The Best Collagen Gummies

Many people swear that ingestible collagen provides marked improvements to their hair, skin, nails, and joints, which is why everywhere you look, someone’s hyping up collagen products. And lately, it’s collagen gummies that are getting all the attention. According to physician Dr. Azza Halim, M.D., who spoke to Bustle for this article, the best collagen gummies contain collagen from grass-fed, non-GMO animal sources, or if you’re a pescatarian, from wild caught marine sources. Also, try to find gummies that are made with limited additives (e.g. sugar, fructose, or artificial coloring). Though Dr. Halim thinks that capsules and powders are typically better absorbed, how you ingest your collagen really comes down to a matter of personal preference, so if you find gummies more enjoyable or easier to consume, go right ahead. Finally, Dr. Halim says you can look for collagen gummies that also contain omega-3, vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin C, zinc, and/or biotin for added benefits for your hair, skin, and nails, and overall health.

While Dr. Halim says that many doctors don’t think there is enough scientific evidence to support taking ingestible collagen, particularly over eating a diet of collagen-rich foods, she tells Bustle that that some small studies have shown benefits. For example, one study conducted in 2014 showed that women who ingested 2.5 to 5 grams of collagen daily (for eight weeks) experienced an improvement in their skin’s elasticity, compared against women who did not. At the end of the day, there’s certainly no reason not to add a collagen gummy to your diet since they’re generally safe to consume and have limited side effects (and there is a lot of anecdotal evidence to back up their benefits).

To shop the best collagen gummies, scroll on.

1. The Best Sugar-Free Collagen Gummies

Created for people who like to maintain keto or paleo diets, Wild Fuel’s sugar-free gummies contain marine collagen and MCT oil from coconut oil, an ingredient typically used to give athletes an energy boost for their workouts. These gummies are cherry flavored and sweetened with sugar alcohols (which are often referenced on ingredient labels as mannitol, sorbitol, xylitol, lactitol, isomalt, maltitol, or hydrogenated starch hydrolysates). Sugar alcohols are a sugar substitute that have less calories than sugar and produce less of a rise in blood sugar levels than other carbohydrates.

Finding options for sugar- and sweetener-free gummies tends to be fairly tricky, since gummies are meant to taste like candy, so if you’re looking for an additive-free option, you may want to check out collagen powders or supplements instead.

Relevant Amazon review: “My wife and I have been taking these Keto Candies for about 5 days now and have both experienced mental clarity in a new way. Not only do they taste good, but we both commented on the ability to flow more with our work. We will definitely continue to take these as we look forward to more cognitive enhancements.”

2. The Best Collagen Gummies With Other Nutrients, Too

These collagen gummies contain 50 milligrams of non-GMO, gelatin-free, hydrolyzed collagen (which means it’s been broken down for easier absorption in your body) to increase both skin density and elasticity. They also contain vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc, and biotin, all nutrients that Dr. Halim say go into a well-balanced supplement. You get 60 gummies in each bottle in assorted berry flavors (strawberry, blackberry, raspberry, and blueberry), with the daily recommended amount being two gummies, so it’s about a month’s supply. These gummies have a solid 4.5 out of five-star rating on Amazon, with 87% of reviewers having awarded them either four or five stars.

Relevant Amazon review: “I’ve been using these vitamins for about 6 months now and the results are great. My hair is strong and healthy, my nails grow at a very rapid rate and my skin feels very hydrated and bouncy. I would highly recommend these vitamins.”

3. The Best Collagen-Only Gummies

If you’re looking for collagen and collagen only, try these OLLY Gummy Rings. They’re made from bioactive collagen peptides, which, during a 2014 study, were shown to make a noticeable difference in participants’ skin elasticity and skin tone. Additionally, Dr. Halim adds that collagen peptides are the most absorbable and beneficial type of collagen. These are also popular with Amazon reviewers, having earned over 12,000 five-star ratings and 1,000+ five-star reviews thus far.

One small warning about these gummies (and all other gummy vitamins): Be sure to keep them out of reach of children, since they resemble candy.

Relevant Amazon review: “Cute package, amazing flavor, and I'm seeing actual results. My nails are growing like crazy, my skin is less oily with almost no breakouts, and my hair isnt falling out so much either. I'm 1 year postpartum and it's been a serious struggle to find something that helps you get back to normal, but this does help.”

4. The Best Collagen Gummies For Pescatarians

Typically, collagen comes from bovine (or sometimes porcine) sources, but for those who prefer not to eat meat, these wild-caught marine collagen gummies from Purify Life are an excellent alternative. They’re sourced from cod, and are free of gluten, gelatine, and GMOs. These orange-colored gummies are, not surprisingly, orange flavored.

Relevant Amazon review: “These taste amazing!!! It’s definitely not a chore to eat like some collagen forms can be. I bought them for my joints, but they have made my hair grow like crazy!!!! My hairdresser even remarked about how much volume my hair had & the growth! Subscribed now!”

5. The Best Vegan Gummies To Promote Collagen Production

For people who don’t eat anything derived from animals, there are still vegan collagen-promoting supplements, such as these Goli Superfruits Gummies. Though there is less research on vegan options for increasing collagen production than on supplements that contain animal-derived collagen, these gummies are full of healthy ingredients, including bamboo silica, a trace mineral that may help promote collagen production, as well as vitamins A, C, and E, zinc, and a blend of antioxidant-rich fruits like açaí berry, amla berry, acerola cherry, pomegranate, goji berries, banana, and apple. These gummies are non-GMO and contain no gluten, gelatin, artificial sweeteners, colors from artificial sources, or artificial flavors, and are also free from common allergens like dairy, soy, shellfish, wheat, and peanuts.

Relevant Amazon review: “I was pleasantly surprised at the taste. Kinda sweet but very good. Gave me sustained energy through out the day. Great product. Would recommend for anyone wanting a little more energy to help get past the afternoon slump.”

Expert:

Dr. Azza Halim, a board-certified M.D.

Studies referenced:

Oral intake of specific bioactive collagen peptides reduces skin wrinkles and increases dermal matrix synthesis by E Proksch, M Schunck, V Zague, D Segger, J Degwert, S Oesser; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24401291/