Where it sits in the atlas: Sports Research markets this powder as supporting "hair, skin, nails and joints," which is why it sits under Skin, hair & bone. That is the seller's positioning. What we check is what a scoop actually delivers, where the collagen comes from, which of the seals on the tub we could confirm in the certifier's own records, and how far the pooled skin trials go.
The short version
- One 11 g scoop is 11 g of hydrolyzed bovine collagen peptides and nothing else: 10 g of protein, 40 calories, 55 mg of sodium. The panel lists 18 amino acids and no tryptophan, which is why protein shows as less than 1% of the Daily Value.
- Pooled analyses of randomized trials report improved skin hydration and elasticity with hydrolyzed collagen over roughly 90 days; the trials are small, heterogeneous and mostly in women, and reviewers flag bias. Joint evidence is thinner.
- $32.95 for a 16 oz tub (about 41 scoops) on Amazon on September 30, 2026, sold by Sports Research and shipped by Amazon, in stock: about 80 cents per scoop.
What the label shows
We read the Supplement Facts panel and the "typical amino acid profile" from the label images on the Amazon listing and compared them with Sports Research's product page on September 30, 2026. The serving is one scoop (11 g); the 16 oz (454 g) tub holds "about 41" servings.
| Ingredient | Amount per serving | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Hydrolyzed bovine collagen peptides | 11 g | The sole ingredient. "Hydrolyzed" means broken into short peptides that dissolve in liquid; the tub calls them type I and III, the types that dominate skin, tendon and bone. |
| Protein | 10 g / less than 1% DV | Not a typo. Collagen lacks tryptophan, so it is an incomplete protein, and the protein Daily Value on US labels is adjusted for protein quality. Do not count it as a full protein serving. |
| Sodium | 55 mg / 2% DV | Naturally present; two scoops a day is 110 mg. |
| Calories | 40 | All from protein; no sugars or carbohydrate listed. |
| Glycine / proline / hydroxyproline | 2,400 / 1,330 / 1,020 mg | The amino acids that define collagen; the panel calls these "typical" values and warns that batch variation is normal. |
Directions on the listing: adults combine one scoop into a beverage or meal one to two times daily. The tub also carries the standard fine-print notice found on most protein powders, telling buyers to use it as a food supplement only. The collagen is bovine, so the product is not vegetarian; the seller says it is free of dairy, soy and gluten. The Amazon listing title describes the collagen as grass-fed; that is the seller's own statement, and we found no third-party grass-fed or pasture certification on the tub images to check it against.
Three seals are printed on the tub, each dated in the fine print, and we treated them separately. IGEN Non-GMO Tested (label: "Non-GMO Tested by Nutrasource, 05/2016"): confirmed. Nutrasource's public directory lists "Collagen Peptides Unflavored, Sports Research" as passed because it "does not contain detectable amounts of genetically engineered GMO proteins and genes included in the IGEN testing panel" [1]. Informed Choice (label: "Informed Choice Certified by LGC Science, 05/17/2018, LMS-PSRM-03295"): a banned-substance screening program for athletes, not a strength or purity test; its directory page for this product returned a bot-check page to us, so we could not read the listing. NSF Certified Gluten-Free (label: "Certified Gluten-Free by NSF, 02/03/2023"): we could not open NSF's listings to confirm it either. The Amazon bullets add "Keto Certified" and "Certified Paleo Friendly"; neither appears on the tub images or the brand's product page, so we do not credit them. "Third party tested" and "cGMP compliant" also appear; the first names no lab beyond the seals above, and the second is a legal requirement, not a seal.
What the evidence shows
Skin. This is where most of the trials are, and the pooled results point the same way while carrying real caveats. A 2021 meta-analysis of 19 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials (1,125 participants aged 20 to 70, 95% women) found improved skin hydration and elasticity after about 90 days of oral hydrolyzed collagen [2]; a published comment questioned how different the included trials were and whether pooling them was sound [3]. A 2023 meta-analysis of 26 trials (1,721 participants) again found improved hydration and elasticity versus placebo, noted the effect on hydration varied with collagen source and duration, and stated plainly that it "identified several biases in the included RCTs" [4]. A 2026 review of oral and topical peptides (19 trials, 1,341 participants) found hydration improved but described the elasticity results as inconsistent [5]. The honest summary: measurable gains in instrument-read hydration and elasticity over about 90 days, in mostly female participants, from small, uneven trials that pool many products and doses. We found no pooled analysis that isolates an 11 g bovine type I and III dose like this one, so a per-gram comparison with this label is not possible.
Joints. A 2018 pooled analysis in a sports-medicine journal reviewed 69 trials of 20 supplements taken for a common joint condition and listed collagen hydrolysate among those with a large short-term effect on pain, but found no supplement with a clinically important effect over the long term [6]. That is a lower bar than it sounds, and the trials behind it are few. We treat the "joints" line on the tub as the seller's claim.
Hair and nails. We found no pooled analysis of randomized trials to cite for either, so we do not credit those parts of the front label beyond the seller's wording.
The powder is made from cattle: not suitable for vegetarians, vegans or anyone avoiding beef, and anyone with a known sensitivity to bovine protein should ask an allergist first. The label's own warning says to consult a qualified health professional before use if you are pregnant, nursing, have a diagnosed condition or take prescription medicines, and not to exceed the recommended intake.
How it fits a daily routine
The trials that showed skin changes ran about three months, so the practical unit is "a tub, taken daily," not "a scoop when you remember." One scoop in morning coffee or a smoothie is the habit the seller suggests; stir as you pour so it does not clump. It stacks with the calcium entry in this system without any label overlap, and with a whey or plant protein if you want a complete protein alongside it; do not treat the collagen scoop itself as your protein serving. The label gives no timing beyond "1 to 2 times daily."
Price and where it is sold
On September 30, 2026 the Amazon listing (ASIN B00XQ2XGAA) was titled "Sports Research Collagen Peptides Protein Powder 16oz (Unflavored)," showed the brand as Sports Research, a unit size of 16 oz, and was in stock at $32.95, sold by Sports Research and shipped by Amazon. At about 41 scoops that is roughly 80 cents per scoop, or about $1.60 a day at the label's two-scoop maximum. The listing was marked non-returnable for food-safety reasons, so Amazon's usual return window does not apply once it ships; check the returns line on the listing before ordering. The figure above is only what we saw that day.
Who should look elsewhere
- Vegetarians, vegans and anyone avoiding beef: this is bovine collagen; marine and plant-based alternatives exist but are not covered here.
- People who want a complete protein source: 10 g here is less than 1% of the protein Daily Value on the label's own terms; a whey, soy or pea protein is a different product.
- Anyone on a protein-restricted diet under medical care.
- Buyers who need independently certified grass-fed sourcing or a stated country of origin: the tub carries neither, only the listing's own "grass-fed" wording.
- Anyone expecting a visible change in weeks one or two: the trials that found anything ran about three months.
Sources
- Nutrasource. Certification directory entry for Collagen Peptides Unflavored, Sports Research (IGEN Non-GMO Tested, status: passed). Opened September 30, 2026. link
- de Miranda RB et al. Systematic review and meta-analysis of 19 randomized trials of oral hydrolyzed collagen and skin measures such as hydration and elasticity. International Journal of Dermatology, 2021. link
- Peres G et al. Published comment on the 2021 meta-analysis concerning the heterogeneity of the included studies. International Journal of Dermatology, 2022. link
- Pu SY et al. Systematic review and meta-analysis of 26 randomized trials of oral hydrolyzed collagen on skin hydration and elasticity. Nutrients, 2023. link
- Nukaly HY et al. Systematic review and meta-analysis of 19 randomized trials of oral and topical peptides on skin hydration, elasticity and other skin measures. Frontiers in Medicine, 2026. link
- Liu X et al. Systematic review and meta-analysis of 69 randomized trials of 20 dietary supplements for a common joint condition, including collagen hydrolysate. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2018. link
- Sports Research. Collagen Peptides product page: ingredient, serving, seals named and price. Opened September 30, 2026. link
This entry is educational and is not medical advice. Ask a qualified clinician before starting any supplement, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or take medication.