Liquid marine collagen is hydrolysed marine collagen sold as a drink that is ready the moment you open it. A collagen portion is one small, measured serving of that drink.
- Hydrolysed describes the collagen: Core's has been cut down to a low molecular weight of about 1,500 daltons.
- One portion of Core™ carries 11,000 mg of marine collagen, types I and III.
- One portion a day is the whole routine: shake, pour into the cap, drink.
of 106 women felt the appearance of their skin improved after 8 weeks on our liquid marine collagen.
- 99%found it easy to include in their daily routine
- 89%reported more moisture and glow
- 86%reported healthier hair
What is liquid marine collagen?
Liquid marine collagen is hydrolysed marine collagen sold as a finished drink, and the name spells that out one word at a time.
- Liquid is the format. The collagen arrives already dissolved, in a pack, so a serving is something you pour.
- Marine is the source. It tells you where the collagen comes from.
- Collagen is the ingredient, here in its hydrolysed form, which the next section explains.
A collagen portion is the serving, a small measure of that liquid drunk in one go. A collagen drink is another name for the same product. With Core™, our liquid marine collagen, you measure the portion in the pack's own cap.1
Collagen can be packed this way because, as a peer-reviewed review notes, hydrolysed collagen is highly soluble in water, and it names that higher solubility as a main advantage over native collagen.2 High solubility lets a maker formulate it as a finished drink.
What does "marine" mean on the label?
Marine on the label means the collagen comes from fish, a marine source of collagen. One peer-reviewed review states that fish skin typically contains type I collagen with a high degree of purity.3 Core's product specification lists its marine collagen as types I and III.1 If you are weighing up sources, our comparison of marine and bovine collagen sets the studies side by side.
What does "hydrolysed" mean?
Hydrolysed means the collagen has been through hydrolysis, a step that cuts the long native molecule into much shorter pieces called collagen peptides.2 When a label says "hydrolysed collagen" or "collagen peptides", it is describing the same thing.
According to Core's product specification, its collagen is hydrolysed to a low molecular weight of about 1,500 daltons, while native collagen is about 300,000 daltons, roughly 200 times larger.1
On a label, "hydrolysed" is a statement about size and solubility. What happens once collagen peptides are swallowed is a different question, measured in blood studies, and our article on whether collagen is absorbed goes through those one by one.
assets/img/blog/lg-shot.webpWhat is in one collagen portion?
One portion of Core™ holds 11,000 mg of hydrolysed marine collagen with vitamin C, biotin, vitamin D, vitamins B5, B6 and B12, selenium, hyaluronic acid and silica, and the table below gives every amount from the product specification.1 Where the EU register of permitted health claims holds an authorised claim for a vitamin or mineral, the last column prints it word for word.4
One portion of Core™, ingredient by ingredient
Amounts per portion from the product specification, with the authorised EU claim where one exists.
| Ingredient | Amount per portion | Authorised EU claim |
|---|---|---|
| Hydrolysed marine collagen (types I and III) | 11,000 mg | Listed by amount. |
| Vitamin C | 120 mg (150% NRV) | Vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of skin. |
| Biotin | 5,000 µg | Biotin contributes to the maintenance of normal hair. Biotin contributes to the maintenance of normal skin. |
| Vitamin D | 60 µg | Vitamin D contributes to the maintenance of normal bones. |
| Vitamin B5 | 5 mg (83% NRV) | Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism. |
| Vitamin B6 | 1.7 mg (121% NRV) | Vitamin B6 contributes to the regulation of hormonal activity. |
| Vitamin B12 | 24 µg (960% NRV) | Vitamin B12 contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. |
| Selenium | 27.5 µg (50% NRV) | Selenium contributes to the maintenance of normal nails. |
| Hyaluronic acid | 50 mg | Listed by amount. |
| Silica | 50 mg | Listed by amount. |
The specification adds that a portion supplies 9.9 g of protein and is free of both sugar and fat.1
How do you take a collagen portion?
Take one portion a day: shake the pack, fill the cap, drink it straight or stirred into water or a smoothie, and keep the pack in the fridge once opened. The cap is the measure.1
- Shake
Wake the pack up
Give it a shake before you open it, every time.
- Pour
Fill the cap
Pour your portion into the cap. That is your serving for the day.
- Drink
Straight, or stirred in
Drink it as it is, or stir the portion into water or a smoothie if you prefer something longer.
- Chill
Back in the fridge
After the first opening, the pack lives in the fridge.
If you are still deciding between a portion and a tub or a blister pack, our guide to liquid collagen compared with powder, capsules and gummies looks at the formats together.
What does it taste like?
Core™ has a natural berry flavour and contains no sugar.1 Taste is personal, so the fairest description comes from someone who bought our liquid marine collagen. One verified buyer in the United Kingdom wrote: “The taste is amazing and it is sugar free!” Her full review is further down this page.
You can drink the portion straight from the cap, or stir it into water or a smoothie.1
How long should you take it?
Give it weeks rather than days. Core's directions are one portion a day, and the user trial of our liquid marine collagen ran for 8 weeks.1
- Weeks 1 to 4: settle the habit, one portion at the same moment each day.
- Week 4: when women in our user trial first reported visible results.1
- Week 8: the end of the trial, by which they reported further improvement.1
Core™ is a one-off purchase with no subscription, so you decide when the next pack arrives.
What did trials of collagen drinks measure?
Placebo-controlled trials in our evidence that gave collagen as a drink measured periorbital wrinkles, skin moisture, hydration and elasticity against placebo. The two below show what each drink contained and what its researchers recorded.
Periorbital wrinkles fell significantly versus placebo
The women drank 20 ml a day for 12 weeks, containing either 3,000 mg of fish-scale collagen peptides or a placebo. In the collagen group, facial skin moisture and elasticity also rose.5
71 healthy women aged 30 to 60 · randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind
Authors reported skin hydration up 13.8% in the collagen group
This daily marine collagen drink supplied 8 g of hydrolysed collagen plus vitamin C. At 12 weeks, the authors reported hydration up 13.8% and elasticity up 22.7% in the collagen group. Those figures belong to the whole drink.6
Adults aged 40 to 60, about 90% of them women · randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled
Each card is one study, with its own drink, volunteers and instruments. Neither study tested Core™, and what they share with a portion is the format of a measured drink taken every day.
What did women report on our liquid marine collagen?
In our own user trial, 95% of 106 women felt the appearance of their skin improved and 86% reported healthier hair after taking our liquid marine collagen every day for 8 weeks.1
felt that the appearance of their skin improved.
found it easy to include in their daily routine.
reported healthier hair.
Participants in the 8-week user trial of our liquid marine collagen, photographed before and after.
The same women were asked about nails and firmness too: 76% reported stronger nails and 81% reported firmer skin. Across the trial as a whole, women reported visible results in as little as 4 weeks, with further improvement by week 8.1
In their own words
The words below come from two buyers of our liquid marine collagen and one beauty editor who tried a marine collagen of her own choosing.
“The taste is amazing and it is sugar free! Love what it does to my hair, nails and skin.”
★★★★★
Suzanne H.Verified purchase · Amazon, United Kingdom · 26 August 2024
“I can really see the visible changes in my skin and nails.”
★★★★★
Check4YouVerified purchase · Amazon, Germany · 27 December 2023
“And truthfully? My skin looks better than ever.”
By her own description a sceptic, she took marine collagen every day for two months. She found her skin plumper, healthier and noticeably more radiant.
Shannon LawlorBeauty editor, writing in Marie Claire UK7
Verified buyer reviews of our liquid marine collagen, as sold under our manufacturer's own label, and an independent first-person account of marine collagen published by the outlet named.
Questions about liquid marine collagen
What is liquid marine collagen?
Liquid marine collagen is hydrolysed marine collagen that comes as a finished drink. You pour a small serving, called a portion, and drink it. Core™ is one example: a berry-flavoured portion from a 500 ml pack.
Is a collagen portion the same as a collagen drink?
Yes, a collagen portion is a kind of collagen drink: a small measured serving of liquid collagen that you can finish in one go. Stir Core's portion into water or a smoothie and it becomes a longer drink.
How much collagen is in one collagen portion?
Core™ states 11,000 mg of hydrolysed marine collagen for each portion, along with 9.9 g of protein. Other products differ, so check the serving line on the label.
Do you keep liquid collagen in the fridge?
Yes, Core™ goes in the fridge once it has been opened. Shake it before each pour, then put it back.
Is liquid marine collagen sugar free?
Core™ is sugar free and fat free, with a natural berry flavour.
How long should you take a collagen portion for?
Our user trial of our liquid marine collagen lasted 8 weeks, and the women in it reported visible results in as little as 4 weeks, with further improvement by week 8.
