Collagen is the hot new thing everyone is adding to their coffee, smoothies, bars, yogurt, and even water! And though collagen is not in itself a new trend, putting it in our food is. The number of supposed health benefits of collagen peptides and its close cousin gelatin is astounding.
Collagen peptides benefits include improved skin elasticity, stronger nails, reduction in joint pain, and improved gut biome to name a few. {*, *} Collagen is also used to significantly speed wound healing in clinical settings. {*} Naturally, I was curious to see if there’s any real scientific evidence to back this up.
The Quick History of Collagen
The beauty industry has been touting the skin benefits of collagen for several decades now. Back in the 1970s many topical skin treatments included collagen. The idea was that it should help replace the collagen our skin naturally loses as we age.
As time went on and new research came out, it was obvious that collagen molecules are too large to pass through the cell membrane and cannot be used that way by the body. So the beauty industry largely left collagen alone until a more recent resurgence.
So…What Is Collagen Made Of And What Does Collagen Do For You?
Collagen is the most abundant protein in our bodies. At 25% – 35% of total protein count, it is essential to form the connective tissue that makes up a large portion of the bones, muscles, skin, cartilage, and tendons. The major benefits attributed to collagen are due to the specific amino acids that make up collagen peptides.
If you’ve ever taken protein powders, you might know that amino acids are organic compounds highly present in all forms of protein. There are a total of 20 different amino acids with 9 being essential (your body cannot make them) and 11 non-essential amino acids (you do not need these from food sources).
Collagen, however, contains 19 of these 20 amino acids. It does not contain tryptophan which is one of the 9 essential amino acids. Tryptophan is a precursor to the synthesis of serotonin, melatonin, and vitamin B3 to name a few. These all contribute to a sense of well-being and a dysregulation in those hormones could spell trouble. Luckily tryptophan is easy to come by in foods like eggs, poultry, oily fish like salmon, and dark green leafy vegetables.
Collagen Supplements v. Protein Powders
There has been some speculation that if you simply consume protein powders, you are already getting all the benefits of collagen supplementation. That simply isn’t true. Protein powders are made from whey, while collagen is present in bones, skin, and cartilage of animals. Therefore, the amino acid profile is completely different.
Different Types of Collagen
At least 28 collagen types have currently been identified. {*} They are distinguished based on their molecular structure. However, the majority of collagen powders sold mainly contain only one or two of these types of collagen.
In the human body, Type I collagen is most prevalent at roughly 90%. Type I collagen is present in the skin, tendons, bone, and many organs. This is the collagen many people associate with skin health and even bone health. Type III collagen often accompanies Type I collagen, though in much smaller amounts. This collagen persists in skin, muscle, and blood vessels to name a few.
The source of your collagen supplement will dictate the type you get. For instance, bovine-sourced collagen is mostly Type I and Type III, while fish-sourced marine collagen contains only collagen Type I. Poultry-derived collagen, however, is Type II. Type II collagen is of most interest to joint health as it is necessary for the production of cartilage.
Where Do Collagen Supplements Come From?
As I mentioned earlier, all forms of collagen powder found in nutritional supplements come from ground-up animal tissues like cows, pigs, fish, and poultry. The specific tissues can include bones, cartilage, skin, and even things like fish scales and eggshells.
However, unless you are concerned from an allergen perspective, it’s likely completely irrelevant what the animal source of a given collagen supplement is. Once you eat collagen your body will break it down to make what it needs where it needs it most.
There is also very little research to show if a given type of collagen supplement produces better results over another form. With one caveat to Type II undenatured collagen (see more on that below).
Let me say this again:
The animal source of your collagen powder SHOULD NOT affect its bioavailability. {*}
Forms of Collagen Supplements
There are three main types of collagen supplements. These are gelatin, hydrolyzed collagen, and undenatured collagen. Most research is conducted using either gelatin powder or undenatured collagen. However, hydrolyzed collagen and gelatin powder appear to act similarly on the body.
They do have different cooking properties, though. Gelatin dissolves only in hot water and gels when cooled. Hydrolyzed collagen does not gel and dissolves in hot or cold liquids easily.
By the way, collagen powder and gelatin powder do not degrade when mixed with hot liquids. Your liquids would have to be at the very least over 572°F (300°C) in order to initiate any real changes in the molecular structure of the collagen molecule (and even more for gelatin). And since water boils at 212 °F, you can keep mixing collagen into your coffee without fear 🙂 {*}
Collagen Peptides
Collagen peptides are collagen in a hydrolyzed form. Hydrolyzation is a process that breaks collagen proteins down into smaller particles called peptides through the use of special enzymes. The smaller particles are easier to digest. This quality enhances the uptake of the amino acid particles by the body. You will find it sold as collagen peptides, hydrolyzed collagen, collagen hydrolysate, and hydrolyzed gelatin.
Gelatin Powder
You get gelatin when you cook meats, bones, and other tissue rich in collagen. It has a gel-like texture when cooled. Think bone broth. Collagen peptides and gelatin are very structurally and molecularly similar. Current research suggests they have the same effect on the body when consumed.
Undenatured Collagen
The third type is the undenatured collagen (collagen Type II). This collagen is not broken down or hydrolyzed into smaller particles. Undenatured collagen is primarily used to treat joint pain and osteoarthritis and may be helpful for some cases of rheumatoid arthritis. {*}
There is some evidence that this collagen provides further benefits and has higher efficacy to treat joint pain, especially when still bound to other components it is normally found with (like hyaluronic acid, glucosamine, and other connective tissue components). {*}
Are There Side Effects to Collagen Supplementation?
Not really. There are currently no known side-effects from consuming collagen or gelatin in food or in a supplemental form. The only concern would be from an allergen perspective. So make certain you are not allergic to any ingredients in your specific supplement.
On that point, make sure to choose a supplement with as few ingredients as possible. It’s also a good idea to find one with a credible third-party certification like NSF, UL, or USP.
How Much Collagen Should You Take?
The Food and Drug Administration does not regulate collagen supplements. At this time there is no specific daily recommended dosage for collagen supplements.
However, most studies do date used type II undenatured collagen at 40 mg per day which is only 0.4 grams. {*} Other studies using collagen protein (gelatin) used between 5 – 10 grams or more daily to show the benefits of collagen peptides supplementation. If you are not sure, it’s best to start with the dosing instructions on the package and adjust as you go.
Is there a Vegan or Vegetarian Collagen Supplement?
At this time there really is no vegan or vegetarian collagen supplement. Some companies sell vegan and vegetarian collagen boosters, but these are mainly vitamins that may help boost endogenous collagen production. The best option for vegans and vegetarians is to supplement with real foods or specific amino acids.
So Are the Benefits of Collagen Supplements Real?
As we age, our endogenous collagen production slows down naturally due to a number of co-factors including hormonal, environmental, and genetic. The theory is that supplementing with collagen in your diet with food or a supplement can help stimulate the production of collagen and thus slow the decline.
The biggest criticism is that your digestive tract will break down most of the collagen peptides you ingest. As a result, none or a much smaller amount of them will actually reach the circulation and tissues to provide any measurable benefit. And in turn, would an abundance of building blocks (these amino acids) actually stimulate higher production of collagen in the body?
Others argue that any benefits of collagen peptides supplementation, or indeed collagen supplements in any form, could be easily offset by just consuming enough collagen-rich foods.
The majority of early studies done on the benefits of collagen supplements included very small populations, often without control groups and frequently sponsored by the companies marketing these collagen products.
While the research in this field is still minimal, there is new evidence that a portion of hydrolized collagen peptides actually makes it into the circulation which appears to be at least helpful. Recent studies show a statistically significant improvement in athletes with activity-related joint pain {*}, increased skin elasticity {*}, and even improved bone density {*, *}.
And since it’s a relatively cheap, easy, and delicious way (collagen powder is tasteless, but adds creaminess to drinks!) to ensure you get enough of those essential amino acids, I will keep on using it.
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