A week ago, my Naked Collagen Creamer from Naked Nutrition arrived, and I eagerly cracked it open. I chose the Caramel flavor and I’ve been stirring it into my morning coffee every day since.
I’ve been particularly motivated to try collagen because I’m healing from a full Achilles tendon rupture, and I know collagen plays an important role in connective tissue repair. This felt like a perfect fit for my body’s needs right now.
What I Loved
Flavor
The caramel is dreamy. It enhances my coffee with just the right hint of sweetness — not artificial, but genuinely creamy and indulgent. It’s the kind of flavor I’ve missed in my daily cup.
Mixability
One of my biggest pet peeves with powders is clumping. But this one dissolves beautifully — no lumps, no gritty bits, just a smooth, silky addition to my coffee.
Clean & Focused Formula
On their site, Naked Nutrition describes it as:
“Add a flavorful boost of wellness to your morning beverage with our dairy-free Naked Collagen Creamer, featuring 9 g of premium collagen (Types I and III) from European pasture-raised cows … Quick-absorbing MCT oil provides a steady flow of energy … No artificial sweeteners, flavors, or colors. GMO Free, Gluten Free, Soy Free.”
That aligns with what I want — something clean, purposeful, and effective.
Connecting to My Healing Journey: What the Research Says
To give readers (and myself) confidence, I looked into what science says about collagen for tendon and joint health. The findings are promising — though, to be clear, not definitive. But combining what I’m experiencing with what the research suggests gives me hope.
1. Collagen + Exercise May Support Tendon Healing
A recent study showed that combining collagen supplementation with exercise training significantly influenced tendon pain reduction, and increases in tendon cross-sectional area and thickness though it had less impact on stiffness or microvascular changes compared to exercise alone. PubMed
In other words: collagen can be a helpful complement to the mechanical stimulus (rehab, strength work) your tendon already gets. The collagen arrived the same time I got the boot and released to start baring some of my weight in this healing journey!
2. Collagen for Achilles Tendinopathy — Early Studies
One pilot study specifically looked at Achilles tendinopathy. Participants used specific collagen peptides alongside a calf-strengthening and return-to-run program. After 3 months, the group taking collagen improved significantly (as measured by the VISA-A score) compared with placebo. MDPI
This is particularly relevant to me and to anyone with Achilles issues it suggests collagen may accelerate clinical improvements when paired with a structured rehab protocol. I like feeling hopeful that I am putting in my body what it needs to get back to tip top shape!
3. Mechanistic Basis: Why Collagen Might Help
Amino acids & precursors: Collagen is rich in glycine and proline — two key amino acids for connective tissue formation. One review argues that many standard proteins (e.g. whey) are low in these, so collagen may better supply what’s needed for tendon/ligament remodeling. OUP Academic
Stimulating remodeling: Tendons heal by laying down new collagen fibers, reorganizing them, and cross-linking them. Collagen supplementation may support this process, especially when paired with mechanical stress (rehab/exercise) that signals remodeling. Frontiers+2Sports Injury Physio+2
Structural gains observed: In a study on patellar tendons in athletes, adding collagen peptides to training over 10 weeks yielded greater improvements in tendon stiffness and Young’s modulus vs. placebo. Frontiers
My Take
For someone healing a tendon injury like mine, collagen is not a magic cure, but it has enough supporting evidence to help me say “yes” to trying it, especially when paired with physical therapy, strength work, and patience. I am hoping I get to do PT soon!
My personal experience (great flavor, excellent mixability) already gives me joy and consistency — two hugely important factors for any supplement you stick with long term.
I’ll continue to monitor how my Achilles feels over the next months — pain levels, stiffness, strength, range of motion — and (if you're okay with it) I might share an update down the road.
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