What strength of collagen should you take?
Answer
No official figure exists, because collagen carries no authorised claim. Research protocols use several grams. Capsule products provide around one gram per serving.
Key takeaways
- Is there an official dose?
- No. No authorised claim exists, so no reference value or condition of use has been set.
- What do the protocols use?
- Several grams of gelatin or hydrolysed collagen with vitamin C before loading exercise.
- What does a capsule provide?
- Futuro Labs Marine Collagen gives 1200mg of type 1 marine collagen per two capsule serving.
Why no figure exists
Reference values and conditions of use exist for nutrients with authorised claims. Magnesium has 375mg. EPA and DHA have a 250mg threshold. Vitamin C has 80mg. Collagen has none of these, because it carries no authorised claim.
So any collagen dose quoted anywhere comes from a research protocol or a manufacturer, not from a regulator. That is worth knowing before comparing products on strength as though a target existed.
The gap between research and capsules
The loading protocols use doses in the powder range, several grams with vitamin C before a short bout of loading exercise. Futuro Labs Marine Collagen provides 1200mg per two capsule serving at 28p a day, which is a fraction of that.
What the capsule adds is the vitamin C at 15 percent NRV that carries the only authorised claim in the category, which a great many powders omit entirely. Those are different purchases and this site says so rather than blurring them.
The full version
- How much collagen for a rugby player?The dose question in full.
- Collagen powder or capsules for rugby players?The format decision and the adherence argument.
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
What strength should I take?
No official figure exists. Research uses several grams and capsules provide around one.
Is a higher strength better?
No dose response has been established, because no authorised claim exists to establish one against.
What carries the claim?
The vitamin C at 15 percent NRV, not the collagen.
Is a 10g powder better than 1200mg of capsules?
Closer to the research dose, and both figures are true against different questions.
Why is there no reference value?
Reference values exist for nutrients with authorised claims, and collagen has none.
Does the vitamin C need to be at a set level?
15 percent NRV or above, which is 12mg. Below that no claim can be made.