We try and provide clear information to our customers so you can make the right decisions on your purchases. Our Technical Team can direct you to the correct ingredient and with our quality department keeping an eye on market issues you can buy from us with confidence.
With the world turning more towards a healthier, vegan-friendly and more sustainable diet, it is important to look towards obtaining protein from alternative sources, other than meat and fish. A popular vegan protein source amongst health-conscious individuals are Pea Protein, Brown rice protein and Quinoa Flour, however, there are many other high-quality protein sources that you may not be aware of yet.
What is Vegan Collagen?
Unfortunately, plants do not grow their own collagen. That said, it is exciting to see advancements in science and in recent news it has been reported that researchers have created some genetically modified collagen, using the bacteria P.pastoris [7].
However, what is commercially available, is our Nutraceuticals Base Blend composed of the many amino acids found in fish/bovine collagen (see Table 1) in combination with a number of vitamins, minerals, and herbals as well as sodium hyaluronate which may promote collagen production or optimize skin health generally
Before we dive deeper into the differences between Marine and Fish collagen, we should take a quick look at what collagen is.
Collagen: What is it?
Collagen is a protein formed of long-chain amino acids and is responsible for the structure, function and mechanical properties of the epidermis, cartilage and tendons.
Picture of collagen triple helix
http://aris.gusc.lv/NutritionBioChem/bio_chemistry/images/Collagen.jpg
Behind water, collagen is the largest component in the human body and the largest structural protein in the extracellular matrix in the human body. Collagen breaks down due to ageing and exposure to UV light. The degradation of collagen can begin from the age of 25, leading to the loss of elasticity in the skin and reduced cell turnover. Current evidence suggests that supplementing with collagen can reduce the symptoms associated with lack of collagen including: fine lines, wrinkles, inflammation and stiff joints.
The 3 most common types of collagen are:
● Type I – Found in the body, artery and corneas – the most abundant collagen in the body
● Type II – Found in cartilage and makes up to 50%
● Type III – Found in the epidermis, artery walls and internal organs
Fish collagen comes under Type I collagen and is a popular choice in the health and beauty industry as it can be absorbed up to 1.5 times more efficiently and its bio-availability is superior than collagen derived from bovine and porcine sources (Khan et al., 2009), meaning a better anti-ageing influence.