Collagen capsules, powder or liquid?
Answer
Powder gives the research sized dose cheaply per gram. Capsules give a fixed dose that gets taken consistently. Liquid usually gives the least collagen for the most money.
Key takeaways
- Which gives the research dose?
- Powder. The protocols use several grams and a capsule serving is around one.
- Which gets taken most reliably?
- Capsules, because they need nothing but water.
- Where does liquid sit?
- Usually the least collagen per pound, since most of what is being sold is water and flavouring.
The three formats
Powder delivers five to ten grams a scoop, which is the range the loading research uses, at the lowest cost per gram. Capsules deliver around one gram per serving as a fixed dose that does not drift. Liquid shots deliver a stated amount in a bottle of mostly water, at the highest cost per gram of collagen.
Futuro Labs Marine Collagen is 1200mg of type 1 hydrolysed marine collagen per two capsule serving with 12mg of vitamin C, at 28p a day.
What actually decides it
Whether the serving happens. Across an eight month season a format needing a scoop, a shaker and a drink gets taken on organised days, and a capsule taken with breakfast gets taken on most of them.
A player following the research protocol precisely should use a powder before training. Everyone else is choosing between a research dose taken irregularly and a smaller one taken daily, and the second usually produces a higher total intake.
The full version
- Collagen powder or capsules for rugby players?The dose gap and the adherence argument in full.
- How to take collagen powder properlyMixing, heat, vitamin C and what a scoop really weighs.
The product
Futuro Labs Marine Collagen
Futuro Labs Marine Collagen is the 1200mg type 1 marine one with the vitamin C that carries the claim, at 28p a day, fish derived and UK made to GMP standards.
- 1200mg type 1 hydrolysed marine collagen
- 12mg vitamin C and 1.5mg zinc, both 15% NRV
- UK made to GMP, lab tested for purity
- Fish derived. Collagen carries no claim
Sharper Rugby is published by Futuro Labs. If you buy through this link Futuro Labs earns from the sale. Prices are set by Amazon.
Questions players ask
Which collagen format is best?
Powder for the research dose, capsules for consistency. Liquid is usually the worst value.
How much collagen is in a capsule serving?
1200mg in the Futuro Labs product, against five to ten grams in a powder scoop.
Does format change the claim?
No. Collagen carries no claim in any format, and vitamin C carries the one available.
Why is liquid poor value?
Most of what is being sold is water and flavouring, so cost per gram of collagen is highest.
Which suits a season?
Capsules, because they need nothing but water and get taken on more days.
Do any of the formats carry a claim?
No. Collagen carries none in any format, and vitamin C carries the one available.