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Ingredient guide

Best time to take collagen

Written by the Full Measure editorial team, which sells supplements. Approved for publication by the Full Measure owners. Updated .

Drafted with AI assistance from the sources listed below. How we write these

Quick answer

Whenever you will remember it: no trial reviewed here compared times of day, and trials gave one daily dose. Around exercise, 15 g of gelatin with vitamin C an hour before activity doubled a blood marker of collagen building in one small study, while 30 g after lifting did not raise connective tissue building.1,2,3

Key facts

  • Collagen amino acids peaked in the blood about 1 hour after gelatin.2
  • The gelatin study had 8 men and measured a blood marker, not tendon or skin.2
  • Adults need 75 to 90 mg of vitamin C a day, the nutrient the body uses to build collagen.4

Once a day, any time

Trials gave collagen as a daily amount; the main skin trial of 2.5 or 5 g and the 24-week nail study each used one dose a day.1,5

What the positive trials had in common was daily use for weeks, not a particular hour.1,6

Before or after exercise

In a crossover study of 8 men, 15 g of gelatin with added vitamin C taken 1 hour before 6 minutes of rope skipping doubled a blood marker of collagen building compared with placebo. A similar study of 10 men taking 15 g before exercise found results too variable to reach significance.2,7

In 45 young adults, 30 g of hydrolyzed collagen taken after resistance exercise raised blood amino acids but did not raise muscle or connective tissue protein building over the next 6 hours.3

These are short-term blood and muscle measurements in small groups, not evidence that timing changes tendons or skin over months.2,3

With vitamin C

The gelatin study added vitamin C because the body needs it to build collagen. No trial reviewed here compared collagen with and without vitamin C over months.2,8

In coffee, smoothies or water

Collagen peptides dissolve easily in water, which is why they mix into drinks. No study reviewed here tested whether hot coffee changes them.9

Splitting a large serving

Most trials gave 2.5 to 15 g a day. If a 20 g serving is more than you want at once, splitting it is reasonable, but no trial compared split and single doses.6,7

Empty stomach or with food

No study reviewed here compared the two. In one study of 20 g of collagen taken after an overnight fast, essential amino acids peaked in the blood about 30 to 50 minutes later.10

Timing around medicines

Levothyroxine is the medicine people most often ask about. Its label says to take it on an empty stomach, half an hour to an hour before breakfast, and that some foods can lower its absorption. Collagen is not named, but a collagen drink is food, so ask your pharmacist how to fit them together.11

Questions people ask

Should I take collagen at night or in the morning?

Either. No trial reviewed here compared them; the trials that found changes gave collagen once a day for weeks.1,6

Is collagen better before or after a workout?

Unclear. One study of 8 men found a higher blood marker of collagen building with gelatin an hour before activity, a similar study could not confirm it, and collagen after lifting did not raise connective tissue building.2,3,7

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Sources

  1. Proksch E, Segger D, Degwert J, Schunck M, Zague V, Oesser S. Oral supplementation of specific collagen peptides has beneficial effects on human skin physiology: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Skin Pharmacol Physiol. 2014;27(1):47-55. Opened 2026-10-07.
  2. Shaw G, Lee-Barthel A, Ross ML, Wang B, Baar K. Vitamin C-enriched gelatin supplementation before intermittent activity augments collagen synthesis. Am J Clin Nutr. 2017;105(1):136-143. Opened 2026-10-07.
  3. Aussieker T, Kaiser J, Hendriks FK, et al. The Effects of Ingesting a Single Bolus of Hydrolyzed Collagen versus Free Amino Acids on Muscle Connective Protein Synthesis Rates. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2025;57(11):2394-2408. Opened 2026-10-01.
  4. Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health. Vitamin C: Fact Sheet for Consumers. Updated March 22, 2021. Opened 2026-10-07.
  5. Hexsel D, Zague V, Schunck M, Siega C, Camozzato FO, Oesser S. Oral supplementation with specific bioactive collagen peptides improves nail growth and reduces symptoms of brittle nails. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2017;16(4):520-526. Opened 2026-10-07.
  6. Pu SY, Huang YL, Pu CM, Kang YN, Hoang KD, Chen KH, Chen C. Effects of Oral Collagen for Skin Anti-Aging: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients. 2023;15(9):2080. Opened 2026-10-01.
  7. Khatri M, Naughton RJ, Clifford T, Harper LD, Corr L. The effects of collagen peptide supplementation on body composition, collagen synthesis, and recovery from joint injury and exercise: a systematic review. Amino Acids. 2021;53(10):1493-1506. Opened 2026-10-01.
  8. National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. Vitamin C: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. Updated July 31, 2025. Opened 2026-10-07.
  9. León-López A, Morales-Peñaloza A, Martínez-Juárez VM, Vargas-Torres A, Zeugolis DI, Aguirre-Álvarez G. Hydrolyzed Collagen: Sources and Applications. Molecules. 2019;24(22):4031. Opened 2026-10-07.
  10. Alcock RD, Shaw GC, Tee N, Burke LM. Plasma Amino Acid Concentrations After the Ingestion of Dairy and Collagen Proteins, in Healthy Active Males. Front Nutr. 2019;6:163. Opened 2026-10-07.
  11. SYNTHROID (levothyroxine sodium) tablets: prescribing information (AbbVie). DailyMed, U.S. National Library of Medicine. Published February 29, 2024. Opened 2026-10-07.

This page is information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own situation.