What is collagen?

Collagen is available in popular supplemental types such as bovine (from cattle) and marine collagen (from fish). Our primal ancestors obtained collagen in their diet from consuming meat of the bones and broths made from bone and connective tissue. Modern diets now contain mainly lean meats; hence supplementation may be necessary. Collagen can be supplemented in a range of different ways, including drinks, capsules, bone broths and coffee. It is often combined with other ingredients to address targeted concerns.

What are the health benefits of collagen?

Tissue growth and repair

Collagen offers support to everything from our skin, muscles and bones to our fingernails and hair. It’s hard to get it from diet alone, unless you regularly eat organ meats or bone broths.

Collagen is the most prominent building block of the body’s tissues and is key to the structure and repair of bone and cartilage. Collagen acts to increase the strength and elasticity of body tissues. This structural component protein makes up around 25-35% of our total body tissue. Once you reach your late 20s, new collagen production begins to slow down. In fact, during and after menopause, your body slows down making new collagen at an even faster rate.

Joint and ligament health

Collagen provides a building material for ligaments, tensons, vessels of the cardiovascular system and the layers of the skin. It is vital in the general replacement of skin and cells lining the gastrointestinal tract. Collagen comprises cartilage, a frictionless surface for bones to move past each other. When cartilage is worn down, wear and tear can cause joint pain.

Bone tissue

Bone remodeling is a continual renewal of the bone tissue. It requires a collagen protein matrix to remineralise the bone, which hardens the bone to provide strength and protection against fracture.

Anti-ageing

Collagen deteriorates due to factors such as exposure to ultraviolet rays from sunlight, and lifestyle habits such as smoking which generate oxidative stress in the body. Oxidative stress can promote ongoing damage to our cells in the body, causing skin to visibly loose elasticity and as such the thickness of the skin is reduced to generate formation of fine lines and wrinkles.

Eye health

Collagen is implicated in eye health. Collagen and tissue abnormalities at the back of the eye contribute to the clogging of certain areas, preventing proper drainage from the eye. Such processes can be seen in glaucoma and related vision loss.

The different types of collagen

Collagen is made up of amino acids, which are the smaller protein building blocks which make up proteins. The key amino acid in collagen is glycine, which is found in animal protein, egg whites, fish, nuts and seeds.

Collagen exists in different forms, depending on its location and function in the body. At least 16 different types of collagen have been identified, but some 80 to 90 percent of all the collagen in the body is either type I, II, or III.

Type I Collagen

The vast majority of all the collagen we contain is type I, because it’s found in skin, hair, nails, muscles, joints and organs. Most anti ageing collagen powder supplements for the skin will contain type I, and it’s the type that’s found in large quantities in marine collagen.

Type II Collagen

This type of collagen is present in movable joints and cartilage (the connective tissue that protects your bones). You’ll also find it in spinal disks and eyes. In supplements, type II is predominantly used for joint health.

Type III Collagen

After type I, this is the second most abundant collagen in human tissue because it’s found in places such as your intestines, muscles, blood vessels and the uterus. As a supplement, type III collagen is most commonly used for gut health.

If you'd like any advice on which collagen supplement might be best for you have a look at our guide by clicking here, or call us on 01625 400113.