Liquid Collagen, Pills and Capsules: Which is Better?

Here at Absolute Collagen, we are the collagen experts and we’re proud of our liquid collagen, which helps Absoluters achieve a gorgeous glow, plumped up skin, beautiful hair and strong, shiny nails. However, for anyone new to the world of collagen, we appreciate that it can be confusing - after all, there are so many different collagen supplements out there and they’re all slightly different.

For this reason, we’ve produced a transparent and informative guide to collagen in liquid form vs pills and capsules, which are some of the most popular forms of taking collagen. We compared absorption, dosage, versatility, convenience and more - read on to find out how these different forms of collagen compare.

What Does Liquid Collagen Mean?

When we say “liquid collagen” or “drinkable collagen” we mean collagen that is in a ready to drink liquid form, as opposed to pill or tablet form. At Absolute Collagen, each 10ml sachet packs in a mighty 8000mg of hydrolysed marine collagen, ready to drink straight from the sachet. Hydrolysed simply means the collagen has undergone the hydrolysis process, which breaks down collagen fibres into small collagen chains known as collagen peptides. These peptides are small enough to enter the bloodstream, whereas collagen fibres - also known as native collagen molecules - are too large to pass through into the bloodstream.

Liquid collagen is digested and absorbed into the bloodstream more quickly and efficiently than solid supplements because the body has to work harder to extract nutrients when they’re delivered in solid form. This is evidenced by several studies into the bioavailability and effectiveness of liquid supplements including here, here and here. The Physician’s Desk Reference states that 85-90% of nutrients contained in supplements in liquid form reach the stomach just 22 to 30 seconds* - pretty impressive!

Additionally, using liquid supplements means a more highly concentrated dose can be packed into a small serving when compared to pill or tablet form.

Comparing Liquid Collagen to Collagen Pills, Capsules and Tablets

Collagen pills, capsules and tablets are terms that are often used interchangeably, but there are some subtle differences. Firstly, when we say collagen pills, this can be used as an overarching term encompassing both capsules and tablets. The main way capsules differ from tablets is that they typically have some kind of dissolvable casing around the collagen itself. Collagen tablets are comprised of collagen powder which is then tightly pressed together to form a pill.

So, what are the pros of taking collagen in pill form?

The Pros of Collagen Pills

The main benefit of collagen tablets or pills is the convenience - they are fuss free and can be taken conveniently. You can simply take them with water and be done, and capsules in particular often don’t have a distinct taste or odour due to the capsule’s coating, as we mentioned above.

The Cons of Collagen Pills

However, there are more disadvantages to collagen pills than there are advantages - which is why we’ve opted for liquid collagen in our award-winning supplement!

For instance, if you’re one of many people who have trouble swallowing a pill then this method is unsuitable and highly inconvenient. In contrast, liquid collagen can be quick and easy to consume.

Plus, there are issues around dosage with regards to collagen pills, capsules and tablets. Typically, they aren’t very big, and it’s likely you will have to take more pills to get the desired effect compared to a pre-mixed shot of liquid collagen. One pill might be quick and easy, but is unlikely to deliver optimum benefits, while the additional pills needed to get the best results make the whole process increasingly complicated and long-winded.

Finally, in contrast to tablets, which need to be further broken down by the body before they are absorbed, liquid collagen is more easily and quickly absorbed - we call it ‘highly bioavailable’. Absolute Collagen has an absorption rate of 90-95% compared to 40-45% for collagen pills.

Take a look at our graphic below to understand just how many collagen pills you would need to take per one Absolute Collagen sachet:

So there you have it - all the evidence suggests that the best and most effective way of consuming a collagen supplement is in a highly bioavailable liquid form, which is why we have created our award-winning product to be exactly that. Not only does it have a drastically higher absorption rate than pills, but our handy 10ml sachets are easy to take on the go and each one provides the perfect dose, every single time. What’s not to love? Here at Absolute Collagen, we truly believe in our product and so do our fabulous Absoluters. Why not try Absolute Collagen’s award-winning liquid formula for yourself today?

*source: Physician's Desk Reference, page 1542, #49