Want to know more about collagen?
Marine collagen is one of the most useful food supplements for your health.
A major constituent of connective tissue, collagen is a protein that ensures the strength, elasticity and regeneration of these tissues.
Although there are benefits associated with all sources of animal collagen, fish collagen peptides are known to have the best absorption and bioavailability due to their smaller particle size compared to other animal collagens, which makes them a powerful antioxidant. Nothing will replace a varied diet, but supplementing with naturally occurring marine collagen can bring you many health benefits.
So what are the benefits of marine collagen? This is what we will try to explain to you.
Collagen is a protein naturally present in the body. This protein, composed of amino acids, exists in different forms, commonly called collagen types.
The effectiveness of marine collagen
Hydrolysed fish collagen is absorbed up to 1.5 times more efficiently in the body and has a higher bioavailability than bovine or porcine collagens.
Since it is absorbed more efficiently and enters the bloodstream more quickly, it is considered the best source of collagen for medicinal purposes.
The ability of marine collagen to be absorbed more easily by our body is due to its lower molecular weight and size, which allows collagen to be absorbed at a higher level through the intestinal barrier into the bloodstream and transported throughout the body. This leads to the synthesis of collagen in joint tissues, bones, the dermis of the skin and many other essential body systems. As we do not tend to eat the collagen containing parts of the fish (mainly the skin and scales), making homemade fish broth or supplementing with collagen is the best thing to do.
The recommended daily dose of this food supplement is at least 10 grams. It is therefore necessary to prefer hydrolysed collagen in powder form and not in capsules (a product with a small capacity, and ultimately a more expensive price).
The benefits of collagen
Marine collagen for the skin, an anti-ageing action, a firming effect
Your skin is 75% collagen, but after the age of 25, collagen synthesis decreases at a rate of 1.5% per year and after the age of 45, your collagen level may have dropped by 30%.
Type I collagen, a component of our skin, is also that of fish collagen. It is therefore not surprising that it is beneficial for our skin. (elasticity, hydration, …). It will help to stimulate the production of collagen and therefore to maintain the level of collagen in the body. Hydrolysed collagen is composed of small peptides of low molecular weight, which are easily absorbed and used by the human body.
The research describes how numerous clinical tests have been carried out. They demonstrate the benefits of supplementation (in powder form) with marine collagen for the skin, regarding its elasticity, suppleness and for the reduction of facial wrinkles. The researchers conclude that hydrolysed collagen is an intelligent weapon in the usual fight against the undesirable but perceptible signs (wrinkles and fine lines) of ageing.
Benefits for connective tissue regeneration
Collagen hydrolysate is very important to maintain all connective tissue. Often associated with hyaluronic acid or vitamin C, this product has a major role at various levels. An improvement in the quality of hair and nails has also been observed.
In short, marine collagen is beneficial for both hair and skin.
Benefits for the joints, reduction of joint pain
As we have already mentioned, during the course of life, collagen production decreases, which leads to an ageing of certain parts of our body such as our joints. The most common symptoms are a lack of joint flexibility, rheumatism, and more generally chronic joint pain. Collagen, in the form of food supplements, is a solution that in the medium term allows people suffering from osteoarthritis and joint flexibility to regain joint comfort. Multiple clinical studies have shown that marine collagen hydrolysate, thanks to a good assimilation by your human body, is beneficial to compensate for the natural reduction of it.
It should be noted that, in addition to collagen, hyaluronic acid (one of the best known natural food supplements), in a recommended daily dose, will also have a beneficial effect on your joint comfort.
Bone repair
Collagen is a protein that forms part of bone, cartilage and other tissues in humans and animals.
In the past, research has shown that collagen supplementation, in the form of peptides, could bring benefits from a bone point of view.
First of all on bone health through increased bone density, but also on osteoarthritis through an anti-inflammatory effect.
A 2013 study aimed to clarify the effects of marine collagen peptides on collagen synthesis, quality and mineralisation.
The conclusion of this study on marine collagen demonstrates the positive effect of marine collagen on collagen synthesis and quality. The researchers also found that fish collagen was useful in the matrix mineralisation of bone-synthesising cells in vitro.
There have been no tests on humans, however, it provides some evidence that marine collagen is a biomaterial that can help in cartilage regeneration and bone healing.
Wound healing and the benefits of marine collagen
If you have a scratch, scrape or more serious injury, collagen will help you heal better and faster. Collagen helps the body to form new connective tissue which is essential for wound healing.
Type I collagen is the most abundant structural component of the dermal matrix.
So it makes perfect sense that more type I collagen in your body can help wounds heal faster.
Previously, collagens were thought to be only structural scaffolds. We now know that collagen and collagen-derived fragments control many cellular functions, including cell shape and differentiation, cell migration and the synthesis of a number of important proteins. Collagen also plays an essential role in all phases of wound healing: haemostasis, inflammation, proliferation and remodelling.
In addition to a varied diet, if you want to heal faster, taking marine collagen supplements in the recommended daily dose is therefore an obvious advantage.
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