NeoCell is one of the most popular collagen brands in the US, with products available for sale online and in major retailers like Walmart and Target. The company suggests their collagen can help customers "Age Powerfully" and "Nourish your inner power."
But does collagen even improve skin apperance and joint health? Does NeoCell provide an effective collagen dose? What other active ingredients does NeoCell provide, and are they backed by medical studies? And how do real users rate and describe the effects of this brand?
In this article we'll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze medical studies on collagen supplementation to give our take on whether it's likely to be effective for improving skin quality and joint health, or if it's a waste of money.
We'll analyze the ingredients in two of NeoCell's most popular collagen supplements (Super Collagen and Collagen + C) to give our thoughts on their formulations.
We'll also feature unsponsored customer reviews and provide a cost comparison to show which retailer sells NeoCell Collagen for the best price.
Is Collagen Proven to Work?
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 strongly suggests that supplemental collagen can help replenish collagen levels in the body and improve the appearance of the skin.
An extensive medical review published in the International Journal of Dermatology analyzed data from 18 clinical trials on oral collagen supplementation and its effects on skin.
Data from over 1,000 trial participants was examined, and researchers concluded that oral collagen supplementation provided significant improvements to skin:
“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.”
Another meta-study that we frequently cite on Illuminate Health concluded similarly, and suggests that the effective dosing range of collagen for skin is 2.5 grams (g) to 10 g per day.
Collagen can also improve joint health.
A medical review from 2019 evaluated whether orally-administered collagen could reduce osteoarthritis (OA) symptoms. The researchers concluded that collagen reduced OA symptoms overall, and was particularly effective for reducing stiffness.
We consider collagen to be one of the most promising therapeutic supplements for improving skin quality and reducing wrinkles, and to also have significant research backing for improvements to joint health.
But is the NeoCell brand of collagen effectively formulated? We'll share our thoughts in the next section of this article.
NeoCell Ingredient Analysis
The ingredients in the capsule version of NeoCell Super Collagen are shown above.
Hydrolyzed collagen is included at a dose of 3 g, which is within the effective range as documented in the previous section of this article.
There is no mention of whether the collagen is derived from grass-fed or conventionally-raised animals on the product page or the product's label at the time of updating this article.
As we explained in our Youtheory Collagen reviews article, we generally consider animal products sourced from pastured animals to be healthier given the increased nutritional density, although this matters less for a supplement like collagen that does not contain fat.
Vitamin C and biotin are the two other active ingredients in this formulation.
Oral intake of vitamin C was shown in a medical review published in the Nutrients journal to support optimal skin health, and the dose in NeoCell is within the range of some of the clinical trials cited.
Biotin is often included in skin formulations, but we haven't come across any clinical evidence that supplemental biotin improves skin quality in otherwise healthy adults, nor does the brand cite any on their product page.
Although biotin is water-soluble, meaning the risk of overdose is extremely low, the dose used by NeoCell is 8,333% of the Daily Value (DV) for biotin, which is relatively high.
We would advise consumers to speak with their doctor prior to taking such a high dose of biotin for extended periods.
Overall, we consider NeoCell Super Collagen likely to improve skin health given its effective dose of hydrolyzed collgen and vitamin C.
We don't currently recommend this supplement due to the relatively high biotin dose that we don't understand, but the only inactive ingredient in this formulation is safe and non-toxic.
Real People Try NeoCell
A YouTube creator named Lauren O’Connell shared her experience using NeoCell for six weeks in a video with over 70,000 views:
A YouTube creator named "Truly Tara" claims the supplement was ineffective for her:
Where to Buy NeoCell for the Best Price
NeoCell Collagen is sold at a variety of online retailers. Here's a price breakdown for a one-time purchase at the time of updating this article:
Super Collagen (90 servings)
Walmart: $37.79 (link)
Brand website: $26.99 (plus shipping, link)
Amazon: $20.85 (free shipping, link to official Amazon listing)
Collagen + C Liquid Collagen
Brand website: $34.99 (plus shipping, link)
Walmart: $23.79 (plus shipping, link)
Amazon: $22.73 (free shipping, link to official Amazon listing)
NeoCell collagen supplements are currently around 30-40% cheaper for a one-time purchase on Amazon than the brand's website when factoring in shipping fees.
Liquid Collagen Ingredient Analysis
The ingredients in NeoCell's liquid collagen supplement, named "Collagen + C," are shown above.
Green tea leaf extract is an active ingredient in this formulation that we consider to be questionable from a health perspective, and to be a strange choice for a collagen supplement given that it's typically included in weight loss supplements.
As we documented in Obvi Collagenic Burn reviews article, there is clinical evidence suggesting that green tea leaf extract can cause liver injury in some individuals.
Green tea extract is included in a proprietary blend in NeoCell's liquid collagen, which means its individual ingredient dose isn't even published.
Organic cane sugar is an inactive ingredient, and diets high in added sugar are associated with obesity according to a 2019 medical review.
The 2 g of added sugar in this product is relatively low, but many Americans already consume too much sugar from diet, so it may be wise to avoid supplements containing added sugar.
Citric acid is a preservative and flavor enhancer that is shown to cause whole-body inflammation in some individuals.
A series of case reports published in the Toxicology Reports journal documented such, and noted that over 90% of citric acid used in manufacturing is not actually derived from citrus fruits but from a fungus called Aspergillus niger.
Potassium sorbate is a preservative.
Overall, we consider NeoCell Collagen + C likely to support optimal skin health for the same reasons we concluded such in the previous ingredient analysis section: primarily because it provides an effective dose of hydrolyzed collagen.
However, we do not currently recommend this supplement, and we consider Collagen + C to be much less healthy than Super Collagen due to the inactive ingredients highlighted in this section.
Our Clean Collagen Picks
Bulletproof Collagen Powder is our top overall collagen pick because its only ingredient is hydrolyzed collagen sourced from grass-fed animals.
Interested consumers can check out Bulletproof Collagen powder at this link to the product page on the brand's official website.
Super Youth Unflavored is our top premium collagen supplement, as it not only provides an effective collagen dose, but also contains sodium ascorbate which was described as a "potent stimulator of collagen and elastin production in the treatment of wrinkled and stretch-marked skin" in a clinical trial published in the Journal of Dermatological Science.
Interested consumers can check out Super Youth Unflavored at this link to the product page on the brand's official website.
Bulletproof Chocolate Collagen is our top flavored collagen powder pick.
This collagen powder is naturally flavored with organic cocoa powder and coconut creamer powder, and is the healthiest flavored collagen we've reviewed to-date.
Interested consumers can check out Bulletproof Chocolate Collagen at this link to the product page on the brand's official website.
Real Customers Review NeoCell Collagen
Amazon is a better resource for honest customer reviews than a brand's website in our opinion.
Super Collagen is NeoCell's most-reviewed product on Amazon currently, with over 30,000 total reviews and an average review rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars.
The top positive review from a verified purchaser is written by a user named “Stacey” who gives the product a 5/5 star rating and claims NeoCell caused hair and nails to grow significantly:
“I am 44 y/o and lately I typically have brittle nails and hair that grows slowly but since taking these, in just a couple weeks, my nails are thick and strong and both my nails and hair are growing so much! I even have new baby hair growth around my hairline”
The top negative review from a verified purchaser on Amazon comes from a user named “Judy rosenthal” who gives the product a 1/5 star rating and claims the pills caused side effects:
“These are so big to swallow, cause constipation, does nothing for pain, swollen stomach.”
NeoCell currently has an average review rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars on Facebook.
NeoCell Super Collagen currently has an average review rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars on Google.
These are higher average review ratings than most supplements we've reviewed to date on Illuminate Health.
Pros and Cons of NeoCell
Here are the pros and cons of NeoCell collagen in our opinion:
Pros:
- Effective collagen dose
- Should improve skin quality
- Should support joint health
- Effective vitamin C dose
- May be more effective than collagen in isolation
- Highly positive online customer reviews
Cons:
- Super Collagen contains a high biotin dose
- Collagen + C contains green tea extract
- Collagen + C contains added sugar
- Collagen + C contains citric acid
- Relatively low collagen dose per-serving
