium
5. Green Tea Extract
6. Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA
7. Cayenne Pepper
8. Caffeine
9. Raspberry Ketone
10. Garcinia Extact
11. Black Pepper

These compounds are added for additional skin health support and to help increase your metabolism.

I love the fun branding and packaging Obvi uses. You may not care, but I assure you that many people do. I wouldn't dare buy a supplement for my wife to use without it having packaging that would speak to her. This one passes her test, and that is important.

The price on Obvi is $39.99 per 120 capsules which works out to $4.63 per ounce. At the time of publishing, Obvi has 3300 Amazon reviews with an average of 4 stars.

Each two capsules serving gives you 1000mg of collagen and 200mg of caffeine. Perfect for pre workout without tons of added stimulants.

Finally, it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, which assures you that they stand by it!

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Buy on Myobvi.com

8. Best for Sensitive Stomachs: Physicians Choice Keto Collagen with Digestive Enzymes

Have a sensitive stomach? You may find that something with some added digestive support helps. Physicians Choice adds protease, amylase, lipase, lactase and cellulase.

These are common digestive enzymes that help you digest fat, carbs, protein and dairy. I find lactase in particular helps to settle my stomach if I am eating anything with dairy in it.

I really like the creativity in the formula. When I tried it, my stomach felt great going for a run 60 minutes after. I am for collagen protein 60 minutes before a run because exercise helps to push the amino acids into your joints, tendons and ligaments.

The serving size is a bit smaller than other brands at 7 grams. This gives you 6 grams of protein and 25 total calories.

There's an impressive 50,000 reviews with an average of 4.3 stars. They clearly have stood the test of time.

The price of Physicians Choice is $24.97 per 8.67 oz canister, which works out to $2.88 per ounce. According to Amazon reviews, the cows come from Brazil.

Buy on Amazon
Buy on Physicianschoice.com

9. Best With Added Vitamins: Purely Optimal Multi Collagen Peptides

Purely Optimal Multi Collagen Peptides is a powder formula that contains a blend of collagen peptides from various sources, including grass-fed, pasture-raised bovine, bone broth collagen, marine collagen and eggshell membrane.

This blend gives you 5 types of collagen, including Type I, II, III, V, and X. But what I love is the extra ingredients. A few important vitamins without stuffing it full of junk. Here's what 's in each serving:

1. Collagen - 9 grams
2. Vitamin B12 - 800 mcg or 33333% DV
3. Biotin - 5000 mcg or 16667% DV
4. Hyaluronic Acid - 50 mg
5. Digestive Enzymes - 50 mg

I tested this out when I was travelling in LAs Vegas and needed something to order to my hotel. It works so well that I brought it home with me and keep using it.

The taste is not noticed (unflavored) when you mix it into most liquids. Which is what you are looking for in this type of product.

As for the price, we are looking at $38.20 per 1 pound HDPE jar or $2.39 / ounce.

Buy on Amazon
Buy on Purelyoptimal.com

10. Best Unflavored Capsules: Youtheory Collagen Pills with Vitamin C

Youtheory is the first collagen product I ever saw at Costco. Being an avid Costco shopper, naturally I had to pick some up to try because... it's the best deal out there.

If you're looking for hydrolyzed collagen in pill form, this is it. It is the best deal you'll find in a high quality product without added stuff.

The downside of pills is if you don't like taking them. One pill gives you 1 gram of collagen (with vitamin C); so you need to take 10 to get a typical serving that we see in most research studies.

I have no problem with pills, so I take these on mornings when I don't feel like mixing powder.

The cost on Amazon is $22.99 per 290 tablets, which works out to $2.24 per ounce.

Here is what a customer service team member said when asked about the sourcing: "The great majority of our collagen comes from farms in France, Argentina, Brazil and the United States (nothing from China)"

Buy on Amazon
Buy on Youtheory.com

What factors should you consider when choosing a collagen powder for weight loss?

There are 9 crucial things to look for when choosing the right product for you. These are sourcing, macronutrients, filler ingredients, price, pill vs powder, reviews, side effects, mixing potential and taste.

Read below and I will walk you through each of these.

1. Sourcing Quality (Organics)

Collagen is a commodity product because most of it comes from the same few countries: Argentina, Brazil and China.

Because of its popularity, it is a race to the bottom with the large producers all vying for market dominance. This leads to them looking for cheaper ingredients to maximize profits.

For this reason, if you can find it, look for products made and sourced int he USA, Canada, New Zealand and Europe (Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, Holland). There is not necessarily anything from with products from South America, but we do not know enough about the animal welfare and manufacturing processes.

I included the country of origin on the ones I could find the information for. Some of them are Argentina and Brazil. They are still high quality.

2. Sugar and Carbs

I only included products with no sugar or carbohydrates. Many of the flavored collagen products have added sugar to make it taste good. This is ok, if that is really what you are looking for and it helps you take it regularly.

But if you can avoid it, I recommend you steer clear of anything with added sugar.

3. Are There Extra Ingredients?

My spidey sense tingles whenever I see the following words on an ingredient list 'natural flavors,' 'propietary blend,' stevia, monk fruit, dextrose or sodium dioxide. The list is endless, really.

These are artificial flavor enhancers to make products taste great. But they can mess with your digestion and gut health.

For your safety, I did not include anything with these ingredients.

4. Price

Price is the single biggest driver of a purchase decision. Many collagen products are similar prices, but you do get what you pay for as well.

While I did not include the cheapest products because of quality concerns and because some of them are massive companies that do not need your money, I did try to give you some cost effective options.

With collagen powders you can always save more by purchasing in bulk.

5. Pills vs Powders

The age old question. I don't have a preference, but powders tend to be more cost-effective per gram of protein. That being said, pills can be a more convenient way to get it. Just keep in mind that you will likely need to consume 6-10 pills to get a daily does of 10 grams.

If you are not great with pills, then go for a powder. I was getting some collagen for my wife and debated between powder vs pills. She hates taking pills but figured it would be more convenient than having to mix a powder everyday.

It turns out the pills were too big and she had to take too many that she didn't do it at all. This left me with taking collagen pills to get through the bottle.

Now she prefers mixing the powder into some orange juice. This gives some needed vitamin C to help with absorption.

6. Customer Reviews on Amazon

For purpose of this, I look at Amazon reviews. They are no perfect, but if you know what to look for, you can cut through the bs.

I only included products with at least 1000 reviews and 4.5 stars. In a category as popular as collagen, these are really the bare minimum.

You also want to pay attention to when the reviews came. If there are 100s of 5 star reviews within a really tight window then they are likely fake and the brand purchased them to boost their Amazon ranking.

You can usually throw out one star customer reviews if they just say a few words. These can be fake or just angry Amazon customers who are angry at everyone and everything.

Similarly, many 5 star reviews that don't use real language and just talk about the product attributes are likely bought by the brand and cannot be trusted.

7. Side Effects

This goes in line with the ingredients. Some ingredients that mess with your gut flora are more likely to cause side effects compared to more pure products.

You can learn more about the side effects of collagen in my article on the subject.

8. Does it mix properly?

Mixing potential is huge with collagen. I've tried 100s and they range from forming a gooey mess to mixing almost perfectly.

I guess the catch 22 is that to make something mix perfectly, you need to take extra steps in manufacturing. So if you prefer eating less processed whole food products then you actually don't want a powder that mixes perfectly.

If you do prefer a whole food source of collagen, look for a high protein, low sodium bone broth like the chicken one from Bluebird Provisions. You can find it on Amazon or buy direct on the website.

9. Taste

Some collagen supplements taste awful. By awful I mean a slightly fishy, metallic taste. I certainly did not include these on the list and you can rest assured that any of the supplements pass my personal taste test.

Marine collagen supplements generally do not taste good. For this reason, you either have to mix these into a smoothie with lots of powerful flavors or shoot it in the small shot glass with something to chase it with.

I understand that pescatarians have no choice, so go for it!

10. Independent Brands

I did my best to pick independent brands that are not owned by large, strategic companies, public companies, or private equity groups.

As a small business owner myself, I prefer supporting small businesses, so this is a matter of principle for me. The big brands don't need your support as much as the small ones do.

What's Missing in Other Buying Guides

I looked at some existing buying guides and noticed a few issues:

1. They all include the exact same list of brands and products, practically in the same order. This is because large review websites are incentivized by affiliate sales and commissions. Big brands are more recognizable and will likely drive more revenue than smaller brands. So it doesn't matter the quality or which is better. These review websites are driven by money.
2. There is no mention of customer reviews, feedback and testing. They simply spout the attributes like protein per serving, carbs, fat and price. There is not even a mention of amino acid profiles or electrolytes.
3. They promote outright dangerous products. Yes you read that correctly. Some of the products on these lists have speculative ingredients that are made to increase your metabolism. The problem is that some of these are stimulants and they come at a cost... your long term health. There is no biological free lunch.

What are the benefits of using collagen for weight loss?

The benefits of using collagen for weight loss include tightening up those wrinkles, helping to reduce your appetite cravings, boosting metabolism, growing your muscles, improving digestion and reducing inflammation.

1. Collagen Supplements Help Reduce Skin Wrinkles

Reducing wrinkles is really a byproduct if losing weight but the two go hand in hand. You see, collagen helps to increase the elasticity of your skin while laying down new fibers in the dermis layer of your skin (1).

Losing weight complements these skin building efforts to give you skin that looks hydrated and supple.

2. Certain Types (Gelatin, Bone Broth) Make You Feel Full and Reduce Appetite

According to a 2009 study in the Journal of Nutrition, gelatin, which is a common form of cooked collagen found in bone broth reduces hunger by 44% compared to casein milk protein (2).

This is because gelatin helps to stimulate gastric juices in your stomach and intestines, which slow down processing It also forms a gel in your intestinal tract, which helps with digestion and delays gastric emptying, making you feel fuller, longer.

3. High Protein Diets Increase Your Calorie Burning

Higher protein diets help you burn more calories because they increase your calorie burning through a process called thermogenesis.

Simply put, it takes your body more energy to break down a gram of protein than it does a gram of carbs or fat. Protein increases your 24 hour energy expenditure as you digest and absorb it.

Collagen gives you 10-15 grams of protein per serving, depending on how much you take of course. This helps you burn slightly more calories throughout the day just by eating (3).

4. They Can Grow Your Muscles (with a catch)

One 2021 study in the International Journal of Environmental Research Public Health showed that collagen along with lifting weights did increase muscle size and strength in men with sarcopenia.

The take home point for me is that you need to lift weights, you can't just take collagen and expect to gain muscle. More studies are needed to confirm this compared to other protein sources (like whey), but it is interesting.

5. They Improve Digestion and Gut Health

Collagen but bone broth in particular are great for improving gut health and digestion thanks to rare amino acids: glycine, proline, glucosamine and glutamine.

You get more of these in bone broth than you do collagen, but there is some in regular peptides. Glycine helps to reduce digestive issues like leaky gut by helping you form new connective tissue in the mucous layer of your gut and intestines (5).

Sounds gross but trust me, it works.

6. They Help Reduce Inflammation

Similar to the point above, glycine is used in those suffering from inflammatory bowl disease and similar conditions like Crohn's Disease ulcerative colitis and IBS.

The idea is that this amino acid helps reduce inflammation associated with flare ups in the intestines and colon. This helps you heal your gut and allows your to properly digest food.

Closing Thoughts

When it comes to weight loss, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. In fact, research tells us that diets do not work for sustained weight loss.

That being said, if you are looking for a product specifically to help you lose a few pounds, you could do worse than collagen.

Be sure to choose a powder that is high quality and free of added sugars and fillers. Start with a small dose and increase gradually as tolerated. And always consult with your healthcare provider before starting any new supplement.

And if you want something less processed with even more health benefits, then consider a traditionally made bone broth like the one from Bluebird Provisions.

Bluebird Provisions is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Sources

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6471368/
2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19864402/
3. https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/87/5/1558S/4650426
4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33946565/
5. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00726-013-1493-1