You started collagen a few weeks ago. Now the scale’s moved, and you’re wondering if the powder’s to blame.
Does collagen make you gain weight?
No. A standard scoop of plain collagen is about 40 calories of protein. That’s less than a small apple.
Protein has four calories per gram, so a 10 gram scoop comes to roughly 40. Even at 20 grams a day, you’re under 100 calories.
And no study has found collagen causing weight gain [1].
So what’s going on? Probably the product you bought.
Summary
Plain collagen is about 40 calories a scoop. It’s protein, and no research links it to weight gain. Flavoured and ready-made versions are a different question.
Which collagen products add calories?
| Product | Roughly |
|---|---|
| Plain powder, 10 g | 35 to 40 kcal |
| Flavoured powder | Higher, check the label |
| Gummies, full dose | Sugar across 8 to 10 gummies |
| Ready-to-drink shot | Varies, often sweetened |
| Collagen creamer | Mostly fat and sugar |
Flavoured powders need sugar or sweeteners to taste of anything. The gap between plain and flavoured can be significant, so check rather than assume.
Gummies are the clearest case. To hit a real dose you need eight to ten of them, and each one carries sugar. Our guide on collagen gummies explains why the dose problem and the sugar problem are really the same problem.
Creamers and shots are where calories hide. A creamer is mostly fat and sugar with a bit of collagen added. But collagen’s what goes on the front of the tub.
Blaming the collagen for those calories is like blaming the espresso for a caramel latte. The collagen is the small part. Everything wrapped around it is where the calories live.
Blaming the collagen is like blaming the espresso for a caramel latte.
Summary
Plain powder is negligible. Flavoured powders, gummies, shots and creamers add sugar and fat that the collagen itself doesn’t.
What else might explain it?
Two things, before you throw the tub out.
Water retention. Start any new routine, or shift your salt intake, and the scale moves a kilo or two without any change in body fat. It settles.
Whatever you’re mixing it with. Collagen usually goes in coffee or a smoothie. And if that smoothie has banana, nut butter and honey in it, there’s your answer.
Summary
Water retention shifts the scale for a week or two after any change. And what you mix collagen into often carries more calories than the collagen.
What about collagen for weight loss?
That claim’s thin too.
Protein does make you feel fuller, and collagen is protein. So it can take the edge off your appetite a little.
But collagen’s a poor quality protein compared with whey or food. It’s missing tryptophan and low in several essential amino acids [1]. So if you want protein for fullness, almost anything else does the job better.
And nothing suggests collagen burns fat [2].
Summary
Collagen won’t help you lose weight either. It’s a low quality protein, and no evidence supports the fat-burning claims.
Bottom line
Plain collagen peptides won’t make you gain weight. A scoop is 40 calories.
If the scale’s moved, check whether you bought a flavoured powder, gummies, or a creamer. That’s where the calories are.
And treat the weight loss claims with the same scepticism, because collagen’s a weak protein source. Our guide on whether collagen supplements actually work covers what it does have evidence for.
Questions people ask
How many calories are in a scoop of collagen?
About 35 to 40 for a standard 10 gram scoop. Flavoured ones can be higher.
Can collagen cause bloating?
Some people report mild bloating when they start. Water retention from any new routine can also shift the scale for a week or two.
Does collagen help you lose weight?
No evidence it burns fat. Protein increases fullness, but collagen’s a lower quality protein than whey or food.
Do collagen gummies make you gain weight?
They carry sugar, and a proper dose takes eight to ten of them. That adds up in a way plain powder doesn’t.
References
- Choi FD, Sung CT, Juhasz ML, Mesinkovska NA. “Oral Collagen Supplementation: A Systematic Review of Dermatological Applications.” Journal of Drugs in Dermatology. 2019;18(1):9-16. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30681787/
- National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. “Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss.” https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/WeightLoss-HealthProfessional/
This article is for information only and is not medical advice. Supplements are not meant to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any illness. Talk to your doctor before starting anything new, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking medication.
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