Which collagen is best absorbed? 3 useful tips!
- By Plent Redactie
- 20 Oct 2022
Which collagen is best absorbed by your body? That's a good question to ask before choosing a collagen supplement. Because what good is it if it doesn't do what you want for your body?
There are 3 important points that influence the absorbability of collagen in your body, or the bioavailability. We will discuss it further in this blog!
What does collagen bioavailability mean?
Bioavailability refers to how food - in this case collagen - can be absorbed and used by the body. This determines its effectiveness in the body. A high bioavailability means that it can be better absorbed and used in the body.
1. Collagen from which source to choose?
To give you an idea of the types of collagen and what it can do for you, here's an overview of the most well-known sources of collagen.
- Bovine collagen (cow or beef):
- Bovine collagen comes from cows, mainly from the skin, bones and muscles. It mainly consists of type 1 and 3 collagen, which are the most abundant types in the human body. Bovine collagen provides glycine and proline and is therefore useful for the production of creatine, building muscle and supporting the body to make its own collagen.
- Chicken Collagen:
- Chicken collagen mainly consists of type 2 collagen, which is the best type for building cartilage. This makes it a good choice for joint health, especially since this source also contains chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine sulfate, both of which also have an anti-aging effect.
- Fish Collagen:
- fish collagen has been shown to be the easiest to absorb into the body. It mainly contains type 1 collagen, with the amino acids glycine, proline and hydroxyproline. Because type 1 is found everywhere in the body, fish collagen has been linked to benefits for the skin, joints, vital organs, blood vessels, digestive system and bones. Hydroxyproline is an important part of the so-called collagen triple helix. A reduced level of hydroxyproline is associated with joint breakdown and thus the signs of aging.
Why isn't vegan collagen mentioned?
Collagen is always of animal origin. There are vegan collagen boosters available, but this is different from collagen. These collagen boosters are intended to stimulate the natural production of collagen in your body, but do not contain collagen.
Fish collagen: the anti-aging protein with the best bioavailability
Is fish collagen better than bovine or pork collagen?
While all animal sources of collagen have health benefits, fish collagen is known to have the best absorption and bioavailability. This is because the particles are smaller and have a lower molecular weight compared to collagen from other animal sources.
Fish collagen is absorbed into the body up to 1.5 times more efficiently and has a superior bioavailability to bovine or porcine collagen. Because it is absorbed more efficiently and enters the bloodstream faster, it is also considered the best collagen source for medicinal purposes.
What makes fish collagen better absorbed into our body?
The ability of fish collagen to be more easily absorbed by our bodies is due to its lower molecular weight and smaller particle size, which allows the collagen to be better absorbed across the intestinal barrier into the bloodstream and transported throughout the body . This leads to collagen synthesis in the skin, joint tissues, bones and many other essential body systems.
2. Choose collagen with added vitamin C
Some collagen supplements contain added vitamin C for good reason, especially when using collagen to slow down the signs of aging or improve. Vitamin C stimulates natural collagen production in your body and helps to keep existing collagen in top shape (Source: NCBI).
Vitamin C and Collagen Synthesis
The antioxidant properties of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and its role in collagen synthesis make vitamin C an essential molecule for skin health (Source: Study Oregon State University).
The effect of vitamin C on signs of skin aging
That vitamin C has a positive effect as an anti-aging product has been known for years and has been proven by many studies. One such 2008 study concluded that a higher vitamin C intake was associated with a lower risk of wrinkles and dryness (Source: Pubmed).
3. Choose hydrolyzed collagen
To make your collagen supplement work better, it is good to choose a supplement with hydrolyzed collagen.
What is Hydrolyzed Collagen?
In hydrolyzed collagen, the protein fibers are broken down into so-called peptides. This makes the particles smaller and is absorbed faster and better into the body. You can read more about it in this article: Why choose collagen hydrolyzate.
The effect of hydrolyzed collagen on skin aging
A clinical study by the International Society of Dermatology found that taking hydrolyzed collagen for 90 days is effective in reducing skin aging as it reduces wrinkles and improves skin elasticity and hydration (Source: Pubmed).
Conclusion
To choose the best absorbable collagen, it is important to pay attention to the following:
- Preferably choose fish collagen. Of course, this also depends on the purpose for which you use collagen, but fish collagen has the highest bioavailability.
- Choose collagen with added vitamin C. Vitamin C plays an important role in the body's production of collagen. In addition, vitamin C is said to enhance the effect of collagen supplements and improve absorption.
- Choose hydrolyzed collagen. Collagen that has been hydrolyzed is absorbed into the body faster and better. This is because the collagen fibers have been broken down by hydrolysis into peptides that are smaller and therefore enter the bloodstream faster.
