Exploring The Benefits Of Marine Vs. Bovine Collagen

A lot of women today supplement with collagen – which is great because, from the age of 25, we begin to rapidly lose collagen at a rate of 1% to 1.5% per year. 

Now, the question is| Why do women supplement with collagen through various dietary supplements? Well, for beauty and health benefits of collagen. 

What is Collagen Exactly? 

Thanks to a network of collagen, the skin has a strong framework that is responsible for its youthful appearance. The skin is primarily made up of type I collagen, also known as the “youth collagen.” The dermis contains about 80% type I collagen and 20% type III collagen. Unfortunately, from the age of 25, the amount of collagen in the skin decreases by an average of 1.5% per year. This loss results in a decrease in skin firmness and smoothness, skin sagging, and deeper wrinkles. Furthermore, collagen fibres become of lower quality—they become shorter, more twisted, and weaker, and their breakdown is influenced by external factors such as pollution and UV rays.

Now that we know the what, how, and why, the next question to answer is… Which collagen is better? Marine or bovine?

We’ll get to that soon. But first, to give you a clearer picture, let’s briefly explain the basics.

The Basics 

• Amino acids build proteins
• Peptides are short chains of amino acids
• Proteins are molecules that serve various roles in our body
• Collagen is a protein
• Amino acids, whether individual or in short peptide chains, provide the body with the building blocks it needs to grow, repair, heal, and rejuvenate itself. They are responsible for the structure of cells, the function, and regulation of our organs and tissues.
• When our body digests protein from food, that protein is broken down by enzymes into amino acids and protein peptides, which our body can then use for all its functions.

So, what is collagen? Well, collagen is a very abundant protein, making up one-third of the total protein in our body. It is found in bones, skin, muscles, hair, ligaments, tendons, cartilage… it’s our structure and strength—it literally holds our body together.

So it’s no surprise that when natural collagen levels start to decrease and disappear, we experience a significant number of health and aesthetic issues.

Factors that influence collagen loss:| 

• Poor sleep quality
• Environmental toxins
• Ageing
• Excessive exposure to UV radiation
• Poor diet

Different Types of Collagen 

To date, over 40 different types of collagen have been discovered. However, for the human body, the following three types of collagen are of the greatest significance:

Type I – the most abundant type of collagen in our body (90%) and is responsible for providing structure to bones, the dermis, connective tissue, ligaments, tendons, and teeth

Type II – found in cartilage and serves as a cushion for our joints

Type III – present in muscles, organs (including the skin), and the walls of blood vessels and arteries

Marine or Bovine Collagen?

Marine collagen refers to a type of collagen that is obtained from fish, especially, their skin and scales. It consists mostly of Type I collagen, which is the most prevalent type of collagen in the human body and it has an exceptional role in keeping the structure of our skin, bones, tendons, and other connective tissues. Marine collagen is a supplement that is highly valued for its bioavailability because it is easily absorbed by the body, which in turn, makes it effective for skin, hair, and nail health.

Bovine collagen is collagen derived from cows, specifically from their skin, bones, and muscles. It’s composed of type I and III collagen, which are crucial for maintaining the structure of skin, bones, tendons, cartilage, connective tissue, and teeth.

In addition to this, there’s a difference not in the content of amino acids but in the quantity of those amino acids.

Marine collagen typically contains more:

• Alanine (boosts immunity and provides energy to the central nervous system, muscle tissue, and brain)
• Arginine (important for wound healing)
• Aspartic acid (acts as a neurotransmitter)

Bovine collagen typically contains more:

• Glycine (supports muscles, skin, bones, and blood)
• Proline (maintains and strengthens the heart muscle)
• Hydroxyproline (stabilizes collagen)
• Amino Acids Let me tell you a secret!

While marine collagen is primarily a source of type I collagen, bovine collagen is known to contain types I and III collagen. Thus, potentially explaining why marine collagen has been shown to only increase type I collagen production in the body – while bovine collagen appears capable of increasing types I, II and III.

Now, just because marine collagen contains type I doesn’t mean that your body will use it to create type I collagen. Instead, your body will break down that protein into amino acids and create the protein you need most at that moment. The same thing will happen when you take bovine collagen.

So why do we have different types on the market? Because we’re all different, we have different goals and preferences. 

There are many reasons why you’d opt for one or the other and the choice is completely up to you! Or you can opt for a collagen supplement that contains both, marine and bovine collagen.

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