Collagen Liquid vs. Collagen Pills

Collagen liquid vs. pills: what you need to know

If you’re plugged into 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, 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 many different brands pushing different types of supplements in your direction. There are also things like creams and balms available 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 liquid collagen?

When we refer to liquid collagen or drinkable collagen, we are talking about collagen that comes in liquid form, ready to drink. This is as opposed to the collagen 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. You simply add it to water and drink.

Collagen peptides are hydrolysed. This means they have undergone hydrolysis to break down the collagen molecules into smaller amino acid chains. These are very easy for your digestive system to absorb. 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 almost no digestion. The nutrients are readily available within the liquid to absorb into the bloodstream. In fact, this can happen in less than a minute. Conversely, with solid supplements like pills and tablets, the body has to do some work. It has 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 comes across in a number of studies into the bioavailability of liquid supplements.

Whilst summarising the two, there's another thing worth mentioning. Liquid supplements are able to supply a more concentrated dose than what can go into a small pill or tablet. This means that you can get your entire dosage of daily collagen from a single sachet of Kollo. But you would need to take multiple tablets each day to get the same amount into your body.

Comparing liquid to pills, tablets and capsules

Collagen pills, tablets and capsules tend to be interchangeable names for the same thing. But there is actually some nuance that discerns between them. The word ‘pills’ can also cover tablets as they are pretty much the same thing. But capsules are actually a little different. They contain collagen in a powder form encased within a dissolvable membrane. Your body must break this membrane down within the body.

A tablet, on the other hand, is more likely to be a powdered form of collagen. It may also include other nutrients. These are all 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. 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 these even serve as caveats to the advantages 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 an inconvenient and stressful addition to the daily routine.

There are also issues around dosage that can make collagen pills even less convenient. Generally speaking, to keep these pills small enough to swallow, there must be sacrifices made. These relate to how much is actually 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. This is the only way to get the necessary amount of collagen peptides into your body. Far 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 to access the nutrients. This can actually lower the overall absorption rate. In fact, as little as 40-45% of the collagen peptides in each pill might enter the bloodstream. In a nutshell, the ‘bioavailability’ of 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

• 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 with collagen peptides and other supporting nutrients. Kollo sachets contain 10 grams of high-quality marine collagen. They also include 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 – open a sachet, add the contents to a glass of water and drink. The collagen peptides are tasteless. Moreover, the natural flavourings in the mix actually make it a pleasant drink to have each morning.

A consistent dosage is easy in a liquid suspension. 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 various complementary nutrients. These can further 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, your body doesn't have to break anything down. So the collagen and other nutrients are bioavailable with an absorption rate of 90-95%. This will happen fast and put minimal strain on your stomach. Thus, 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. It provides high bioavailability, consistent dosage, complementary nutrients, great taste and effortless convenience. These 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 comes in its own sachet. Kollo keeps waste to a minimum by providing the sachets in a recyclable cardboard box. We also work 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 quite apparent. The liquid outperforms the tablet across the board for the benefits you want from your collagen supplement. We have pulled out all the stops to provide you with the best possible product. As such, we have won numerous awards and received countless 5-star reviews for our efforts.

With Kollo, you get the highest quality marine collagen. It includes scientifically proven complementary ingredients, delivered in liquid for maximum bioavailability. It’s simple to use and tastes great. 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!