My review of Modere liquid collagen and how it compares to other brands and types of collagen.
UPDATE: After taking Modere Collagen for about a year, I now take a different form of liquid collagen, the Beauty Fountain from Oliveda. It tastes better than Modere and I like that it includes hydroxytyrosol, which is a highly effective antioxidant. I’ve left my Modere review below in case it’s helpful in your shopping decision. And here is my full Oliveda review.
Chances are you’ve heard the word “collagen” a lot lately. It’s become a popular buzzword in the world of anti-aging, skin, and joint health, but first, what is it? Collagen is a protein in our bodies responsible for making strong bones, muscles, tendons, etc. And when you’re young, your body produces a lot of collagen, which is part of why we feel so agile and youthful in our younger years.
But as we age, our body stops producing as much collagen, which results in our bodies feeling stiffer and less agile and our skin begins to sag and wrinkle and our hair begins to thin. All of the things we complain about as we age, right? But hey, it’s just part of it! (I do miss the days where I didn’t really need to warm up before a workout though!)
Your body starts to decrease collagen production in your 20s and you lose about 1% of your collagen every year, so by age 50 you have nearly 30% less collagen than you did at 20, and almost 50% less collagen by the time you’re 70.
While there are many types of collagen in our bodies, type II is most important for articular cartilage (the connective tissue in our joints). The three major components for healthy joints are type II collagen, hyaluronic acid (essential for skin hydration, tissue maintenance, etc.), and chondroitin sulfate (supports joint flexibility).
The most important type for skin, nail and hair health is Type I collagen. And some studies show that taking collagen supplements for several months can improve skin elasticity, wrinkles and roughness, as well as signs of aging.
So then the question poses itself, “Can you just take more collagen in through your diet?”.
And the answer is…sort of. I’ve taken collagen for years and years and it’s one of those things that I can’t say definitively made a difference since there are so many things that could go into my joint health and my mobility (or lack thereof!), including my exercise routine, genetics, pregnancy, breastfeeding and more. And there’s mixed research when it comes to taking collagen supplements, but I’ve found a lot of comfort in the fact that one of my favorite running cookbooks (Run Fast Eat Slow) recommends collagen since I wholeheartedly trust the authors of that cookbook (Shalane Flanagan and Elyse Kopecky). But, most dietitians recommend that if you are going to take collagen, it should come through food sources (like bone broth) for the best results.
All that to say, I love the idea of collagen supplements and I do feel like they can provide some benefits and they certainly can’t hurt as long as you’re getting a high-quality brand. I’ve always taken a powdered form, usually Collagen for Her. But when I learned about Modere and the fact that it’s a liquid, I was intrigued because a liquid form is so convenient. I find that the powder makes things taste funny (and no matter what people say, it does taste funny), so if I use Collagen For Her, I typically put it in a smoothie. But, let’s say I’m not making a smoothie. That’s when I really like Modere as a liquid collagen option.
I’ve been getting a number of questions about Modere on Instagram (where it’s quite trendy), so I ordered some to try it for myself.
(You can read my review of Collagen for Her in this post. Note that while that post was sponsored, this post is NOT.)
In this post I’m going to share how Modere Collagen is different from other collagen on the market, what ingredients it uses, the benefits they claim and the ones I’ve noticed, and my honest thoughts since trying it for a few months.
Let’s jump in.
Modere is unique in the way they create their collagen. They state that most collagen molecules are naturally very large in our bodies, which makes them very hard to absorb and utilize. That’s why they use a unique science to create a collagen molecule that’s small enough for our bodies to digest called BioCell. I think this is a particularly interesting argument for using a liquid collagen vs. a powdered form. I don’t know enough about the science to really dig into it and evaluate the claims, but it certainly makes sense that it’s not enough to just ingest something. It needs to be absorbed into the body to get the most benefit. Bioavailability of a supplement can be just as important than what’s on a nutrition label.
So, with that goal in mind, Modere created a highly bioavailable liquid form of sternal cartilage that is a matrix of collagen, hyaluronic acid and chondroitin. It is derived from humanely-treated chickens raised without GMOs, antibiotics and hormones on some of the world’s most reputable and regulated farms located in the US and Europe. Their products are manufactured in the United States and it’s actually headquartered in my home state, Utah, in a town where I worked during college. I always have a soft spot for Utah-based companies.
Modere Liquid collagen is a combination of Type II collagen, hyaluronic acid, and a small amount of chondroitin that work together to enhance absorption and utilization. And it works because it mirrors the composition of our body’s own articular cartilage.
The below list is slightly long, but it can be helpful to see everything at a glance since the liquid collagen has more ingredients than powdered forms.What I DON’T like is that all that fruit is NOT organic. More on that below.
It’s important to note that these benefits have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and they list the typical disclaimer on their website, i.e.“This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.” But I have noticed many of these myself as I’ve been taking Modere Collagen. People typically notice a difference between 30-60 days of consistent usage.
I would LOVE to see a marked improvement in this since my ankles and knees are SO achy and crunch and pop and I’m not even 40. I plan to the try the Sport Collagen to see if it helps with that.
This helps with visible signs of aging.
This is one of my biggest goals and I do feel like my elasticity has improved since taking the Skin collagen regularly.
Hyaluronidase is an enzyme that can make your skin age.
What does that even mean? haha.
Modere makes four different liquid biocell collagen products. All with slightly different goals, as outlined below.
Modere has done studies in controlled clinical environments to show that the body readily recognizes and accepts all types of Liquid BioCell. Their studies actually compared collagen and hyaluronic acid levels in the skin and in the blood of participants at weekly intervals. They saw measured increases in collagen and hyaluronic acid among study participants, indicating that Modere Liquid Biocell collagen is effectively absorbed into the bloodstream and is not broken down in the digestive system the same way as typical collagen proteins. (Source)
All of their liquid collagens should be taken as one tablespoon, twice daily. I typically take one in the morning and one at night.
BioCell Skin, Hair, and Nails contains the Modere BioCell blend and then 18 fruit and vegetable concentrates. It’s essentially superfood juices, which are full of antioxidants. There’s no way to tell just how much of each of the 18 fruits and veggie concentrates are included, however. A study that was completed in 2004 found that these concentrates increased the antioxidants in the blood, which is what improved skin health (reduced skin aging by reducing the damage from free radicals, which speeds up aging).
Liquid BioCell Life is pretty similar to the Skin version, but it contains resveratrol, an antioxidant that may play a role in the prevention of chronic diseases, and Wolfberry, which has similar benefits as well. This is the one that I’ve tried and I do like the taste!
Liquid BioCell Pure is simply the BioCell blend of collagen and hyaluronic acid. It does not contain any sugar or calories, so this is a great option if you want to ONLY get the collagen and HA. This is the best option if you’re taking collagen for your skin or joint health.
Liquid BioCell Sport is very similar to the Skin and Life options. It contains BioCell and a variety of fruit and vegetable concentrates, but it also has an amino acid blend of branched-chain amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, valine) and L-carnitine. These help improve exercise performance and increase muscle strength. None of the other BioCell options contain protein, but this does contain 1 gram. This product is also NSF certified, so athletes can take it since it fuels physical and mental performance.
This is the one I want to try next since my ankles really bother me as I’ve started aging (almost 40) and I’m hoping this will improve some of my joint issues.
Okay now that you know all of the details, let’s get into my personal thoughts.
Pros
Like I mentioned above, powdered collagen does taste funny, no matter what people say, and the only way not to taste it is to bury it in a smoothie. I cannot take it in coffee. I don’t find that the Modere BioCell Collagen tastes bad at all; in fact, I like it. But, I haven’t tried all the different types they sell (only Skin and Life), so maybe the Pure or Sport is nasty. (If you’ve tried others, let me know!)
I love that there are options. If you prefer to skip on the fruits and veggies, the BioCell Pure is a perfect option. I prefer to have all of the superfoods in my collagen, and I have that option with the Skin or Life Biocell.
I have noticed that my ankles and wrists (which are VERY prone to a deep ache) don’t hurt as much since regularly taking collagen. They do say it improves joint health. Placebo effect? Maybe. Worth it? Yes.
My lashes and nails grow so much faster when I’m regularly taking collagen! This took a few months to notice but it definitely is noticeable if you stick with it. When I stopped taking it, I noticed a distinct difference.
Cons
It’s VERY expensive collagen, especially considering I feel like I’m paying for juice. Superfood juice, yes, but still juice. They do have referral codes that customers can share with their friends and this link should save you $10. Every bit counts, right?
There ARE a few ways to save however.
Considering how many fruits and veggie concentrates are added, I feel like they should be organic, especially since non-organic berries have some of the highest levels of pest control spray.
Overall, I really like Modere Collagen. I use it a few times per week, when I’m not having a smoothie (I use Collagen for Her with I have smoothies since you can’t taste it) and when I run out of Collagen for Her, I’ll probably switch to this exclusively. I wish Modere’s wasn’t so expensive. But that’s the case with so many things where you’re paying for convenience.
I tried a few other items from Modere when I ordered the BioCell. This may sound weird, but I am truly OBSESSED with the toothpaste. I also tried the TRIM that’s supposed to inhibit fat storage, reduce fat cell formation (help with weight loss), improve muscle tone and restore youthful skin, but no luck with that. It gave me diarrhea (sorry, I know that’s TMI, but how’s that for side effects!).
If you decide to place an order with collagen, below are other things I like as well as a few things I just ordered. One to note is that while they DO have a generous return policy (full refund), it’s kind of a pain. I had to get on the phone with them vs. just process it online. So keep that in mind.
Toothpaste – I didn’t know I could be THAT obsessed with toothpaste. My teeth feel like I just had professional cleaning and it’s free of crap that’s in most commercial toothpaste! I love the mouthwash too!
Digestive Enzymes – filled with lots of good things to help with upset stomachs after an occasionally heavy meal.
Phytos – these are powdered greens, fruits and superfoods. I ordered them to see how they compared to Balance of Nature, which I’ve used for 20+ years. I’ll do a full review soon, but in short, I actually like them BETTER, which is did NOT expect.
Sunless tanning foam – I haven’t used a self tanner since middle school and was still scared 25+ years later since it was so streaky and smelled so bad, ha! I was BLOWN away by how easy this is to apply (the mitt is fantastic) and how natural it looks. I’ve gotten so many comments about how tan I am and people ask if I’m hitting the pool a lot. No, no I am not. 🙂
I have all of these items and the Skin Collagen on Subscribe & Save so I save money and if I’m not out of anything when it comes time to ship, I just remove whatever I don’t need. (You get texts before your order ships.)
Alright, that’s it! I hope this is helpful. If you have questions, let me know and I’ll do my best to help answer!
Leave a Comment
14 responses to “Modere Collagen Review + how it compares other collagen brands”
Thanks for this post. One questions, once you open Modere bottle do we need to store it in a refrigerator or can leave it outside?, and should we be finishing it within 7 days or 30 days once the bottle is opened? Would be good to know.
Put it in the fridge once it’s open! It should be used within 30 days once open!
Hi Terilyn… i am interested in the liquid collagen, but I’m not sure which type I need. Is the only difference in the Skin and Life the addition of Resveratrol? Also is it okay to take Trim when I’m taking the liquid? Thank you.
About Modere which I have just recently been reading about, if you join, must you place an order every month?
Thanks!
Hi! You can set up monthly shipments to save money or you can place one time orders! I’ve done both and when I do the monthly shipments, I get an email for a heads up so I can tweak the order or cancel if I want!
Do you know a way to avoid the grainy residue when you reach the bottom of the bottle? I shake it up before every dose but still end up with several tablespoonfuls of unpleasant grit at the end of a bottle. Thanks for the thorough review, I’ve been using this for a while and learned alot!
So glad to hear this was helpful! Ugh, I know, I get the residue too. I shake it as well but it still seems to happen. When I get near the bottom, I just mix my collagen in with a smoothie so I don’t notice it!
Hi
I would like to know how much it costs and if it can be shipped to Greece. Thank you!
Do you still prefer the Modere collagen? Or have you went back to Collagen for Her?
I use Modere when I want to use a liquid. If I want a powder (for adding to smoothies, for example), I use this one from Perfect Supplements. I haven’t used Collagen for Her in a while since I found the Perfect Supplements one!
I add a little water when the collagen has some sediment in the bottom. This works well. I have taken Skin for a couple of years. I prefer the taste of Skin compared to the others. I have taken Trim along with the Biocell Collagen at the same time. It does not cause me to have digestive issues even though I am prone to IBS.
I’ve enjoyed Pure, but the directions say to take two Tbsp daily. Since I’m not aging just yet, I’ve reduced that to 1 Tbsp a day to help it last a little longer. With that said, the bottle only lasts four weeks or 28 days. If I’ve halved the dose, it should last longer. I was wondering if you had a similar experience.
Hello Terilyn ,I ordered Modere 5 times through Amazon , but never got any discount !
It’s very expensive but I liked that Skin one . Should I order in Modere’s website ?
Thanks !
Dina
Yeah, you’ll get more perks through their website! But I like the Oliveda collagen better these days!