Can You Take Too Much Collagen? The Answer May Surprise You

A daily collagen routine is one of the most low-lift things you can do for your overall well-being. With this powder ritual, you can help with skin hydration and elasticity, hair health, nail strength, gut support, bone and joint health, and muscle mass.* Given these profound benefits, you might want to toss collagen in your coffee, blend it into your smoothie, add it to baked goods, and fold it into your homemade granola—all in one day. The more collagen you incorporate into your routine, the more benefits you'll see...right?

Technically, yes, you can get too much of a good thing. It's possible to go overboard with basically any nutrient or substance (even water!), and despite collagen's robust safety profile1, let's not forget that collagen is a protein source—and excess protein intake, in general, should be avoided. "For some, too much protein can be upsetting to the stomach. Too much protein (or any macronutrient) can contribute to fat stores, and protein metabolism requires healthy kidney function to process the urea," says mbg's vice president of scientific affairs Ashley Jordan Ferira, Ph.D., RDN.

We're also not going to tell you that gulping down 10 collagen smoothies in one day offers 10 times the benefits. That would just be silly. Taking more supplements of any kind won't yield faster results. It's better to consume clinically meaningful and helpful amounts (i.e., those rooted in scientific research).

Thankfully, your body has the ability to absorb and balance the nutrients it needs. "[Most] foods, supplements, etc., consumed in excessive amounts will be absorbed, filtered out, and excreted—but not without side effects," longevity dietitian Ella Davar, R.D., CDN, tells mbg. 

And while that "check and balance" system is definitely true for certain micronutrients, when it comes to macronutrients, over-consuming collagen means a lot more protein than your body may need. And as Ferira alluded to above, too much of any macro isn't a good thing after all.

If you want to cover all of your bases, finding a collagen supplement with 10 to 20 grams of hydrolyzed collagen peptides seems to be the best way to go. (mindbodygreen's beauty & gut collagen+ powder, for what it's worth, offers 17.7 grams of grass-fed hydrolyzed collagen peptides, along with seven other beauty and gut-centric bioactives, micronutrients, and antioxidants.)