Last few years collagen powder has become very popular for its beauty- and health benefits. But next to its benefits, there’s also a downside of this supplement that I personally experienced.

 

When supplementing with collagen powder a few years ago, while simultaneously tapering Citalopram, my anxiety, irritability and insomnia went trough the roof. At first I didn’t link these symptoms to the collagen powder, because these are typical SSRI withdrawal symptoms. But when I suspected a causal connection, I decided to stop for a few days. The second day I felt immense relief from the anxiety and insomnia. Because I also experienced some benefits from the supplement, I tried taking collagen powder again after a few weeks. But again, after a few days, the same symptoms appeared. The link between collagen powder and my symptoms were very clear to me and I decided to stop taking it.

 

After searching the internet, I learned I wasn’t alone. Although these side effects appear to be very rare, some people experienced the exact same symptoms as I did. It’s not quite clear why, and it hasn’t been researched very well, but there are some theories. One of them is that collagen powder is an ‘incomplete amino acid’, and low on tryptophan. Which could potentially influence the uptake of tryptophan into our brain. Tryptophan is a precursor of serotonin, and the role of tryptophan, especially during (and after) tapering of an SSRI could be very important, so be careful with collagen supplements.

 

Maybe these side effects are extremely rare, but I wanted to bring some awareness about this subject. Perhaps my (our) central nervous system is highly sensitive, especially during withdrawal, that we are more prone to the potential negative side effects of collagen as a supplement.

 

Thanks for reading,

Endgame

Hey @Endgame Thanks for posting about this and welcome to the forum! Could I ask you to make your intro post when you have a second. Thanks! Chippy

On 2/10/2026 at 7:28 AM, Endgame said:

Last few years collagen powder has become very popular for its beauty- and health benefits. But next to its benefits, there’s also a downside of this supplement that I personally experienced.

 

When supplementing with collagen powder a few years ago, while simultaneously tapering Citalopram, my anxiety, irritability and insomnia went trough the roof. At first I didn’t link these symptoms to the collagen powder, because these are typical SSRI withdrawal symptoms. But when I suspected a causal connection, I decided to stop for a few days. The second day I felt immense relief from the anxiety and insomnia. Because I also experienced some benefits from the supplement, I tried taking collagen powder again after a few weeks. But again, after a few days, the same symptoms appeared. The link between collagen powder and my symptoms were very clear to me and I decided to stop taking it.

 

After searching the internet, I learned I wasn’t alone. Although these side effects appear to be very rare, some people experienced the exact same symptoms as I did. It’s not quite clear why, and it hasn’t been researched very well, but there are some theories. One of them is that collagen powder is an ‘incomplete amino acid’, and low on tryptophan. Which could potentially influence the uptake of tryptophan into our brain. Tryptophan is a precursor of serotonin, and the role of tryptophan, especially during (and after) tapering of an SSRI could be very important, so be careful with collagen supplements.

 

Maybe these side effects are extremely rare, but I wanted to bring some awareness about this subject. Perhaps my (our) central nervous system is highly sensitive, especially during withdrawal, that we are more prone to the potential negative side effects of collagen as a supplement.

 

Thanks for reading,

Endgame

Thanks for the info @Endgame very interesting. Can I ask what dosage you were taking? I have 5 grams a few times a week. A quick check on google said 2.5 to 50g is generally considered safe. It also mentions the tryptophan being potentially crowded out 🙏

On 5/5/2026 at 3:17 PM, Catbird said:

Thanks for the info @Endgame very interesting. Can I ask what dosage you were taking? I have 5 grams a few times a week. A quick check on google said 2.5 to 50g is generally considered safe. It also mentions the tryptophan being potentially crowded out 🙏

You’re welcome @Catbird.

Sorry for the late reply; I was taking one scoop of ~8 grams a day.

I’m almost done with my taper, and will try smaller dosages once I’m stabilized after completely stopping the SSRI, and see if I can tolerate the collagen without side effects.

Edited July 13Jul 13 by Endgame