What is the Best Collagen? Our Advice and Opinions (2024)
Lucas PINOS
7 min
Well known in the field of beauty for its benefits on the skin , hair and nails , collagen is a protein essential to the elasticity and resistance of our tissues. It is also known for its benefits on the joints .
There are different types of collagen : I, II or III; marine collagen and bovine collagen...
So how to find your way? How to choose the best collagen to best meet your needs? We thought about it for you, and here is our conclusion.
First of all, what is collagen?
Collagen is a structural protein essential for the integrity of skin, cartilage, ligaments and connective tissues. Its role is to ensure mechanical resistance to stretching, while maintaining the flexibility and elasticity of our tissues.
Our body, up to the age of 25, naturally produces collagen. After this age, collagen synthesis gradually decreases , leading to a drop in the renewal of the extracellular matrix and therefore the deterioration of connective tissues.
Concretely, the body begins to age :
- Arrival of the first wrinkles;
- Bone weakening;
- Joint pain linked to the reduction of healthy cartilage;
- Muscle loss.
But let's be reassured, there are solutions to combat this natural aging process.
Eh yes ! Collagen supplementation proves to be a natural trick to delay the unwanted effects of time, maintain the integrity of our tissues and keep the skin always radiant.
Rather good news for those who wish to naturally maintain their youthful skin. Is not it ?
Among the main benefits of collagen , we can cite:
- Improving the health of skin , nails and hair;
- Reduction in the appearance of wrinkles;
- Contribution to joint health ;
- Participation in the proper functioning of the body (detoxification, cardiovascular health, vitality).
To learn more about the benefits of collagen, visit our complete collagen guide prepared especially for you.
What are the selection criteria for choosing the best collagen?
To better guide you in your choice of the best collagen, here are some important aspects to take into account before selecting your collagen supplement.
- The origin of collagen: bovine or marine?
- Collagen types : 1, 2 or 3?
- The preferred form for optimal assimilation and better bioavailability: powder, capsules or liquid?
Note that among the criteria for choosing the best collagen, there are two important aspects to raise: effectiveness , which we will develop in this article, and traceability .
For the latter, we strongly advise observing the labels appearing on the product. The sustainable fishing label for the best marine collagen is a sign of quality and respect for environmental, economic and social requirements. Finally, pay attention to the certificate of analysis which guarantees the purity of the product, i.e. the absence of heavy metals and suspect solvents.
What is the best collagen?
Marine collagen
Collagen peptides can be extracted from the skin or cartilage of fish or, although more rare, from the shells of crustaceans (to be avoided in case of allergy).
Depending on the different parts of the fish from which the collagen is extracted, there are different types of collagen : type II, more used for cartilage , and type I, better known for its benefits for the skin .
Marine collagen more commonly includes type 1 collagen. It is also rich in hydroxyproline, an amino acid found in skin, blood vessel walls, and other connective tissues.
✅ Advantages : The low molecular weight of collagen of marine origin allows optimal assimilation by the body and has excellent bioavailability .
❌ Disadvantages : The only disadvantage of marine collagen is its price, often higher than bovine collagen, due to the greater number of cattle farms in the world.
Marine collagen is particularly used for:
- the reduction of wrinkles, thanks to the reconstruction of tissues and the increase in flexibility;
- its richness in antioxidants;
- participation in the prevention of oxidation and aging of the skin;
- improving the skin's hydration level and reducing photoaging.
We recommend you
Marine Collagen
Formula based on marine collagen and hyaluronic acid, enriched with vitamins A, B, C, E and Zinc.
- ✅ 3-in-1 action
- ✅ Optimal dosage
- ✅ 90 easy-to-swallow capsules
- ✅ Made in France 🇫🇷
Bovine collagen
Bovine collagen is the one most often found commercially. It comes from the hides of cattle raised in traditional feedlots or grass-fed and fattened cattle.
✅ Advantages : Its extraction is more economical and the use of this collagen is considered particularly interesting for joint health .
❌ Disadvantages : Note that bovine collagen, due to its high molecular weight, is less bioavailable and assimilable than marine collagen. Thus, its benefits are less and less lasting than those of marine collagen.
What are the different types of collagen?
The best collagen also depends on the type of collagen chosen: 1, 2 and 3.
Before discussing each type of collagen, it is important to remember that collagen peptides are nutrients that can form all three types in the body indifferently.
Type I collagen
The main constituent of the bone structure, type 1 collagen represents 90% of the body's total collagen. It is present in the connective tissues making up the skin, bones, tendons and internal organs.
Type II collagen
Collagen of cartilage par excellence, associated with other types of collagen, it forms fine fibrils at the origin of the high resistance of cartilage to traction.
Type III collagen
This collagen is present in skeletal muscles and in the walls of blood vessels. It is therefore an essential protein for the cardiovascular system and a major player in the formation of reticulin fibers abundantly present in hematopoietic tissues.
We recommend you
Marine Collagen Powder
Hydrolyzed Marine Collagen powder type I & III.
- ✅ Fine powder easy to dissolve
- ✅ Available in 3 flavors
- ✅ 1 month of treatment
- ✅ Made in France 🇫🇷
Collagen in capsules, powder, liquid, cream: which form to choose?
There are different dosage forms for taking collagen on the market and their choice will depend on individual preferences and the desired application.
Collagen tablets and capsules are the most practical, odorless and tasteless.
Collagen powder comes in the form of jars, sachets, sticks or pods, to be diluted in a liquid of your choice.
In order to promote its assimilation and complement the action of collagen, these two forms can be enriched with vitamins A , C and E and hyaluronic acid .
Drinking collagen is often best suited to supporting bone health and reducing joint pain. In this form, collagen can be combined with other active ingredients such as l-lysine, vitamin C , boswellia, etc.
For external use, the ointments and cream allow precise and punctual application to relieve joint pain or for anti-aging and anti-wrinkle treatments . For these same uses, there is also collagen in the form of intracutaneous injections.
So which is better collagen, marine or bovine?
Although both marine and bovine collagen have significant health benefits, we favor marine collagen due to its better bioavailability, lower environmental impact and safety.
Note that the best marine collagen is hydrolyzed. Enzymatic hydrolysis makes it possible to obtain the best collagen in the form of peptides, small protein fragments, much more assimilable than collagen in its native form.
