Supplements

Beef Protein vs. Collagen: Is There a Difference?

Written by Robert Iafelice, MS, RDN, LDN
Medically Reviewed by Dr. Elaine Gavalas, ND, PhD

December 23, 2024

You’re hearing more about it in the news and from friends and social media. You’re now convinced that you need to eat more protein—especially because the need for protein increases with age (1, 2). But, since it is often hard to get enough protein from your diet, supplementing your diet with a protein drink sounds like a very convenient and tasty way to boost your overall protein intake. Fabulous! You’re sold!

Oh, but wait a minute. You’re a bit confused. Your friend is hounding you about her much loved beef protein, but you keep hearing that collagen protein is the way to go. Which protein do you choose? Can you take both?

Before we clear up this dilemma, let’s brush up on the critical importance of dietary protein.

Table Of Contents

Why Protein is Critical for Your Health

Once ingested, dietary protein is broken down (digested) into various amounts of 20 different amino acids. Essentially, it’s these amino acid “building blocks” that make up protein that actually determines its nutritional worth. Amino acids supply the necessary raw materials your body needs to construct new proteins in the form of hormones, enzymes, neurotransmitters, and other essential compounds—as well as skeletal muscles, organs, bones, skin, hair, and nails. Protein is in every cell of your body, and you can’t survive without it! (3). 

Consuming adequate protein at each meal is a key strategy for controlling weight and improving metabolic health. Protein promotes satiety, enabling you to eat fewer calories and still be satisfied. Protein also helps to level out your blood sugar levels and prevent dips, which can lead to cravings (4). Lastly, eating protein results in a greater calorie burn owing to its high thermic effect. This means it takes more energy to process protein relative to that needed to burn carbohydrates and fat (5). 

However, not all protein is created equal. Animal protein (meats, eggs, dairy, fish) is considered high-quality protein primarily because it contains large amounts of all the essential amino acids (i.e.,can’t be made in the body) in proportions similar to those found in human tissue. In contrast, most plant proteins are of lesser quality because they contain lower quantities of essential amino acids and are typically deficient in one or more of them, such as lysine and methionine (3). 

The Case for Beef Protein

Like other animal proteins, beef protein is a complete protein that is especially beneficial for its anabolic effects, i.e., building and maintaining muscle mass. Among its generous and full assortment of essential amino acids, a trio of amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, and valine), known as branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), play a major role in the synthesis of muscle protein. Leucine, in particular, is a very potent activator of cell growth and protein synthesis. Thus, the leucine content of a protein determines its ability to enhance muscle growth and repair (6).

What is Beef Protein Isolate?

Protein powders such as beef protein isolate can conveniently boost your overall dietary protein intake. Beef protein isolate powder is made by processing beef (preferably grass-fed) into a fine powder after removing the fat and other non-protein components. Unlike other beef protein powders, beef protein isolate is nearly 100% pure protein devoid of carbohydrates and fat (7).

The benefits of beef protein isolate are maximized when paired with resistance exercises such as weight training. When ingested after resistance training, beef protein increases muscle protein synthesis to a greater extent than when consumed alone (8). This occurs because resistance exercise sensitizes muscle to the anabolic effects of beef protein, resulting in greater uptake of its BCAAs, most notably leucine. This enhanced exercise-induced sensitivity of muscle is sustained for up to 48 hours after exercise (9).

A screenshot of an NCBI study titled "Resistance exercise enhances long-term mTORC1 sensitivity to leucine".

Due in large part to its high concentration of BCAAs, beef protein isolate accelerates recovery from intense exercise (10). As a high-quality protein, beef protein can also counter the muscle loss associated with periods of inactivity, e.g., due to illness or injury (11). For good measure, beef protein isolate is a good source of iron (and glycine—an amino acid that boosts collagen production (12, 13).

The Case for Collagen Protein

As the body’s most represented protein and a major component of connective tissues (e.g., skin, bones, cartilage, tendons), collagen is a protein often referred to as the “glue that holds us together” (14). Among the more than 30 different types of collagen, type I and type III collagen are the most abundant in the body (15, 16). Both collagen types play an essential role in wound healing and tissue regeneration (17). 

Unfortunately, the content and production of collagen in the body decrease with age, resulting in injuries and osteoarthritis in the joints (18, 19) and wrinkle formation in the skin (20). In addition, obtaining enough collagen from our diet is challenging. Most Americans don’t eat much in the way of nonmeat, collagen-rich parts of animals such as skin, liver, intestines, kidneys, heart, and other organs (21). 

Furthermore, many people's diets are trending towards plant-based foods and away from animal-sourced foods. However, plants don’t contain collagen or meaningful amounts of the amino acids needed to produce collagen in the body (22, 23).

Numerous studies have shown that collagen supplementation can help reduce skin aging, increase bone mineral density, and prevent joint deterioration caused by osteoarthritis (24, 25, 26, 27, 28). Supplementation with collagen can also enhance muscle and joint injury recovery following intense exercise (29). 

What are Collagen Peptides?

The vast majority of the studies noted above involve the use of collagen peptides, the preferred type of collagen supplement. Collagen peptides (also known as hydrolyzed collagen) are smaller protein pieces produced by enzymes breaking down intact collagen protein. The small fragments, or peptides, are more easily digested and absorbed into the body, where they subsequently stimulate collagen production (30).

Beef Protein Isolate vs. Collagen Protein: What’s the Difference?

A chart comparing the major benefits of collagen and beef isolate protein

Simply stated, beef protein is better for improving muscle mass and strength, whereas collagen protein is more beneficial for promoting the health of skin, bones, tendons, ligaments, and other connective tissues. 

Muscle protein synthesis (MPS) is an essential process whereby the body continually rebuilds damaged muscle proteins or replaces them with new ones. Beef protein is considered high-quality because a typical dose of 20 to 40 grams providing 10-12 grams of essential amino acids and 1-3 grams of the all-important leucine is able to maximally stimulate muscle protein synthesis (MPS) (31). 

All of the body’s proteins—not just muscle—are constantly turning over. The full gamut of essential amino acids in high-quality beef protein drives whole-body protein synthesis as well (32). 

Collagen protein, in contrast, contains lower amounts of essential amino acids (~ 2.5 grams/15 grams) and leucine (0.4 grams/15 grams) (33). Thus, collagen protein is not very effective at activating MPS to maintain muscle mass and strength and stave off age-related muscle loss (34). 

On the other hand, collagen protein is uniquely rich in glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline - non-essential amino acids found in large amounts in collagen tissues. Once absorbed, these amino acids stimulate the body’s own production of collagen to support skin and joint health (30). 

Despite the distinct strengths of each type of protein, there is some overlap. Collagen is a natural component of beef protein. In fact, it represents up to 10% of muscle tissue and plays an important role in its structure and function (35). As noted above, beef also contains collagen-producing glycine. 

However, while the collagen in beef protein is certainly a positive, there isn’t much evidence directly linking beef protein to joint or skin health. 

Like beef protein, collagen may have some anabolic effects. Even though they are relatively lower in leucine and other essential amino acids, collagen peptides have been shown to increase fat-free mass and strength when coupled with resistance training (36). Rather than increasing muscle size per se, the collagen peptides increase the production of structural components (made of collagen) that sheathe the muscle fibers, resulting in greater size. 

The Bottom Line

The difference between beef protein and collagen is clear: 

  • Maintaining muscle mass and strength throughout life is a major key to health and longevity. High-quality protein, such as beef protein isolate, can complement dietary protein in supporting muscle and overall health. 
  • The production of collagen in the body slows down as we age, and most people don’t eat enough non-meat parts of animals (e.g., skin, liver, intestines) that are rich in collagen. Thus, supplementation with a collagen peptide supplement can help reinforce connective tissues to help slow skin aging and improve joint health. 

So, beef protein vs collagen … which protein should you take? 

The answer is easy: both! 

Since both beef protein and collagen have synergistic effects with exercise, it’s best to ingest them after your workout. You can blend together beef protein isolate and collagen peptides into an all-in-one super nutritious smoothie to support muscles, skin, and joints.

Robert Iafelice
Article by

Robert Iafelice

Robert Iafelice, MS, RD, LDN is a functional nutritionist and freelance medical writer. He is the author of Hold On to Your Muscle, Be Free of Disease, a unique perspective on wellness and disease in the context of muscle health.

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    Medical Disclaimer

    This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of such advice or treatment from a personal physician. All readers/viewers of this content are advised to consult their doctors or qualified health professionals regarding specific health questions. Neither Dr. Chad Walding nor the publisher of this content takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons reading or following the information in this educational content. All viewers of this content, especially those taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement, or lifestyle program.

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