Collagen (Hydrolyzed Collagen Peptides)
Of 1,628 on-market collagen (hydrolyzed collagen peptides) products in the January 2026 DSLD dump, the median declared dose is 1,500 mg, and 94.7% list Hydrolyzed Collagen Peptides (Type I/III) as the primary form.
Form share
Of 1,517 products with an identifiable primary form, here is the share held by each form of Collagen (Hydrolyzed Collagen Peptides) on the market today.
| Form | Quality tier | n | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hydrolyzed Collagen Peptides (Type I/III) | Tier 1 | 1,436 | 94.7% |
| Gelatin / Hydrolyzed Gelatin | Unrated | 74 | 4.9% |
| Undenatured Type II Collagen (UC-II) | Tier 1 | 6 | 0.4% |
| Hydrolyzed Collagen Type II | Tier 2 | 1 | 0.1% |
Form share over time
Entry-year breakdown of the top forms, 2012–2025.
Dose distribution
Deciles of declared dose per serving (mg), among 1,057 products with a disclosed amount.
- 35.7% of products fall below the fairy-dust threshold (500 mg, 20% of the studied low dose).
- 25.6% of products don't disclose an amount because Collagen (Hydrolyzed Collagen Peptides) is declared inside a proprietary blend.
By dosage form
By target group
Top brands
Forms explained
Best-represented form across skin, joint and muscle RCTs; multiple independent double-blind placebo-controlled trials at 2.5-10g/day show measurable outcomes. Generic "Collagen"/"Total Collagen" label entries (no processing specified) default here as the most common commercial form, flagged for manual review rather than assumed with full certainty.
Source: Proksch E et al. 2014, Skin Pharmacol Physiol 27(1):47-55
Fewer independent RCTs than generic Type I/III peptides; positive joint-comfort findings exist but the evidence base is thinner and often industry-sponsored.
Source: PMC8308696 (hydrolyzed chicken collagen type II RCT)
NOT simply another "form" of hydrolyzed collagen -- works via a distinct oral-tolerization immunological mechanism at a tiny ~40mg/day dose (vs multi-gram peptide doses), with its own multicenter RCT evidence including outperforming glucosamine+chondroitin on WOMAC score. A 2025 RCT combining UC-II with hydrolyzed collagen found no added benefit over placebo -- do not assume additivity.
Source: Lugo JP et al., PMC4731911; Crowley DC et al. 2009
Less hydrolyzed than collagen peptides with different solubility/bioavailability characteristics, but no rigorous head-to-head human RCT isolating gelatin vs hydrolyzed peptides at equal dose was found.
Source: uncertain -- needs review
Reference values
- RDA (adult): not established — Not an essential nutrient (endogenously synthesized); no DRI exists.
- Tolerable Upper Intake Level (adult): not established — Not established. Trials using up to 15g/day of hydrolyzed collagen peptides have not reported serious adverse effects.
- Studied clinical dose range: 2500–15000 mg
- Proksch E et al. 2014, Skin Pharmacol Physiol 27(1):47-55 -- double-blind placebo-controlled study; 2.5g and 5g/day dose-arms improved skin elasticity [exact PMID not independently re-confirmed -- needs review]. Broader support from multiple RCTs, e.g. 10g/day x8wk improved skin hydration/elasticity/roughness in 112 women.
- Note: Undenatured Type II Collagen (UC-II) works via a distinct oral-tolerization mechanism at a much lower ~40mg/day dose and should NOT be treated as interchangeable/additive with hydrolyzed collagen peptides -- a 2025 RCT combining both found no added benefit over placebo. Generic "Collagen"/"Total Collagen" label entries (no processing specified) default to the hydrolyzed Type I/III peptide bucket (by far the most common commercial form) but are flagged for manual review rather than assumed with certainty.