|February 7, 2024

The Difference Between Collagen Protein and Gelatin

By Dave Asprey
Reviewed by Emily Gonzalez, ND for Scientific Accuracy

Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body and gives structure to your skin, bones, muscles and all other connective tissue.
Collagen peptides and gelatin are often confused, but the two behave differently in food.
Bulletproof Collagen Peptides mix easily in hot and cold drinks. Bulletproof Collagelatin dissolves in hot liquids and sets into a firm gel when cool.

A lot of people ask about the difference between collagen and gelatin. Both are great ways to support healthy skin, joints and bones, which we’ll explore below. First, here’s a quick primer on the differences between collagen and gelatin. Despite similar names and ingredients, they behave quite differently in food.

Is gelatin the same as collagen?

Collagen mixes easily

Collagen peptides powder dissolves into hot or cold liquids completely. It’s heat-stable and pretty much flavorless so you can mix it into just about anything to get more bioavailable amino acids into your diet. Collagen peptides are perfect to add to coffee, tea, smoothies and even soup.

Gelatin will gel

Gelatin dissolves in hot liquids, and when it cools, it sets into a firm gel. That’s how you get jiggly desserts and snacks.

Bulletproof Collagelatin is gelatin with extra benefits (and no sugar or fillers). It’s a mix of collagen and gelatin. Collagelatin works just like the gelatin packets you can find in any grocery store, except it’s made from better ingredients and it guaranteed to have the amino acids you need to build more collagen in your body.

Use Collagelatin if you’re making gummies, Bulletproof -Bake Keto Pumpkin Pie or anything else you want to hold together. Collagelatin is a versatile tool in the kitchen. A small amount will also give amazing chewiness to brownies or thicken up a curry or sauce (just don’t add too much).

The benefits of collagen and gelatin

When it comes to benefits, collagen and gelatin are more or less the same.

Both contain glycine, proline and hydroxyproline, the three amino acids your body uses to make new collagen to support joint health, skin health and more. These amino acids are hard to come by unless you’re eating lots of organ meat and connective tissue (if you’re not on the organ meat train because you can’t get over the taste, here’s a good place to start).

But what does the science say about the benefits of collagen and gelatin? Here are four science-backed reasons to add more collagen and gelatin to your diet:

1. Smoother, more hydrated skin

Your skin and connective tissue contain special cells called fibroblasts that manufacture collagen. They can crank it out as long as they have plenty of glycine, proline and hydroxyproline. The best way to get those amino acids is hydrolyzed collagen, which has been broken down so it’s more bioavailable.

Hydrolyzed collagen also goes by “collagen hydrolysate” and “collagen peptides.” Bulletproof Collagen Peptides and Collagelatin are both hydrolyzed.

Hydrolyzed collagen does several things for your skin. It:

Improves skin elasticity^[1]
Decreases skin cracking^[2]
Removes wrinkles^[3]
Increases fibroblast density, a marker of healthy, elastic skin^[4]
Increases skin moisture^[5]

In a nutshell, collagen will help fight the effects of aging and appear more elastic and hydrated. Participants in all the studies above used between 2 and 10 grams daily. That’s a good dose.

2. Stronger joints

Collagen can also strengthen your joints, increasing their resilience to injury and pain. Research has found that taking hydrolyzed collagen increases the density of your cartilage, making your joints more flexible.^[6] This becomes important as you age because your body starts producing less collagen.

3. Helps with recovery

Whether you’re a runner or a powerlifter, collagen should be part of your daily routine. It’s a great supplement for athletes, especially if your preferred exercise is tough on your joints.

That’s because research shows collagen helps reduce joint pain after exercise.^[7] In one 2017 study, athletes with functional knee pain ingested 5 grams of collagen peptides per day for 12 weeks.^[8] They reported less pain after physical activity.

Take collagen if you’re looking for ways to bounce back after exercise and show up feeling strong for your next workout. Learn more about the best workout supplements to support your training.

4. Supports restorative sleep

Collagen can be a helpful part of your sleep toolkit. When you sleep, your body uses that time to repair muscles and cells. Collagen is special because it contains building blocks to restore and replenish structures throughout your entire body. Taking collagen peptides before bed can help your body do all that hard work while you sleep.

Most people don’t get enough collagen in their diet anyway, so taking it before bed is a quick and easy way to cover your bases. Learn more about how to support sleep using food.

How to get more collagen and gelatin in your diet

A single scoop of collagen and a few homemade gummies will give you a dose of the critical amino acids you need to increase collagen synthesis in your body. If that’s not your style, here are a few other good sources:

Tendon, tripe, cartilage, neck, marrow, oxtail, knuckle and other non-steak cuts of meat
Bone broth
Pork skin, salmon skin and chicken skin
Eggs from pasture-raised chickens
Collagen Protein Bars

Why you should pair collagen and gelatin with vitamin C

For hundreds of years, sailors had to worry about scurvy. After months at sea without any fresh vegetables, their teeth and hair would begin to fall out, their joints would deteriorate and their skin would start to break down.

The problem wasn’t lack of collagen; it was lack of vitamin C. Vitamin C is essential to collagen synthesis, so be sure you eat plenty of raw or lightly cooked vegetables so your body has vitamin C to work with.To get the most out of your collagen supplement, always pair it with a source of vitamin C.

Collagen is one of the easiest ways to take your daily routine to the next level.

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Statements made on this website have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Products sold on this website are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Information provided by this website or this company is not a substitute for direct, individual medical treatment or advice. It is the responsibility of you and your healthcare providers to make all decisions regarding your health. Bulletproof recommends that you consult with your healthcare providers regarding the diagnosis and treatment of any disease or condition.

About Dave Asprey

Dave Asprey, the founder of Bulletproof Coffee, is an entrepreneur, health advocate and leader in the biohacking community. His journey began with a transformative cup of yak-butter tea in Tibet, inspiring the creation of the Bulletproof Coffee recipe—a blend of high-quality coffee, grass-fed butter and MCT oil. Asprey's innovations led to the Bulletproof Diet, making him a four-time New York Times bestselling author and host of the Webby award-winning podcast Bulletproof Radio. He has continued to work with various biohacking startups. Asprey has appeared on the Today Show, Fox News, and Dr. Oz. He remains dedicated to optimizing human performance through innovative health strategies, founding a personal transformation program and investing in emerging health technologies.