HOW TO COMPARE COLLAGEN SUPPLEMENTS

If you're wondering how to compare collagen supplements and which collagen is best for skin, it helps to understand a few factors. In this article we'll consider why a good collagen supplement is important for beauty. We'll uncover the problem with most collagen diet products, and highlight 3 key features to look for when comparing collagen supplements.

For the sake of this article, we will discuss collagen supplements in hydrolyzed form, as opposed to whole collagen materials which are found in animal tissues. Hydrolyzed collagen generally comes in powder, liquid or capsule.

Why Collagen is an Important Dietary Supplement

As we know that collagen in the body is depleted during aging, research has shown that collagen can be replaced through diet. Hence, collagen Supplements are a growing trend in the beauty industry. Reason being, a quality collagen product can bring vast benefits to hair, nails, and skin for those with depleted collagen stores.

Types of Collagen

First of all, in the body, "There are at least 16 types of collagen, but 80 – 90% of the collagen in the body consists of types I, II, and III"¹. All these products intend to provide collagen protein to the diet, but they are not all created equal. These products come in a variety of formats, from a variety of sources, and an even wider variety of other ingredients. We have provided some guidelines here for comparing collagen supplements.

The Problem with Collagen Protein

Due to the fact that collagen is a protein, maximum benefit requires proper digestion. Because of this, the quality of the collagen, the source, and other ingredients are all important areas to consider when scanning the supplement label.

"So many products, how to compare collagen supplements?"

KEY FACTORS TO COMPARE

In summary, finding the best collagen supplement involves looking for a few key factors. Therefore, to compare collagen supplements, it helps to understand:

The protein weight or "mass"
Animal source of collagen
Other ingredients in the product

1. PROTEIN WEIGHT

Next, hydrolyzed collagens are already broken down for the body in peptide form, making them "low mass".
A low mass supplement will be ready for your body to use right away. This is because the proteins are essentially pre-digested into peptides (small chain amino acids). Simply check that the collagen supplement you're using is a peptide supplement, such as Amino Collagen C.

2. COLLAGEN SOURCE

Fish collagen peptides compare the best.
Recently, collagen supplements have become so popular that the market is flooded with lower quality product sources. Collagens made from bovine, porcine, or chicken are often lower priced, however, fish collagen is shown to be best used by the body. Further, watch out for low quality "marine collagen" products that contain undesirable marine sources, such as shellfish. A marine collagen from pure fish will say so on the label and often cost you a little more (for good reason).

3. OTHER INGREDIENTS

Watch out for extra competing ingredients.
Lastly, to get the maximum benefit, be sure to avoid extra ingredients you don't need. The best collagen supplements for skin have no fillers, flavors, or sugars.

Additionally, any free-form amino acids (i.e. arginine), or other sources of protein (i.e. milk, casein, etc.), are of no use and can compete for absorption. Similarly, hidden sugars, like maltodextrin, may contribute to glycation in the body, and counter the good effects of collagen.

WHICH COLLAGEN IS BEST FOR SKIN?

Simply stated, Elavonne's Amino Collagen C with Hyaluronic Acid is the best collagen supplement for skin, hair, and nails. Rather than a complicated formula full of extra fillers and flavors, it has just 3 ingredients. The powder contains pure fish collagen hydrolysate, with only the addition of hyaluronic acid and vitamin C.

In conclusion, this powerful trio of ingredients promotes skin fullness, hydration, and, lessens the appearance of wrinkles and skin discoloration. Everything in Élavonne's Amino Collagen C is included for one purpose, raising collagen levels in the body. Further, clinical studies showed improvement to hair, skin, nails, and joints after 12 weeks of daily use.