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How Long Does It Take For Collagen Supplements To Work?

At Absolute Collagen, we know that answering the question ‘do collagen supplements work?’ is probably high on your agenda. Here, we chat through what collagen does for skin and how long it takes for collagen to work, to help answer any questions you may have.

While you may have already delved into what collagen is and whether it’s safe to take, there’s one question that might still be playing on your mind: do collagen supplements work?

And it’s a fair question – especially when you’re trying to work out the best skincare routine. That’s why we want to give you a fair answer, allowing you to make an informed decision about our marine collagen supplements.

So, to find out everything you need to know about how long it takes for collagen supplements to work, continue reading, below.

What are the different types of collagen supplements?

Before we come to the question of ‘do collagen supplements work?’, let’s first provide a bit of a background on the different types of collagen supplements available on the market.

Now, most collagen supplements you’ll come across are derived from animal sources. Some supplements are made from pigs (porcine collagen), others are sourced from cows (bovine collagen), while people also look to chicken bone broth powder (as well as other collagen foods) for their collagen needs.

However, here at Absolute Collagen, we believe marine collagen is the best source of collagen available to you. That’s because marine collagen has been scientifically proven to absorb up to 1.5 times faster than other types of collagen, breaking down faster in your body.

But does marine collagen work, even if it is absorbed faster into the body? And what does taking collagen do exactly? Let’s find out below!

Do Collagen Supplements Work?

Understandably, when people start taking collagen or sign up to a subscription they want to know what kind of results they’re going to get for their efforts. That’s why we conducted a collagen supplement clinical trial, so when people ask, ‘does taking collagen work?’, we can let the science do the talking!

There are just a couple of details to mention before we get into whether collagen supplements work. Firstly, this was an independently run clinical trial, which means the tests were not biased or misleading in any way. And secondly, this clinical trial was the largest and most robust clinical trial of hydrolysed collagen supplements ever conducted*.

So, does drinking collagen work? Well, according to our results, yes!

During the clinical trial, 100% of participants experienced improvements in the clinical measures of skin quality, reporting improvements in skin evenness and the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. What’s more, 90% of participants reported that their skin feels replenished and restored, while 83% said their skin felt soft and smooth! 

And these benefits for skin are only one reason why taking collagen is a sound investment. All you need to do is look at the countless success stories from our Absoluters, who love sharing the amazing results they’ve experienced with Absolute Collagen!

Photo showing a before and after picture of a white woman looking into the camera, her skin is smoother in the second photo after drinking Absolute Collagen's marine collagen supplement.

Some studies have also found improvements in hair thickness from taking collagen supplements and nail strength - two other key areas of feeling your absolute best from the inside out! 

*There have been several reviews of published randomised clinical trials assessing the efficacy of hydrolysed collagen supplements. For example, Pu et al 2023 reported on clinical trials assessing the efficacy of products containing hydrolysed collagen and reported benefits for skin. There is a valid consensus showing that collagen supplements are efficacious as an antiaging treatment, improving skin hydration, elasticity and wrinkles when used for a minimum of 12 weeks.

How long does collagen take to work on skin?

While you’ll of course want to experience these benefits of collagen as soon as possible, we believe it’s better to be more realistic with time frames when judging how long it takes for collagen supplements to work.

And in our clinical trial, participants started seeing improvements to their skin appearance between 6 to 12 weeks. In particular, many reported seeing the best results at the 12-week mark, after three months of taking our marine collagen supplements.

When looking at how long it takes for collagen to work, other independent studies have also reported that three months was the typical timeframe. 

Of course, when it comes to skin, collagen supplement results vary from person to person - and you may be one of the lucky ones who see results within a week! The best way to gauge how long it takes for collagen supplements to work for you is to take a selfie every day of your subscription. We’re sure you’ll be amazed at the results! 

How to get best results from taking collagen supplements

It’s all well and good learning whether collagen supplements work and how long it takes for collagen supplements to work, but we also need to think about long-term skincare goals.

For example, does drinking collagen work for longer than 12 weeks? And why take collagen after you’ve achieved your desired skin improvements?

Well, we’ve got a few ways you can ensure you’re getting the best results from our marine collagen – especially if you’re still worried about how long it takes for collagen to work:

1. Keep up with a consistent routine

As with any skincare routine, you’ll get the most benefits from being consistent with your collagen supplements. That’s why we offer a subscription service so you’re never searching for your next collagen sachet! It only costs a couple of quid per day and it makes it much easier to take your 10ml collagen sachet each day for the best results. 

As for the best time to take collagen, again, consistency is key. Collagen results can be found whether you take in the morning or at night - neither is better than the other - just try to keep the same routine going. So, if you start taking collagen in the morning, then try to take every morning thereafter, leaving 24 hours between each dose.

2. Choose a high-grade collagen in a concentrated dose

If you’re worried about how long it takes for collagen supplements to work, we recommend opting for a good quality collagen to begin with!

Our liquid collagen, for instance, comes in a highly concentrated form of 8,000mg marine collagen in every 10ml sachet (which also comes with a helping of vitamin C*). This is the optimal amount of collagen your body can absorb each day. And, as you will be consuming more collagen over time, the results of taking collagen for the appearance of wrinkles should appear quickly, up to and even before the 12-week mark!

*Each sachet of Absolute Collagen contains 60 mg of Vitamin C, which is 75% of your daily Nutrient Reference Value. Enjoy a daily dose of Absolute Collagen as part of a balanced, healthy diet and active lifestyle.

3. Keep going after your subscription ends

To continue your gorgeous skin journey, the best method of maintenance is to simply… keep going! 

While our subscription service runs in 12-week increments, there is no ‘cut-off point’ per se, so you can keep adding our quality collagen supplement to your skincare routine for as long as you wish. After all, natural collagen production depletes as we get older, so if you’re not supplementing when you once were, you could see some hints of lines and wrinkles reappearing once you’ve decided to stop taking collagen.

To tackle any collagen deficiencies – and ensure collagen supplements work – it’s important to stick to your routine!

So, does collagen work?

And now we’ve come to the end of our article, where we’ve covered whether collagen supplements work, as well as how long it takes for collagen supplements to work.

To sum up, our clinical trials detailed how 100% of participants reported improvements to skin evenness and the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Then, in terms of how long collagen takes to work on skin, participants saw the first improvements between 6 to 12 weeks, although the best results were felt thereafter. 

Ready to start your Absolute Collagen journey today? Start shopping for our award-winning marine collagen supplements or head over to our blog to find out more about why taking collagen helps combat those signs of ageing. 

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