Collagen Fit by Thorne

If you train regularly and your knees, tendons, or shoulders feel beat up, collagen peptides are a practical daily add-on. The 15 g dose aligns with studies in active adults who saw better joint comfort and tendon rehab within 8–12 weeks. It also fits if you’re in your 30s or beyond and want skin firmness support, or if you rarely eat collagen-rich foods like skin and bones. The nicotinamide riboside helps cellular energy, but the collagen does the heavy lifting here.

Hydrolyzed collagen peptides deliver glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline, the exact amino acids your fibroblasts (collagen‑building cells) need to repair tendons, ligaments, and skin. They also trigger these cells to lay down new collagen. Nicotinamide riboside is a precursor to NAD+ (a helper molecule that lets mitochondria, the cell’s power plants, turn food into energy), and human trials show it raises blood NAD+ within 2–4 weeks. Betaine donates methyl groups (chemical tags used in methylation, the body’s on/off switches), which can lower homocysteine (an amino‑acid‑like compound tied to cardiovascular risk) at higher doses than used here.

Mix one scoop in water or a smoothie daily. For joints and tendons, pair it with 50–200 mg vitamin C, and take it 30–60 minutes before rehab or training so the amino acids peak when tissues are loaded. This is a clinically used collagen dose; the nicotinamide riboside here is a light, maintenance add. If you’re targeting energy with NR specifically, standalone doses of 300–500 mg are what most studies use.

Avoid if you have a beef or bovine allergy. Pregnancy and breastfeeding: collagen is widely used, but nicotinamide riboside lacks robust safety data—check with your clinician. If you’re watching Homocysteine, know that the 50 mg of betaine is too low to move that marker. For inflammatory flares, collagen isn’t an anti‑inflammatory; track hs-CRP (a blood marker of inflammation) with your clinician if that’s your goal.

Expect joint comfort and skin changes gradually, not overnight. Most responders notice differences after 8–12 weeks of steady use. Collagen isn’t a complete protein, so don’t count it as your only protein source. If you’re already taking fish oil or turmeric for soreness, you can combine them—collagen works on tissue building, not the same pathways.