Vital Proteins

Vital Proteins turned collagen into a mainstream category, and its flagship product is about as simple as supplements get: an unflavored powder with only one ingredient — bovine collagen from grass-fed, pasture-raised cows — containing no dairy or gluten. The lineup extends to marine collagen, flavored peptides, and a Bioactive Collagen Complex line built on clinically studied collagen peptides VERISOL, FORTIBONE, and FORTIGEL — branded ingredients with their own published research, which is more evidence than most collagen products can claim. Lhasa OMSLhasa OMS On testing: Vital Proteins uses independent, certified third-party labs to test every lot of each product for heavy metals and microbiological components, and products are manufactured in a cGMP facility. For some products the brand has publicly shared results — for its Non-GMO Project Verified Marine Collagen, the company has stated heavy metal results fall under an A+++ rating for lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury, with a certificate of analysis available for viewing. Lhasa OMSAmazon Our readers deserve the full history, though: a 2017 California Proposition 65 complaint found that multiple collagen products from Vital Proteins contained levels of lead and cadmium exceeding the state's safety limits, and the brand has faced lawsuits related to heavy metals, with its current messaging about rigorous third-party and cGMP testing aimed at addressing those concerns. Heavy metals are a known challenge for the whole collagen category (bones and connective tissue absorb what's in the environment), which is exactly why lot-level testing matters here more than in most categories. Vital Proteins is also a Nestlé Health Science brand, for those who factor ownership into their choices. Whitness NutritionZkambr We recommend Vital Proteins with that context: the single-ingredient formulas, grass-fed sourcing, clinically studied peptide lines, and every-lot testing are genuine clean-label strengths — and the brand's past Prop 65 issues are why we'd encourage you to check the COA for your specific product, which is a habit worth having with any collagen brand