If your start to the day is yet to include a shot, sprinkle or shake of marine collagen then listen up.
The skin-loving supplement has hit the wellness world by storm in the form of powders, gummies, drinks and capsules. But what exactly does this wonder substance promise to deliver and why should we be adding it to our morning routine?
What is marine collagen and what does it do?
As the name suggests, marine collagen is a form of protein that derives from fish bones and scales. Unlike other collagen you may have heard of which is traditionally made using cow or pig skin and bones, research suggests that marine collagen is a healthier alternative and one we should aim to get up to 10 grams of each day. “People can take any source of collagen, but studies show marine collagen is better absorbed,” says Dr Dinuk Dissanayake, a medical doctor and co-founder of collagen brand Correxiko.
Why do we need collagen?
“Modern diets are depleted of collagen, now people consume fish and meat fillets with their collagen-rich skin and cartilage removed. However, collagen is vital to replenish body collagen. Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body – it promotes healthy skin, including hydration, elasticity and firmness,” explains Dr Dissanayake. But the pros don’t stop there; marine collagen may support joint health, bone density and enhance muscle strength as well as aid digestion, among other benefits.
Who can benefit from marine collagen?
Our bodies naturally produce collagen which is the main building block that creates skin, muscles, tendons and other connective tissue in the body but from the age of around 25, our body’s natural production of it slows down, hence many people opting to supplement it in their diet. Other factors such as increases in the stress hormone cortisol can impact the production of collagen, too. “Marine collagen is good for growing children, young adults, for people who exercise, peri/menopausal women and for those over 65 – there is no upper limit,” explains Dr Dissanayake.
Who should avoid marine collagen?
If you're allergic to shellfish, fish or eggs, you're better off looking for an alternate supplement to marine collagen.
Note: please do speak to a doctor regarding collagen supplements if you’re pregnant, planning on conceiving or breastfeeding.
Are there any side effects to taking marine collagen?
If you’re not allergic to shellfish or eggs, the consequences of taking marine collagen, if any, are on the mild side. Some have experienced bloating, diarrhoea, indigestion or nausea. If you experience any of these symptoms or you’re unsure, it’s always best to stop taking the supplements and speak to a medical professional before continuing.
Best marine collagens at a glance
- Best for budget: Bare Biology skinful marine collagen - £35.95, Amazon
- Best for flavour: Vida Glow Natural marine collagen - £39, Vida Glow
- Best all-rounder: Correxiko’s Marine Collagen - £35.95, Amazon
- Best for splashing out: Rejuvenated collagen shots - £49, Rejuvenated
- Best for joint health: Reverse Life Collagen MSM - £29, Reverse Life
- Best for travel: Kollo Health - £27.53, Amazon
- Best for celeb status: WelleCo Australia The Collagen Elixir - £45, Cult Beauty
- Best for newbies: Bio synergy pro collagen and multivitamin - £24.99, Very
- Best for skin: Perfectil collagen skin - £41, Boots
- Best for convenience: Purolabs puro collagen complex peptides - £26.99, Amazon
- Best for quality: Absolute Collagen Marine Liquid Collagen Supplement - £30.59, Amazon
- Best for high strength: Revive Collagen Premium 8,500mg Hydrolysed Marine Collagen Drink - £67.98, Revive Collagen
From the best marine collagens to add to your morning americano to the celebs’ favourites, we’ve cast our net to share some of the very best on the market…Shop now
Bare Biology Skinful marine collagen
Best for: budget
At just £35 for a two-month supply, the Bare Biology Skinful Marine Collagen is one of the kindest on our wallets (a 12-month one-off purchase works out at just £13.13 a month).
The flavourless super-fine powder which dissolves very easily indeed is extremely versatile and your daily dose of just one tablespoon can either be added to your porridge, shaken into smoothies or stirred into your morning latte. With no added ingredients and made from MSC-certified sustainably sourced wild Norwegian cod skin, the brand is mega proud of its credentials and usability. A big thumbs up from us, too.
Buy now £35.95, Amazon
Vida Glow Natural marine collagen
Best for: flavour
Another Aussie-based brand, Vida Glow Natural Marine Collagen comes in cute little sachets in a fancy box that feels super-premium for a supplement. Now, we know it’s not all about the chic packaging, the easy-to-blend powder has a very natural blueberry flavour that knocked all the other supplements out of the water when it came to taste.
The brand’s clinical trials speak for themselves: 70 per cent of those who tried Vida Glow reported few crow’s feet wrinkles and 68 per cent said their skin felt more hydrated after just eight weeks. The team behind Vida Glow are so confident with the results that you’ll get a 100 per cent money-back guarantee if you’re not satisfied after eight weeks of consistent use (T&Cs apply, naturally).
Buy now £39.00, Vida Glow
Correxiko Marine Collagen
Best: all-rounder
If you’re a fan of adding your supplements to your breakfast, lunch or dinner, then this unflavoured marine collagen powder by Correxiko is going to be right up your street. Perfect to add to cold or hot drinks, smoothies or soups, it doesn’t provide that fishy scent or flavour that some marine collagens leave (not what you want with your 7am oats, frankly).
Each serving delivers a whopping 10,000mg of marine collagen, which is sourced from Arctic Canadian waters and is a by-product of the fishing industry, making it a more sustainable and eco-friendly source of collagen than some other brands on the market.
Buy now £35.95, Amazon
Rejuvenated Collagen shots
Best for: splashing out
The award-winning Rejuvenated Collagen Shots are on the top end of the budget scale among our list of best marine collagens, but hear us out: each serve contains an impressive 10,000mg of hydrolysed marine collagen, antioxidants, vitamins and hyaluronic acid to help hydrate and plump up the skin, making this a powerhouse of a supplement.
What’s more, unlike some other marine collagens, the powder blends really easily with water and is a lot lighter in texture, not providing that thickness that some supplements can have when shaken or stirred. The natural berry flavouring creates an extremely palatable and fresh flavour, too.
Buy now £49.00, Rejuvenated
Reverse Life Collagen MSM
Best for: joint health
We love supplements that provide more bang for their buck, and Reverse Life Collagen MSM certainly does that. Not only does the drink contain 8,000mg of high-strength marine collagen but the daily dose of 25ml also contains 1,000mg of MSM (or Methylsulfonylmethane if you want to get technical!).
MSM is a chemical which is often used to treat arthritis, making this a great option if you’re someone who’s consciously looking to improve their joint health as well as their hair, skin and nails. Model Christine McGuinness, celeb Peter Andre, and TOWIE star Amy Childs are all said to be fans of Reverse Life, so you’re in good company. However, take note: the tangy-apple flavour is really sharp and zingy so if you’re not a fan of that, then this might not be for you.
Buy now £29.00, Reverse Life
Kollo Health Marine Collagen
Best for: travel
The award-winning premium liquid marine collagen Kollo Health was co-founded by TV presenter Jenni Falconer in 2020 and has sold over three million doses. As a keen runner, Jenni was advised to start taking a marine collagen supplement and Kollo Health was born.
Each sachet contains 10g of premium collagen, which you simply dilute in 170ml water creating a delish tropical-flavour squash-like drink. Despite it coming out of the sachet quite thickly (almost like golden syrup), it blends very well. The chic red packaging pops through your letterbox and the individual sachets are perfect if you’re going away and don’t want to lug around a big pot of supplements.
Buy now £27.53, Amazon
WelleCo The Collagen Elixir
Best for: celeb status
Founded by Australian-born supermodel Elle Macpherson, Collagen Elixir by WelleCo is a powerful blend of sustainably sourced marine collagen peptides. The supplement is formulated with natural vitamin C from acerola cherry and beetroot, hyaluronic acid, silica and digestive enzymes that help the body to hydrate for healthy, radiant skin, strong nails and thicker hair.
Each serving, which can be added to any drink or smoothie, contains 3500mg of marine collagen giving you a blast of the good stuff. Made in Australia, the flavour-free powder is on the pricier scale of our list but if you do want to channel your inner runway queen, then it’ll cost you…
Buy now £45.00, Cult Beauty
Bio-Synergy Pro collagen and multivitamin
Best for: newbies
If you’re new to marine collagen and aren’t sure where to start, then Bio-Synergy has the answer with their nifty pro collagen and multivitamins. Just take two capsules before your main meal with a glass of water for a 1,000mg hit of marine collagen along with 100 per cent of your RDA (recommended daily amount of vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin C and other multivitamins and minerals). Handy, right?
Buy now £24.99, Very
Perfectil Platinum Collagen Skin Drink
Best for: healthy-looking skin
What more could you want from the UK’s number one beauty supplement brand than a product that’s designed to support your skin from the inside out? The Perfectil Platinum Collagen Skin Drink contains 7,000mg of Peptan marine collagen as well as the B vitamin biotin and zinc, which help maintain healthy-looking skin.
Simply have one of the 50ml bottles of the passionfruit-flavoured drink after your main meal each day – no stirring or measuring of powders required. This one is perfect for those who like to supplement on the go.
Buy now £41.00, Boots
Purolabs Marine collagen complex peptides
Best for: convenience
If you’re someone who’s constantly on the move and not one for spending time mixing your supplements into your morning smoothie, then Purolabs marine collagen complex peptides are for you.
Take one or two capsules daily with water. They’re ideal if you’re someone who is rushing around in the morning as the slimline packaging can be kept in your handbag ready when you are. They’re also on the budget end of the marine collagen scale: if you buy a six-month subscription, they work out as just £18.33 a bottle and you’re sorted for half the year. Win-win.
Buy now £26.99, Amazon
Absolute Collagen Marine Liquid Collagen Supplement
In liquid form, these supplements from Maxine Laceby may be one of the most easily consumed on the market - all without sacrificing their efficacy. Each sachet is packed with 8000 mg of the highest quality type 1 collagen peptides available that are derived from marine sources and enriched with the power of antioxidant vitamin C. That’s it. The natural formulation is free from any nasties or fillers. The collagen is offered in a concentrated and small form to make it easily bioavailable by the body (the brand says 90-95 per cent of each dose is absorbed).
Best of all, you don’t need to combine them with anything as the lemon or mango and mandarin taste is fairly pleasant - so you can slip them into your bag with ease when you’re hybrid working or travelling.
Buy now £30.59, Amazon
Revive Collagen Premium 8,500mg Hydrolysed Marine Collagen Drink
These supplements from Revive Collagen are some of the most highly rated on the market, not in the least due to their high strength contents where each sachet contains an impressive 8,500mg of the protein-building Type 1 hydrolysed marine collagen. This is sourced from ethically farmed fish skin, which may not be the most pleasant sounding but fear not as they are flavoured with lemon and lime, so you can slip the shot into your daily routine, whether you prefer adding to other drinks - be it a smoothie or cuppa - or down in one.
Alongside collagen, these dietary add-ons also include hyaluronic acid and aloe vera juice, known anti-inflammatories and hydrating components. The ingredients are all naturally derived without any nasties or gluten, dairy, soy and the like, while the taste comes from a plant-based sweetener. This supplement was created to benefit skin, hair and nails, offering a plumping effect to fine lines.
Buy now £67.98, Revive Collagen
