Collagen 101

So what’s all the buzz about collagen? Everyone’s talking about it. Many of us are buying it. But do you really know that much about collagen supplements, what collagen really is, what it can do (and not do) for you? And what about sources of collagen – beef, chicken, fish, plant??? Technically, collagen is NOT from plants however plant proteins and nutrients can support your body’s collagen production by suppling essential amino acids your body can use to support collagen.

Let’s get down to some basics – what IS collagen?

Collagen, by definition, is a structural protein found throughout our body and is often thought of as “the glue that holds our pieces together.” It is the most abundant protein in our body and makes up about 70% of the protein in our skin, especially in the dermis level of skin – the supportive part. Your body can make collagen from essential amino acids (protein) we consume, however over time and with the aging process, collagen production slows down.

There are 4 key amino acids that make up collagen – Arginine, Glycine, Proline, and Hydroxyproline. These are considered non-essential amino acids due to the fact our body can synthesize them and we don’t have to consume them. Therefore, collagen is a non-essential protein. Then why all the fuss about collagen supplements?

Diet, lifestyle, and aging all play a role in the integrity, quality, and quantity of collagen we have in our body.

So how do you know what collagen to buy? What do all the Types of Collagen mean? Which Type(s) of Collagen should we be adding to our supplement routine?

Let’s first examine the Types of collagen. There are many articles and publications that speak to the benefits of different “types” of collagen. According to the National Institutes of Health they categorize collagen as a group of 28 different collagens in the Collagen Superfamily, each having a slightly different structure, and each with a different job to do. Now that can make things VERY confusing! What we do know is that Type I collagen makes up about 90% of the collagen in the human body, so that makes things a little easier when it comes to selecting collagen supplements.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3003457/

Why do we take collagen? Many people are looking for support of their skin, joint, muscles, ligaments and tendons. For these benefits we should be focusing on Types I, II, and III collagens.

Type I collagen, being the most abundant form in the body, is important for support of the dermis level of skin and in the extracellular matrix of tendons, ligaments and joints.

Type II collagen is in high concentrations in tendons, ligaments, and joints.

Type III collagen is in high concentrations in the dermis level of skin.

Now that we’ve identified the 3 most important collagen types, let’s look at the best way to supplement. When taking a collagen supplement, it should be a hydrolyzed collagen peptide, which means the molecular structure is broken down to facilitate absorption and utilization.

Next, check out the research. Just because it says hydrolyzed peptide doesn’t necessarily mean it will work the best. A proven leader in the collagen field is Verisol® collagen, a bovine sourced hydrolyzed peptide, and has research those shows a 60% increase in the dermis level of skin in just 8 weeks with only 2.5 grams of Verisol® collagen. Now that’s what I call impressive!