Collagenium

Editorial Standards & Methodology

How Collagenium researches, writes, sources, reviews, and corrects every article on the site.

Last reviewed: May 17, 2026

1. Who we are

Collagenium is an independent editorial publication covering collagen supplements, collagen-related nutrition, and connective-tissue science. We are a small team of health writers and researchers. We are not licensed medical professionals. We do not diagnose, treat, or prescribe. Our role is to read the published scientific literature on collagen and related supplements and translate it into accurate, reader-friendly summaries.

Where a question requires personalized clinical judgment — drug interactions, dosing for a specific health condition, pregnancy/breastfeeding safety, pediatric use — we direct readers to a registered dietitian (RD/RDN), physician, or pharmacist.

2. Sourcing hierarchy

Every health claim on Collagenium must be supported by at least one of the following, in order of preference:

  1. Tier 1 — Systematic reviews and meta-analyses (Cochrane, PubMed-indexed peer-reviewed journals).
  2. Tier 2 — Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in peer-reviewed journals.
  3. Tier 3 — Other peer-reviewed primary research (cohort, case-control, mechanistic studies).
  4. Tier 4 — Authoritative bodies: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS), FDA, EFSA, Health Canada, Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Memorial Sloan Kettering's About Herbs database.
  5. Tier 5 — Expert clinical opinion (used only when higher-tier evidence is unavailable, and always labeled as such).

Claims supported only by manufacturer marketing, blog posts, influencer reviews, or non-peer-reviewed preprints are not acceptable sources on Collagenium.

3. How we grade and represent evidence

We do not pretend that every claim about collagen is equally well-supported. We use plain-English evidence labels in our articles:

  • "Well-supported" — multiple RCTs or a systematic review converge on the same finding.
  • "Some evidence" — one or two RCTs show a positive effect; replication is limited or mixed.
  • "Preliminary" — only mechanistic, animal, or small uncontrolled human data exist.
  • "Marketing claim" — the claim appears widely in supplement marketing but lacks credible human evidence.

4. Conflict of interest and affiliate disclosure

Collagenium earns commissions when readers purchase products through affiliate links on our site. That relationship is disclosed on every page that contains an affiliate link. Crucially:

  • Affiliate commissions do not influence which products appear in our roundups, how we rank them, or what we say about them.
  • We do not accept payment, free product, or promotional consideration in exchange for favorable reviews.
  • We do not allow brands to review or approve content before publication.
  • Negative findings about products in our affiliate network are published as readily as positive ones; specific issues we have flagged include low elemental dosing, undisclosed fillers, and unverified marketing claims.

See our full affiliate disclosure.

5. Authorship and review

Collagenium articles are written by the Collagenium Research Team and published under that organizational byline. We do not invent named authors or fabricate credentials. Where we summarize the views of a named outside expert, we link to their primary work.

Every article carries two dates:

  • Published — first publication date.
  • Last reviewed — most recent date a team member re-checked sources, claims, and product details.

Articles are re-reviewed at least every 12 months, and immediately whenever a reader, brand, or researcher flags an issue.

6. Product reviews

Our product reviews and rankings are built from:

  • Published Supplement Facts panels and Certificate of Analysis (CoA) documents where the brand makes them available.
  • Third-party testing data when published (Labdoor, ConsumerLab, NSF, Informed Sport).
  • Per-serving cost normalized across pack sizes.
  • Collagen source (bovine, marine, chicken, multi), type (I, II, III, V, X), and dosing transparency.
  • Manufacturing disclosures (GMP, country of origin, allergen handling).

We do not test products in a clinical-trial sense. We compare what is on the label and what is verifiable from independent testing. Where a brand will not disclose third-party testing or sourcing, we say so.

7. Corrections policy

If you spot an error — a miscited study, an outdated price, a regulation we missed, a product reformulation — email corrections@collagenium.com. We respond to corrections within 5 business days. Verified corrections are made directly in the article, with a dated correction notice appended at the top of the article, and the "Last reviewed" date is updated.

8. AI-assisted research

We sometimes use AI tools to help search the literature, draft summaries, or surface relevant studies. Every claim and citation is then verified by a human team member against the primary source before publication. AI-generated text is never published without human verification of every factual assertion in it.

9. What we will not publish

  • Personalized medical advice or dosing for specific conditions.
  • Claims that supplements cure, treat, or prevent disease (FDA-prohibited language).
  • Sponsored or advertorial content disguised as editorial.
  • Affiliate placements without disclosure.
  • Fabricated authors, fabricated credentials, or fabricated quotes.

10. Contact