Ad
If you want to optimize your fitness routine, you’ve probably asked yourself, “Can I take collagen and protein powder together?” The short answer is yes – and doing so may even optimize your results. To understand why, it can be helpful to understand the similarities (and differences) between collagen powder and protein powders. We’ll also cover other questions, such as “What is the best collagen powder?” and “What is the best time to take collagen supplements?”
Comparing Collagen and Protein
Protein is a substance found throughout our bodies, from our muscles and bones to our skin and hair to virtually every other body part or tissue. There are more than 10,000 different types of protein found in the body.
Collagen is one of those 10,000 types of protein (in fact, collagen makes up roughly one-third of the protein in our body). It is a structural protein found in the joints, bones, muscles, blood, and skin. Collagen is especially important for skin health; it makes up three-fourths of our skin and supports processes like regeneration, new skin growth, and elasticity.
Collagen Powder vs. Protein Powder
Both collagen powders and protein powders are popular health food supplements. Although collagen is a type of protein, these supplements are usually used for different purposes.
Protein powders are most commonly used to support muscle growth and repair, weight management, and blood sugar control, and help boost overall protein intake. Collagen powders, on the other hand, are often taken to help support skin firmness, elasticity, and moisture content and relieve joint or osteoarthritis pain.
Can I Take Collagen and Protein Powder Together?
You can indeed take collagen and protein powder together. Combining collagen and protein powders may even make them more effective, in part because of their amino acid profiles.
Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins: our bodies need 20 different amino acids to function properly. Of these, nine (known as “essential amino acids”) cannot be produced by our bodies and must come from outside dietary and supplementary sources.
Collagen contains eight of the nine essential amino acids. Combining collagen and protein powders is a simple way to access a wider, complete amino acid profile. Combining collagen and protein powders can be a simple way to get the muscle-building and weight-management benefits of protein with the skin- and joint-supporting benefits of collagen.
Try combining two products like Restore Collagen and Restore Whey Protein, both from OIAM Performance. Restore Collagen uses a blend of collagen that contains trademarked, research-backed ingredients that strengthen ligaments and tendons and promote the growth of cartilage tissue, while Restore Whey Protein is powered by OIAM’s premium Grass-Fed Whey Isolate fortified with ProHydrolase™, an enzyme that optimizes protein digestion and absorption.
Or, for a vegan, vegetarian, and dairy-free option, Plant Protein Meal by Designs for Health is an excellent plant-based protein powder alternative that can be taken alongside collagen powder.
How to Combine Collagen and Protein Powder Effectively
It’s clear that the answer to “Can I take collagen and protein powder together?” is yes. But what do we know about the best way to take collagen and protein powders together?
Here are some tips for how to get the most out of collagen and protein powders.
What is the Best Collagen Powder?
Wondering what is the best collagen powder? The short answer is that it depends on your health goals. Generally speaking, the best collagen products often contain hydrolyzed collagen peptides, which allow for better, faster absorption.
Many of the best collagen powders will also include different types of collagen for wide-ranging benefits. Collagen Peptides for Skin & Joints from Life Extension is an easily digestible multi-collagen peptide blend containing three different collagen types to support healthy skin and joints.
Best Time to Take Collagen Supplements
So, when is the best time to take collagen supplements? Most research indicates that timing is less important than consistency, so the best time to take collagen supplements is whenever you can do it consistently. Many collagen powders are unflavored, making it easy to stir into shakes, smoothies, coffee, drinks, and more. You can also add collagen powder to your pre- or post-workout protein shake made with Whey Pro Complete from Standard Process.
If you’re interested in learning more, read about whey protein vs plant protein: choosing the right supplement for your needs, or find out what is the best collagen supplement.
Ad
