Can You Take Too Much Collagen? Collagen Guide

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Healthy skin, thicker hair, cellulite reduction, better energy, and good gut health are some benefits of taking collagen supplements. However, taking too much collagen might have a reverse effect on your body.

You can disbalance the number of amino acids leading to headaches, digestive issues, and fatigue. To get the health benefits of collagen, professionals recommend taking 2.5–15 grams each day. Yet, age, diet, and health levels might call for higher collagen levels.

Even though you can get collagen from food, the amount found there is pretty low. And that is not always easy since, for example, eggs, one of the collagen-rich foods, have collagen in the membrane between the shell and egg white. 

The question remains the same: can I take too much collagen, and what are the possible side effects of it? Read on to find out.

How Much Collagen Should I Take Daily?

Experts recommend ingesting between 2.5 and 15 grams each day.
However, the exact recommended dosage varies much on the type of collagen supplement. The collagen dosage taken for skin and hair health is lower than for conditions like arthritis. 

People with arthritis might necessitate at least 10 grams of collagen peptides daily for a longer time. Also, hydrolyzed collagen peptides are produced more from the body, so you need to take them less than other types of collagen peptides. 

The supplement companies write how much collagen you should take daily. In most of them, they suggest taking 1–2 scoops or 1–2 pills or gummies daily. This ensures the body will easily use the collagen absorbed.

Collagen Types and Their Dosage

Hydrolyzed collagen peptide supplement

Comes from cattle, seafood, poultry, and pig sources. This collagen supplement is rapidly absorbed, and it is available in capsule or powder form. Taking 2.5–15 grams of it each day may be effective for skin elasticity, bone, hair, and nail health.

Undenatured collagen 

Derives from chicken cartilage, and it is used for osteoarthritis and improves joint health. Studies show that taking 10–40 milligrams of undenatured collagen daily yields many benefits for the elderly.

Gelatin

Derives from animal sources and is used for cooking. The recommended dose is up to 10 grams daily.

Is Too Much Collagen Bad for You?

Going beyond the amount you see prescribed in your supplement package might lead to different side effects and undermine the positive ones for your body. 

To avoid any side effects, read and follow the recommendations. Taking more collagen will not result in faster results or better results, and you may start having headaches, feeling tired, and having gut problems.

In addition, if you’re taking the proper amount and still not feeling good, that is also a sign you are taking excessive collagen or the wrong type. We advise you to stop and get medical advice from your healthcare provider. 

Can Collagen Cause Gas and Bloating?

Yes, it is common to have an upset stomach in the first weeks of taking collagen supplements. It’s a sign of the body adapting to the new collagen levels. 

But if the bloating persists, check a few things, such as the amount, the type, and the collagen supplement brand that you’re using. 

Opting for a grass-fed animal source, collagen has helped many people get rid of the bloating that might come from it.

Too Much Collagen: What Are the Symptoms?

Some of the symptoms indicating you are taking too much collagen include:

#1 Digestive Issues

Excessive collagen might lead to an upset stomach, abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, and others.

This mostly happens because collagen consists of large molecules that the body cannot digest easily. An excessive amount of collagen might disturb the digestive system by overwhelming it. 

#2 Fatigue

Collagen comprises big molecules that might be hard for the body to digest if taken in excessive amounts. This distressed digestion might lead to feeling tired and not energized. 

#3 Headaches

If you take more collagen than your body can digest, it will cause problems adapting the body to new levels of energy.

Excessive collagen peptides can lead to a deficit in tryptophan, which causes your serotonin levels to lower. Apart from fatigue, this might lead to headaches and feelings of nervousness and irritability.

You might also be sensitive to the free glutamic acid in collagen peptides, which causes mild headaches or difficulty in sleeping. 

#4 Vital organs distress

Vital organs, such as the lungs, heart, and kidneys, can suffer consequences because of collagen excess as well. This might happen due to the overstimulation of collagen production in the body.

Too much collagen can cause kidney stones or calcium oxalate crystals in the urinary tract that cause blockages and result in pain and health complications.

What to Do if You Take Too Much Collagen?

If you are feeling any side effects, you have to stop using it and then talk to your doctor if needed.

Even if you take too much collagen, you can easily modify the dosage and stop the side effects. And that doesn’t mean you have to give up on collagen.

The first step is to stop using the collagen supplements and make sure you read and follow the instructions in the packing. 

Most collagen supplements will explicitly show how much collagen to take. If you’re following them but still have the side effects, try to lower the dose you take. 

Next, you need to talk to a medical professional and get advice. Your problems with collagen will come to an end and after using it properly.

Does Everyone Need Collagen? 

You don’t need to take collagen supplements if you get enough of it with food. If you are eating enough bone broth, chicken, fish, eggs, or vegetables, you probably get enough nutrients to boost the body’s natural collagen production.

As the human body ages, it loses collagen and can not produce it at the same levels as before. After 40 years old, we lose up to 1% of our body’s collagen each year.

Collagen loss is especially apparent in women during menopause. All the changes the body is going through make it more than necessary to supply your diet with collagen supplements as well. 

Benefits of Using Collagen

People with digestive problems can make good use of collagen. Collagen peptides promote weight loss and help maintain a gut health balance because of glutamine.

Studies have found that collagen supplementation reduces visible aging signs in the human face. Other groups include those suffering from skin problems, very slow wound healing, osteoarthritis, bone density loss, muscle mass loss, hair fallout, etc.

Conclusion

As many studies show, collagen, the most abundant protein in our body, fights aging and helps you maintain your hair, skin, nails, joints, muscles, and bones healthy. But can you take too many collagen peptides?

Consuming more collagen than you should will lead to fatigue, headaches, digestive distress, and kidney stones.