Collagen during pregnancy and breastfeeding: can you take it?

Short answer: yes. Collagen is a protein we routinely eat in broths, gelatine and fish, and we consider pure hydrolysed collagen without other additives fine during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Clinical trials have not yet included pregnant or breastfeeding women, which is why we always recommend talking to your doctor before you start. They know your health and pregnancy calls for individual advice.

It is one of the questions we get most often, on social media and by email. The body changes, protein needs rise and many women think about their skin, hair and nails. According to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), a pregnant woman needs about 1 g of protein a day on top of the usual recommended intake in the first trimester, 9 g in the second and 28 g in the third. During breastfeeding it is an extra 19 g a day in the first six months and 13 g a day after that (EFSA, 2012).

Collagen cannot cover that need on its own. It lacks the essential amino acid tryptophan, so it counts as an incomplete protein (Paul et al., 2019). A varied diet with meat, fish, eggs, dairy or pulses remains the foundation. A sachet of collagen (3.3 g) adds to it but does not replace it.

Studies in healthy adults describe collagen safety well. A review of 11 placebo-controlled trials with 805 participants found no reported adverse events (Choi et al., 2019). Pregnant and breastfeeding women were not included, as is usual for food supplements, so direct data for them are missing.

Collagen is not a foreign substance to the body, though. Like other dietary proteins, it is broken down in the gut into amino acids and short peptides, which then appear in the blood (Iwai et al., 2005). It is neither a herb nor a medicine but a protein the body knows from ordinary food. That is why we consider pure collagen fine during pregnancy and breastfeeding and leave the final word to your doctor.

Many of you ask whether collagen helps against stretch marks. The honest answer: no studies have tested it in pregnant women. Even for creams and oils against stretch marks, a Cochrane review found no convincing evidence that they prevent them (Brennan et al., 2012). See collagen as part of looking after yourself, not as a promise that stretch marks will not appear.

After giving birth, many women notice more hair shedding. It is usually temporary and linked to hormonal changes. If it is heavy or lasts a long time, see your doctor.

1. Talk to your doctor first. Bring the pack or the list of ingredients.
2. Choose pure collagen. No sweeteners, flavourings, herbs or added vitamins, with test results for heavy metals and microbiology.
3. Stick to the recommended dose. For collalloc that is one sachet (3.3 g) a day.
4. Dissolve it in a cold or lukewarm drink, at most 60 °C. Water, juice, milk or a smoothie.
5. Keep your diet varied. Collagen does not replace protein from food or the vitamins your doctor recommends.

collalloc collagen contains only hydrolysed marine collagen, with no sweeteners, colourings or flavourings. Microbiology is tested for every production batch and heavy metals every month by an external laboratory. You will find the results, including the limits, on the product page and on our Laboratory page, so you can show them to your doctor too. As the collagen comes from fish, it is not suitable if you have a fish allergy.

How to take collagen so that it absorbs well is covered in How to take collagen. Possible risks in general are summed up in Collagen side effects.