Native Path is a dietary supplement brand that's best-known for their collagen supplements. The brand claims to have sold over four million jars of their collagen peptides powder.
But does collagen powder actually improve skin and joint health, or is it a waste of money? Does Native Path Collagen provide an effective collagen dose? Does the brand use any unhealthy additives? And how does it compare on price to other popular collagen powders?
In this article we'll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze medical studies on collagen supplementation to determine if it can improve skin and joint health.
We'll analyze the ingredients in Native Path's collagen peptides and feature unsponsored user reviews of the brand.
We'll also provide a cost comparison to show how Native Path stacks up to other popular collagen brands in terms of price, and to show which retailer sells Native Path Collagen Peptides for the best price.
Does Collagen Improve Skin and Joint Health?
Collagen is the structural protein in skin, and it’s one of the most well-studied supplements for reducing wrinkles.
As we age, our body’s collagen production slows down, and medical research shows that supplemental collagen can help replenish collagen levels in the body to improve the appearance of skin.
A medical review published in the International Journal of Dermatology analyzed data from 18 clinical trials on oral collagen supplementation, and the researchers concluded the following:
“Based on results, ingestion of hydrolyzed collagen for 90 days is effective in reducing skin aging, as it reduces wrinkles and improves skin elasticity and hydration.”
A 2019 meta-study concluded similarly, and suggests that the effective dosing range of collagen for skin quality is 2.5 grams (g) to 10 g per day.
Collagen can also improve joint health.
A 2019 medical review evaluated whether orally-administered collagen could reduce osteoarthritis (OA) symptoms. The researchers concluded that collagen reduced arthritis symptoms overall, and was particularly effective for reducing stiffness.
Based on the available research, we consider oral collagen supplementation likely to be effective for supporting skin and joint health.
A doctor and YouTube creator named Jeffrey Peng has an informative video on whether collagen can improve joint pain:
We Tried Native Path Ourselves
As the author of this article, I wanted to try Native Path collagen myself to share my thoughts on the taste, effects, and overall product experience.
I purchased the unflavored collagen peptide product in powder format from my local Walmart.
The first thing I noticed (that you can see in the picture above) is that the collagen didn't dissolve that well in water.
I've tried a wide variety of collagen products during my product tests, and I'd say the solubility of this brand is below-average.
There was no taste to the collagen, and I experienced no side effects during its use.
The packaging is flawed, as the scooper doesn't fit properly into the canister when the product is first opened. It needs to be tucked in and folded slightly which is a minor nuisance, and not something I've experienced in any other collagen product test.
I take collagen daily for joint and skin benefits, and I feel like it's improved my skin quality and has reduced shin splints I get from long cardio workouts.
Overall, I'd rate Native Path collagen 5.5/10, and I don't plan to purchase it in the future.
Native Path Ingredient Analysis
The ingredients in Native Path Original Collagen Peptides (unflavored) are shown above.
Collagen peptides sourced from grass-fed animals is the only ingredient, making this a clean and effective formulation.
The collagen dose per serving is 10 g, which we consider to be maximally-effective as documented in the previous section.
We approve of this formulation and consider it likely to support skin and joint health.
The ingredients in Native Path Chocolate Collagen Peptides are shown below:
The active ingredient (collagen peptides) and dose (10 g) are the same as the unflavored version, so we consider this supplement equally likely to be effective for skin and joint health.
Natural flavor is the only ingredient in this formulation that we consider questionable from a health perspective.
As we documented in our Live Conscious review article, some flavoring additives and their metabolites may be harmful to human health according to at least one medical review.
Native Path currently sells nine different collagen products, and the unflavored versions are the only ones we recommend from a health perspective.
But how do real users rate and describe the effects of Native Path collagen supplements? We'll feature some real user reviews in the next section of this article.
Real People Try Native Path Collagen
A TikTok creator named Dani Rae shares how she includes Native Path collagen into a healthy day's routine:
@itsdanirae been loving this collagen from @NativePath <3 i love adding it into my smoothies or even my coffee & i get some amazing benefits from it while enjoying my favorite drink 🥰 use my code: DANI15 to get your own 🫶🏽 #morningroutine #nativepathcollagen #onthepath #dayoffwork #fyp ♬ Daylight - Harry Styles
A TikTok creator named Marissa Farhi shares how she makes a healthy collagen coffee blend using Native Path Collagen:
@marissafarhi this is a simple way to add some protein + collagen into your coffee to help regulate and balance hormones. also tastes amazing ☕️ @NativePath #coffeetiktok #coffee #coffeerecipe #organic #health #wellness #collagen #protein #hormones #balancedlifestyle #FomotionalFinds #lifestyle #recipe ♬ Young Folks - Shindig Society
Real Customers Review Native Path
Amazon is a better resource for honest customer reviews than a brand's website in our opinion.
Native Path Collagen Peptides has been reviewed over 1,600 times on Amazon at the time of updating this article, with an average review rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars.
The top positive review from a verified purchaser comes from a user named “bonnie bentz” who gives the product a 5/5 star rating and claims it helped both her and her mother:
"I have alot less hair coming out of our hair brushes I was really surprised by that. Nails are growing like crazy, and my nails were in pretty bad shape from wearing fake nails for many years so yes you know the damage. My mother has said her knees feel better"
The top negative review from a verified purchaser is written by a user named “Barbara J” who gives the product a 1/5 star rating and claims it caused digestive side effects:
"Just one scoop messes up my stomach, mostly my bowels. I can not take it and it can not be returned. So take it at your own risk. Make sure your close to a rest room for at least 3 days after one scoop. If had done two the first day I may had to live in the bathroom for a couple of days."
In fairness to the brand, any individual can have an allergic or otherwise bad reaction to any food product, but we haven't come across and clinical studies suggesting that unflavored collagen peptides cause digestive issues more than placebo.
Native Path Collagen Peptides has an average review rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars on Google.
Where to Get the Best Price
Native Path Collagen Peptides is sold at a variety of online retailers. Here's a price breakdown for the 56-serving bag at the time of updating this article:
Brand website: $67.99 (plus shipping, link)
Walmart: $59.95 (free shipping, link to official Walmart listing)
Amazon: $59.95 (free shipping, link to official Amazon listing)
Native Path Collagen Peptides is around 20% cheaper for a one-time order on Amazon than on the brand's website when factoring in shipping fees.
The per-serving price of $1 is slightly more than most of the brands we reviewed in our best collagen article, but within the average range.
Pros and Cons of Native Path
Here are the pros and cons of Native Path Collagen Peptides in our opinion:
Pros:
- Effective collagen dose
- Should support skin health
- Should support joint health
- Sourced from grass-fed animals
- Unflavored collagen contains no additives
- Relatively cheap
- Mostly positive customer reviews
Cons:
- Flavored version contains "natural flavor"
