The Secret to Youthful Skin: Choose the Best Collagen
Collagen, often celebrated as the secret to youthful and radiant skin, has become one of the most sought-after supplements within the many anti-aging strategies.
But behind this growing popularity, is there a valid reason for its triumph, or is it simply another fleeting trend destined to fade over time?
It is undeniable that collagen, a key protein present in our body, plays an essential role in maintaining skin elasticity, joint health, and even hair and nail growth.
Collagen's fame has led many people to seek collagen supplements to combat the signs of aging.
However, it is important to know how to distinguish quality products from poor quality ones, also because price is not always a reliable indicator, as behind lower prices often lies a discouraging reality: poor quality collagen content, poorly absorbable and consequently ineffective.
In this article, we will discover what collagen is, what it is used for, what its benefits are, and how to distinguish between valid products and those that offer empty promises.
What is collagen?
Collagen is an ancient term coined to describe the natural adhesive obtained from boiling animal bones.
However, it derives from the Greek κόλλα (kólla, meaning “glue”) and -γενής (-genḗs, meaning “producer”).
Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body and plays a crucial role in our health and beauty. This extraordinary molecule is primarily composed of three key amino acids: glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline, representing 33%, 22%, and 22% of its primary structure, respectively.
This extraordinary complexity makes collagen an essential element in a wide range of tissues and organs in our body. Its versatility is evidenced by the presence of almost 28 different types of collagen, each specialized in a specific function.
Collagen makes up 75% of our skin and:
- Provides its structure and support
- Maintains its elasticity
- Hydrates it by attracting hyaluronic acid
As we age, the balance between collagen synthesis and degradation is disrupted. This means that both the quantity and quality of collagen decrease. Your skin becomes thinner, dehydrated, and loses its structure.
The result: visible signs of aging, such as wrinkles, sagging skin, and dullness.
Collagen loss begins to show its effects between 18 and 29 years old, but it is after 40 that the body begins to experience a significant loss, which can reach up to 1% per year. By the age of 80, the body's collagen production can decrease by a total of 75% compared to young adults.
What is collagen used for?
Collagen plays a crucial role in the structure and function of various tissues.
Present in skin, bones, tendons, ligaments, and other connective tissues, collagen contributes to strength, elasticity, and structural support.
Furthermore, it maintains skin elasticity, contributes to joint stability, forms blood vessel walls, and participates in tooth structure.
Its importance extends to healing after injuries and the general health of body tissues.
Over 90% of the collagen in the body is Type I, it is the most common and is often associated with tissues such as skin, nails, hair, bones, teeth, tendons, ligaments, vascular bindings, and organs.
In the case of Type II collagen, its presence is predominant in cartilage, contributing to its stability and strength.
Type III collagen, on the other hand, is mainly found in the skin, muscles, and blood vessels, playing an essential role in their structure and function.
Type IV collagen is located in the layer secreted by the epithelium of the basement membrane and basal lamina. Finally, Type V collagen is a key component of cell surfaces and the placenta.
How to tell if you have low collagen levels?
Although it is not possible to directly measure collagen levels, it is possible to recognize the signs of its decrease. Collagen decreases with age, contributing to:
- Wrinkles and crinkled skin
- Stiffer and less flexible tendons and ligaments
- Muscles that contract and weaken
- Joint pain or osteoarthritis caused by cartilage wear
- Gastrointestinal problems due to thinning of the digestive tract lining
What foods are rich in collagen?
The specific collagen content in foods can vary, and not all foods provide significant amounts of this protein. Here are some foods that are often considered rich in collagen:
1. Bone broth: Bone broth, prepared by slowly cooking animal bones at a low temperature, preferably organic, is often cited as a rich source of collagen. Alternatively, collagen can also be extracted by cooking fish bones; this broth can be drunk directly or used in other dishes.
2. Chicken skin: Chicken skin is a good source of collagen, especially when cooked using methods that preserve this protein, such as slow cooking.
3. Fish and seafood: Some types of fish, such as salmon and sardines, and seafood in general, contain collagen.
4. Lean red meat: Lean red meat can contain significant amounts of collagen, especially if cooked at a low temperature and with slow cooking methods.
5.Eggs: Eggs, particularly the yolk, contain nutrients that can support collagen production in the body.
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Benefits of collagen
Collagen is the most prevalent protein in the human body, performing several very important functions; its loss or impairment can contribute to skin aging and various pathologies.
This process is influenced by various factors, including the action of free radicals in the body, a diet lacking in micronutrients, smoking, alcoholism, and diseases that can compromise collagen synthesis.
Should collagen be taken through diet or supplements?
It is possible to consume collagen through our diet, but given the deficiency in some diets and in many foods we eat daily, considering taking a supplement can be a valid choice, as it offers greater precision in selecting the specific type of collagen, in the most practical format for our needs, and in the precise dosage compared to eating collagen-rich foods.
If you decide to follow a collagen-rich diet, it is essential to consider several variables.
Do I have enough enzymes to break down whole collagen present in the foods I eat?
Does my diet provide a sufficient amount of minerals and vitamins to facilitate effective collagen formation?
Furthermore, it is important to evaluate the actual amount of collagen present in foods, as this can vary significantly even within the same food group.
Often, the decision to opt for a collagen supplement is motivated by the precision of dosages and the desire to avoid consuming other substances contained in collagen-rich foods, which might not provide a health benefit.
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Which is the best collagen supplement?
Bovine collagen is the most widely used in supplements due to its economic convenience. However, due to growing concerns about transmissible diseases linked to bovines, bovine collagen is losing popularity. In response to this trend, there is increasing interest in marine collagen.
Currently, most collagens available on the market are of animal origin, primarily from bovines, but there are also collagens from pigs, poultry, eggshells, and fish.
Marine collagen is gaining popularity as an alternative, overcoming religious constraints and concerns related to bovine zoonotic diseases. In general, hydrolyzed marine collagen peptides, with a molecular weight of 2kDa, are currently considered the best available on the market.
To benefit from collagen intake, it is essential to understand the 5 main factors that determine its effectiveness:
- Source: Fish, Bovine, Porcine
- Type of collagen: Type I-II-III-IV-V
- Molecular size/weight: 2-300 KDa
- Extraction and hydrolysis method: enzymes, acidic substances, alkaline substances, ultrasound
- Form used: powder, liquid, solid, gel, capsules, tablets
Marine Collagen
Marine organisms such as fish, jellyfish, sponges, and other invertebrates host a significant source of collagen and are highly advantageous compared to other sources, as they are metabolically compatible, have no religious constraints, and are free from animal pathogens. These factors make marine collagen sources a much safer, simpler, and more promising alternative.
Marine collagen peptides are produced from collagen through chemical and enzymatic hydrolysis, and their lower molecular weight increases their water solubility, making them more absorbable.
What is hydrolyzed collagen?
Collagen peptides, also called hydrolyzed collagen, are the result of collagen breakdown by an enzyme. The enzyme cuts the large 300 kDa collagen molecule into small fragments (peptides) of 2-10 kDa, thus making it easily digestible and absorbable.
How much collagen to take per day?
The suggested dose for native collagen is 40 mg/day compared to hydrolyzed collagen, whose range generally varies between 2 and 10 g/day. Therefore, if opting for a hydrolyzed collagen supplement, it is crucial to seek formulations that improve its availability, thus allowing for a smaller and more practical amount to be taken to achieve the same effectiveness.
Vegetable collagen: does it really exist?
In addition to collagens derived from natural animal sources, various approaches have been explored to produce "non-animal collagen," both through chemical synthesis and biotechnological means.
Despite recent advancements in replicating the structure of natural collagen, synthetic collagens remain notably simplified compared to their naturally occurring counterparts.
Recombinant DNA technology was introduced in the 1990s as an alternative to synthetic methods for obtaining non-animal collagen.
Although several systems have been described for producing recombinant collagens, large-scale production of collagen through genetic engineering is still limited.
Currently, only a few yeast cells and transgenic plants are used to produce recombinant collagen, mainly for specific biomedical applications.
Today, there is talk of "vegan collagen" or "vegan collagen builder" but these products are primarily composed of a mixture of ingredients, including plant extracts, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals.
While some research has highlighted the role of micronutrients such as vitamin C, copper, or zinc in collagen biosynthesis, it should be noted that, to our knowledge, no product labeled "vegan collagen" actually contains collagen in its ingredient list.
Collagen Side Effects and Contraindications
Collagen supplementation is generally safe, and no adverse events have ever been reported.
Collagen is a key element for the well-being of the human body, present in a wide range of tissues, including bones, tendons, ligaments, hair, skin, and muscles. Preserving and maintaining adequate collagen levels in the body is essential for ensuring good health and a youthful, vital appearance throughout the years.
However, with aging, the skin experiences a process of morphological, structural, and functional deterioration.
Our advice to counteract the reduction of collagen over a lifetime is, of course, to adopt a healthy lifestyle.
This includes reducing alcohol consumption and smoking, maintaining sufficient sleep of 7-8 hours, adequate hydration, and a healthy diet, preferably rich in collagen-containing foods.
In addition to a healthy lifestyle, one can also consider using a supplement like the one developed by us at Swiss Natural Med.
LUMENDAY uses low molecular weight hydrolyzed marine collagen peptides, one of the best raw materials on the market, characterized by high absorbability and metabolic compatibility which increases its effectiveness.
These hydrolyzed collagen peptides provide a complete amino acid profile, particularly glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline, which are essential for the synthesis of bodily collagen.
Precisely thanks to this amino acid content, the body can use these peptides as "building blocks" to produce the different types of collagen it needs, including:
Type 1: skin, bones, tendons, ligaments
Type 2: cartilage
Type 3: blood vessels and organs
Type 4: basement membranes
Type 5: cell surface, placenta, hair
This makes marine collagen peptides extremely versatile and useful in supporting the health of multiple tissues.
The formulation also includes high-absorption hyaluronic acid to optimize its bioavailability.
In this formulation, one of the best existing raw materials on the market, “Peptan F2000 HD” collagen, has been chosen, combined with highly bioavailable hyaluronic acid.
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Sources:
- Molecules. 2019 Nov; 24(22): 4031. doi: 10.3390/molecules24224031 Hydrolyzed Collagen—Sources and Applications
- Nutrients. 2023 Mar; 15(6): 1332. doi: 10.3390/nu15061332 Collagen Supplementation for Joint Health: The Link between Composition and Scientific Knowledge
- Mar Drugs. 2022 Jan; 20(1): 61. doi: 10.3390/md20010061 Marine Collagen: A Promising Biomaterial for Wound Healing, Skin Anti-Aging, and Bone Regeneration
- Polymers (Basel). 2021 Nov; 13(22): 3868. doi: 10.3390/polym13223868 A Review of the Effects of Collagen Treatment in Clinical Studies
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J Tissue Eng. Review. 2024 Sep 29:15:20417314241280359. doi: 10.1177/20417314241280359. eCollection 2024 Jan-Dec. Discovery of bioactive peptides as therapeutic agents for skin wound repair
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Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology 2025 - Review 2025 doi: 10.2147/CCID.S562518 Hydrolyzed Marine Collagen: Emerging Evidence of Benefits via the Oral Route
