how to choose your collagen supplement?

With hundreds of new Collagen products flooding the market every year, it can be challenging to find the most genuine, effective and science backed products !
 
What is collagen and exactly what is its role in the body?
Collagen is a type of protein metabolised by the body that acts as a building block and structural framework . it is a kind of glue that holds everything together.
 There are different types:
 Type 1 and 3 are the most abundant ( about 90%) and are found in skin, joints, bones,  tendons, cornea, teeth, blood vessels and muscles.
 Type 2 is specifically found in cartilage and joints
 
After the age of 40 we start losing about 1 % of collagen per year, this may show in fine wrinkles, painful joints, thinning hair and brittle nails.
 
Some factors  also reduce or body’s ability to produce collagen such as:
Smoking, alcohol, sun exposure,  environmental toxins, lack of sleep, hormonal changes: we know for example that reduction in oestrogen at menopause has a negative effect on collagen production. Poor nutrition and excess Sugar in the diet has also a detrimental effect on collagen production.
So of course if we want to to preserve our collagen we need to work on the above..
But if we want to improve further which supplements to choose from?
 
Collagen are naturally present in animals skins/ bones and cartilage,  
sources are mostly bovine, chicken and marine.
Vegan collagen alternatives are available, they are NOT ACTUAL collagen but they may act as  collagen boosters (they often contain Aloe Sterol, panax ginseng and Gotu kola plus amino acids, vitamins and minerals).
 
Do we absorb COLLAGEN  supplements easily?
Collagen is a big molecule that the body cannot easily metabolise and use it effectively so
Look for brands selling hydrolysed collagen or collagen bio-active peptides  with weight between 500 to 2000 Daltons//
 For joint health, if you are looking to reduce joint pain,  you may opt  for undenatured collagen (which is the non-hydrolysed form) 
 
Which collagen is best: bovine, chicken or  marine?
This is a question that regularly comes up..
I would say that it may be a matter of preference and goals and also being careful of potential allergies (such as shellfish/fish allergy). Keep in mind that fish contains mainly collagen of type 1.
Prefer brands using wild caught fish.
If you choose bovine source, this will contain both Type 1 and type 3. I would recommend grass-fed and EU sources, free from antibiotics and hormones.
 For joint health and osteoarthritis: look specifically for Unatured UC-II collagen (chicken)
 
They all tend be more effective if combined with Vitamin C  and taken on an empty stomach between meals
 
How long should you use collagen to start seeing some benefits?
At least 2 months for skin wrinkles (of daily use), although you may see improvement in skin hydration earlier
And 3 months for joint health.
 
Collagen is not a quick fix!

Disclaimer:  generic information and should not be used without consulting a healthcare professional as collagen supplements may not be suitable for everybody.