Written by Sonia, Sports Nutritionist · Updated 21 October 2026

Morning or night, before breakfast or with it, before the gym or after: advice on collagen timing is everywhere. The research gives a practical answer. Collagen builds results through daily use over weeks, so the best time is one that fits the day you already have. Within that, a few windows make the habit easier, and some suit people who train.

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Why does taking collagen every day matter more than the time?

Collagen's benefits build up over weeks of daily use, so a steady habit does more for your results than the exact hour. A 2019 review of 11 randomised, placebo-controlled trials, with 805 people, found that oral collagen increased skin elasticity, hydration and dermal collagen density. Most of these trials gave 2.5 to 10 g of hydrolysed collagen every day, for 8 to 24 weeks.^[1]

• Within hours of each dose: hydrolysed collagen is collagen already cut into short chains of amino acids, called peptides. In healthy volunteers, collagen peptides in the blood peaked 1 to 2 hours after a dose, then eased over the next few hours.^[4] Each dose is a short window, and the daily habit is what adds up.
• After 4 weeks: collagen density in the dermis, the deeper layer of skin, increased, and the skin's collagen network became less fragmented.^[2]
• After 8 weeks: skin hydration improved,^[2] and in women aged 35 to 55, 2.5 g or 5 g of collagen peptides once a day improved skin elasticity.^[3]

For the full timeline, goal by goal, read our guide to how long collagen takes to work.

Is it better to take collagen in the morning or at night?

Both work well, so choose the one you're most likely to keep. Morning and night are the two times most people find easiest to repeat every day, because they already have a routine attached.

• Morning: a dose first thing, before breakfast, fits a routine that starts the same way every day, like brushing your teeth or making your kopi. It suits you if your evenings change with work dinners, late meetings or plans with friends.
• Night: a dose before bed suits you if your mornings are a rush. It has also been studied for sleep: in a crossover trial, 13 physically active men with sleep complaints took 15 g of collagen peptides 1 hour before bed for 7 nights, and they woke less often during the night than with placebo.^[5]

Whichever you choose, keep it at the same time each day. A fixed time turns collagen into something you do without thinking.

Should you take collagen on an empty stomach?

An empty stomach is an easy, reliable time to take collagen, and it's how the absorption studies were run. In one, healthy volunteers took hydrolysed collagen after a 12-hour fast, and collagen peptides, mainly Pro-Hyp (prolyl-hydroxyproline), peaked in their blood 1 to 2 hours later.^[4]

Collagen Glow Berries is best taken on an empty stomach, first thing in the morning before breakfast or just before bed. Both times fall naturally between meals, which makes them simple to keep. If your collagen is a powder you already stir into breakfast, any time works as long as you take it every day, so keep the habit you have.

If you've wondered what stomach acid does to collagen, read our guide to whether collagen survives stomach acid.

Should you take collagen before or after a workout?

Both have been studied, and each suits a different goal. Taking collagen about an hour before exercise has been linked to more collagen production, and taking it straight after strength training has been studied alongside muscle gains.

• Before training: in a randomised, double-blind crossover study, 8 healthy men drank vitamin C-enriched gelatin, a form of collagen. The amino acids that build collagen peaked in their blood 1 hour later. When they took 15 g 1 hour before 6 minutes of rope skipping, they had double the blood marker of new collagen production, the amino-terminal propeptide of collagen I.^[6]
• After training: in a 12-week trial, 25 recreationally active young men lifted weights three times a week and took 15 g of collagen peptides or a placebo straight after each session, and at a similar time on rest days. The collagen group gained more fat-free mass than the placebo group, and slightly more strength.^[7]
• For your knees: in 139 athletes with knee discomfort during sport, 5 g of collagen peptides a day for 12 weeks eased knee pain during activity more than placebo.^[8] That benefit came from a daily dose taken over weeks.
• Pair it with vitamin C: your body uses vitamin C to make collagen,^[9] which is why the pre-exercise study enriched its gelatin with it.^[6]

In practice, plan it around when you train. If you run at East Coast Park or hit the gym early, a dose when you wake does double duty: it's on an empty stomach and about an hour before your session. If you train after work, keep your dose at bedtime so your daily habit stays the same. For more on training and joints, read our guide to collagen for joint pain.

Which collagen timing suits your routine?

The best window is the one that fits the day you already have. Here's how the four main options compare.

Absorption study.^[4] Bedtime trial.^[5] Pre-exercise and post-training studies.^{[6] [7]}

How do you make collagen a daily habit?

Tie collagen to something you already do every day, and keep the same routine on busy days, rest days and holidays. A habit you don't have to think about is the one that lasts the 8 to 24 weeks skin trials ran for.^[1]

1. Anchor it. Pair it with a habit you never skip, like your first glass of water, brushing your teeth or your bedtime skincare.
2. Keep it where you'll see it. Leave a sachet by the bathroom sink, or a few in your desk drawer at work for the days your routine slips.
3. Take it on rest days too. In the 12-week training trial, men took collagen on rest days as well as training days.^[7]
4. Pack it when you travel. Single sachets slip into a carry-on, so the habit doesn't stop on holiday.
5. Keep going. Some benefits held after people stopped: older women still had better skin elasticity 4 weeks after their last dose.^[3] To keep your results, keep the habit.

Collagen Glow Berries is made for this kind of routine. Each ready-to-drink sachet has 6,000 mg of Wellnex marine collagen dipeptide: hydrolysed Types I and III collagen from tilapia, made by enzymatic hydrolysis. Its glycine, proline and hydroxyproline come in a 3:1:1 ratio, which reflects collagen's own structure, where every third amino acid is glycine and proline and hydroxyproline fill many of the other places.^[10] Each sachet also has 250 mg of vitamin C and 100 mg of bilberry extract. There's no water to add: take 1 sachet a day on an empty stomach, in the morning before breakfast or before bed. It contains fish, so skip it if you have a fish allergy.

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Related reading: Do collagen drinks actually work? · How long does collagen actually take to work?

Frequently asked questions

Should I take collagen on rest days too?
Yes. Collagen works through daily use, so take it on rest days as well as training days. In a 12-week strength training trial, men took collagen straight after each session and at a similar time on rest days. Keeping one time every day is the easiest way not to miss a dose.

What happens if I miss a day of collagen?
Take your next dose at your usual time, with no need to double up. Results build over weeks of daily use, and in one trial, older women still had better skin elasticity 4 weeks after their last dose. The habit over weeks is what counts.

Should I take collagen with vitamin C?
Yes, they make a good pair. Your body uses vitamin C to make its own collagen, which is why the two are so often taken together. Collagen Glow Berries has 250 mg of vitamin C in every sachet, so there's nothing extra to add.

How much collagen should I take a day?
Skin trials used 2.5 to 10 g of hydrolysed collagen a day. Collagen Glow Berries gives you 6,000 mg of marine collagen dipeptide in 1 sachet, within that range. Take 1 sachet a day, at the same time each day.

Is it safe to take collagen every day?
Daily collagen was well tolerated in trials, and a review of 11 trials with 805 people reported no side effects. Collagen Glow Berries contains fish, so avoid it if you have a fish allergy. If you're pregnant, breastfeeding, on medication or have allergies, check with your doctor first.

References
[1] Choi FD et al. Oral collagen supplementation: a systematic review of dermatological applications. J Drugs Dermatol. 2019.
[2] Asserin J et al. The effect of oral collagen peptide supplementation on skin moisture and the dermal collagen network. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2015.
[3] Proksch E et al. Oral supplementation of specific collagen peptides has beneficial effects on human skin physiology. Skin Pharmacol Physiol. 2014.
[4] Iwai K et al. Identification of food-derived collagen peptides in human blood after oral ingestion of gelatin hydrolysates. J Agric Food Chem. 2005.
[5] Thomas C et al. Collagen peptide supplementation before bedtime reduces sleep fragmentation and improves cognitive function in physically active males with sleep complaints. Eur J Nutr. 2024.
[6] Shaw G et al. Vitamin C-enriched gelatin supplementation before intermittent activity augments collagen synthesis. Am J Clin Nutr. 2017.
[7] Oertzen-Hagemann V et al. Effects of 12 weeks of hypertrophy resistance exercise training combined with collagen peptide supplementation on the skeletal muscle proteome in recreationally active men. Nutrients. 2019.
[8] Zdzieblik D et al. Improvement of activity-related knee joint discomfort following supplementation of specific collagen peptides. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2017.
[9] Pullar JM et al. The roles of vitamin C in skin health. Nutrients. 2017.
[10] Shoulders MD, Raines RT. Collagen structure and stability. Annu Rev Biochem. 2009.

These statements have not been evaluated by any regulatory authority. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Individual results may vary. Consult a healthcare provider before use if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or on prescribed medication.