Collagen liquid vs. Collagen pills: what you need to know

Collagen liquid vs. Collagen pills: what you need to know

If you’re plugged in to the latest health and beauty trends, you have no doubt heard a lot about the benefits of collagen. Advocates rave about its benefits for more youthful skin, radiant hair, more supple joints and more. But if you are a newcomer to the world of collagen, there is a lot to consider if you really want to reap these benefits for yourself. There are lots of different brands pushing different types of supplements in your direction, along with things like creams and balms that can be applied topically. With so many options, how can you know what’s best?

We have already posted a comparison between collagen liquid and collagen powder, but there’s another popular form of collagen supplement: collagen pills. How do they compare to collagen liquid? Here we compare factors like dosage, absorption, convenience and more to help you assess which might be right for you.

What do we mean by collagen liquid?

When we refer to liquid collagen or drinkable collagen, we are talking about collagen that is presented in liquid form and ready to drink. This is as opposed to the collagen being provided in the form of a tablet or a powder that mixes into a drink or food. With Kollo, there is a potent 10 grams of high grade marine collagen peptides in every sachet, which you simply add to water and drink. Collagen peptides are hydrolysed, meaning they have undergone hydrolysis to break down the collagen molecules into smaller amino acid chains that can be absorbed easily by your digestive system. The original collagen fibres, before hydrolysis, are too big to pass into the bloodstream, so it is important to go for the hydrolysed variety.

Collagen liquid requires virtually no digestion. The nutrients are readily available within the liquid to be absorbed into the bloodstream, and this can happen in less than a minute. Conversely, with solid supplements like pills and tablets, the body has to do some work to break down the solid structure and extract the nutrients within. This slows the process down and can put a strain on the gut that may lead to discomfort in some people. The difference here is shown in a number of studies into the bioavailability of liquid supplements.

Whilst summarising the two, it’s worth mentioning that liquid supplements are able to supply a more concentrated dose than what can be packed into a small pill or tablet. This means that, while you can get your entire dosage of daily collagen from a single sachet of Kollo, you would need to take multiple tablets each day to get the same amount into your body.

Comparing collagen liquid to collagen pills, tablets and capsules

Collagen pills, tablets and capsules tend to be used interchangeably to refer to the same thing. But there is actually some nuance that discerns between them. The word ‘pills’ can also cover tablets as they are essentially the same thing. But capsules are actually a little different – they typically contain the collagen in a powder form encased within a dissolvable membrane that is broken down within the body. A tablet is more likely to be a powdered form of collagen and, perhaps, other nutrients tightly compressed together to form the pill that you see.

So what are the benefits of taking collagen in pill form?

Collagen pills advantages

The main advantage of collagen pills, tablets and capsules is their convenience. They are easy to incorporate into your daily routine as you simply swallow a pill with water and it is done. If you choose capsules, there is unlikely to be any taste or odour because of the dissolvable casing that contains the active ingredients. It’s fuss-free and quick so you can get on with your day.

Collagen pills disadvantages

The problem with collagen pills is that there are several disadvantages, some of which serve as caveats to the disadvantages listed above. This is why Kollo opted for a collagen liquid rather than going with the pill form. 

Let’s start with the question of convenience. Though swallowing a pill is straightforward for many, there are lots of people who actually find it very awkward to do it. The pills are usually quite large, so for people who don’t get on well with taking tablets, this could actually be very inconvenient and a stressful addition to the daily routine.

There are also issues around dosage that can make collagen pills even less convenient. Generally speaking, in order to keep these pills small enough to swallow, there must be sacrifices made in terms of how much can actually be contained within them. As such, the quantity of collagen peptides in each pill is low, and you usually have to take more than one pill per day. Often, the recommended amount is up to four pills spread throughout the day to get the necessary amount of collagen peptides into your body – a far cry from being ‘convenient’, the process can actually become complicated and drawn out.

Another key disadvantage of collagen pills is that the body has to break them down before the nutrients can be absorbed. This can actually lower the overall absorption rate, meaning as little as 40-45% of the collagen peptides in each pill might be absorbed. In a nutshell, the ‘bioavailability’ of the collagen in pills is quite low, so it is inefficient. What’s more, the extra work your body must do to break down the solid tablets uses energy, takes time and can even upset some people’s stomachs.

Collagen liquid: a strong alternative

Collagen liquid can come in the form of a bottled drink, but more often it is a sachet that contains a shot of liquid containing collagen peptides and other supporting nutrients. Kollo sachets contain 10 grams of high-quality marine collagen as well as l-lysine, vitamin C, a range of B vitamins and some tasty natural flavourings. The result is a potent and delicious drink when added to water.

Collagen liquid advantages

The advantages of collagen liquid match and exceed those of pills. They are very convenient too – simply open a sachet, add the contents to a glass of water and drink. The collagen peptides are essentially tasteless, and the addition of natural flavourings in the mix actually makes it a pleasant drink to have each morning.

A consistent dosage is easy in a liquid suspension, and Kollo provides 10 grams to deliver the maximum benefits when taken daily for two months and beyond. Without the limitations on size that you get with pills, there is room for a number of complementary nutrients known to help with collagen synthesis, so you can feel confident that you will experience the maximum benefits.

Finally, the other key advantage of collagen liquid is its high bioavailability. As previously discussed, nothing needs to be broken down by your body, so the collagen and other nutrients are highly bioavailable with an absorption rate of 90-95%. This will happen quickly and put minimal strain on your stomach, so your body can begin synthesising new collagen swiftly and you won’t feel any discomfort in your tummy.

Collagen liquid disadvantages

In comparison to pills, there are few real disadvantages of liquid collagen. Its high bioavailability, consistent dosage, complementary nutrients, great taste and effortless convenience are all obvious advantages of the liquid option.

If you were to look for something to list as a disadvantage, you could mention the waste. Collagen pills usually come with many pills in a single bottle, while every shot of collagen liquid is contained in its own sachet. Kollo keeps waste to a minimum by providing the sachets in a recyclable cardboard box, as well as working with TerraCycle®️ to post your sachets back to us for recycling. 

Collagen liquid vs collagen pills: the verdict

The analysis in this post makes it obvious why the team at Kollo chose to bring a collagen liquid to the market as opposed to a pill. The advantages are there to be seen, with the liquid outperforming the tablet across the board in terms of the benefits you want from your collagen supplement. We have pulled out all the stops to provide you with the best possible product, and we have won numerous awards and received countless 5-star reviews for our efforts.

With Kollo, you get the highest quality marine collagen with scientifically proven complementary ingredients, delivered in liquid for maximum bioavailability. It’s simple to use and tastes great, and our long list of satisfied customers is a testament to the standards we have set ourselves. If you want to learn more, please head over to our blog or get in touch. We would love to hear from you!