Liquid Collagen vs. Powder: Experts Explain Which Form Is More Effective

But what is liquid collagen, anyway? And how does it compare to the trusty powder we all know and love? Here, we tapped experts for their honest thoughts. 

We get into more thoroughly in this guide to collagen in the body, so read more there if you're interested in getting into the details.

This probably goes without saying, but the biggest difference between the two is their form: Liquid collagen comes in a ready-made drink format, while collagen powder comes in a powder (duh). From there, liquid and powder versions do have their fair share of differences. Let's discuss all the pros and cons: 

So if you're hoping to consume more than 10 grams of collagen per day, you might need to gulp down a couple of those liquid collagen drinks to meet the benchmark, which might not be as efficient or cost-friendly, gram for gram. 

Again, it depends on the brand, but Kujawski notes that many liquid collagen products are formulated with marine collagen, which contains predominantly types I and II collagen. Quick review: Type I collagen is found all over the body (except for cartilage) and is most highly concentrated in bone, ligaments, tendons, skin, hair, nails, and the gut lining. Type II is mainly found in cartilage.

Grass-fed bovine collagen, on the other hand, is high in types I and III. Type III collagen is found in skin, muscle, and blood vessels. The combination of types I and III make grass-fed bovine collagen particularly well suited for overall health, but if you follow a pescatarian diet, marine collagen might be better suited to your lifestyle.* You can totally find liquid collagen products sourced from bovine origin (like this drink!), but it may take some searching to find the right brand for you—that's true for any supplement, liquids, and powders alike. 

But these added flavors aren't without their drawbacks: "That means empty sugar calories, whether natural or artificial or from juices," says Ferira. "Other liquid collagen brands will have zero sugar but then load up on the flavoring side, so again, longer additive profile." After all, you can have just as much fun (without the additives) by adding collagen powder to your own tasty strawberry smoothie. 

If you're looking for a quick grab-and-go option, liquid collagen might be an attractive choice for you. Since the collagen comes premixed into a beverage, it takes all the legwork out of scooping the powder yourself and swirling it into the drink (a process that only takes a couple of minutes, but still…) 

Of course, single-use products do have their environmental considerations: Individually packaged collagen beverages tend to be less eco-friendly than a recyclable jar or gusset bag of powder. "Much more green to scoop collagen yourself from a multi-serving container and put into your beverage or smoothie of choice," notes Ferira. 

"Many liquid collagen brands tout the bioavailability of their product, claiming that the collagen is more efficiently absorbed and usable by the body," adds Kujawski. "However, scientific studies in this arena are lacking to substantiate this claim." In fact, collagen as a protein (aka peptide) compound is actually quite large (whether it comes in a liquid or powder form), so to enhance its bioavailability and absorption, your body has to break down the protein into smaller peptides and amino acids to absorb them in your gut. 

Whether in a liquid or powder form, collagen peptides come with an array of benefits.* If you need a reason to start a regular collagen routine, check out these full-body perks: 

At its core, liquid collagen is simply just collagen powder pre-dissolved into water or another beverage. So you can certainly make "liquid collagen" yourself—and DIY versions will typically have a higher dose and fewer additives than market products–which is why, when going head-to-head, powdered collagen is preferred (at least by our standards). The main thing to look for is high-quality and clean (grass-fed, pasture-raised, non-GMO, etc.), collagen.