What Is Marine Collagen and Should You Take It?
As we age, it’s natural to want to hold onto our vitality and care for our health to the best of our abilities. From getting active to eating mindfully, there are plenty of ways to support your body in the quest for graceful aging.
If you’re looking to give your body some extra support, Marine Collagen might be just what you need to add to your wellness rotation. Alongside its anti-aging benefits, it’s been shown to improve skin, hair, and nail health.
Let’s take a closer look at everything you need to know about collagen supplements and how to know if a particular supplement is just right for you. Everyone wants to live a long, healthy life and hold onto their vitality. But how do you figure out the best way? Taking the time to get active, eating healthy, and supporting your body through supplements can all be beneficial in supporting a healthy aging process.
Several supplements can help fight back against the signs of aging; one of the most common is a collagen supplement. When it comes to collagen supplements, there are a ton of options, and knowing which one is right for you can be difficult.
Below is a closer look at everything you need to know about collagen supplements and how to know if a collagen supplement is right for you.
What Is Collagen?
Collagen is a protein that is found within various tissues throughout the body. The protein consists of three peptide chains that form a triple helix structure that is quite strong.
The strength of the scaffoldstructure is why it is utilized to add structure to connective tissues like bone, skin, tendons, ligaments and cartilage. Below is a closer look at what collagen does for each tissue.
Skin
Skin is the largest organ of the body, and it plays an important role in protecting the body. The skin is your body's first line of defense against the outside world and can take quite a beating.
Collagen in the skin is found in the dermis layer and helps to provide skin elasticity. The elasticity provided by collagen contributes to the youthful appearance of skin and helps to promote healthy skin. As you age, collagen production can tend to decline and increase the likelihood of developing visible signs of skin aging like fine lines, wrinkles and sagging skin.
Cartilage
Cartilage is a type of tissue that is commonly found between bones. It helps prevent bone-on-bone friction and adds some cushion across a joint. A key molecule in the matrix of cartilage is collagen, and many people in their later years begin experiencing bone conditions from cartilage wear down.
Ligaments
Ligaments are a form of connective tissue that anchors bones to other bones. These structures contain collagen and essentially stabilize the bones across a joint. Ligaments play an integral role in overall joint health.
Bone
Many people think of bone as solid pieces of calcium, but the reality is that bone is made up of a matrix of inorganic and organic molecules. Collagen is one of the organic elements within the bone, providing a scaffolding network within the bone matrix. In fact, 90 percent of the organic matrix in bone is composed of collagen fibers.
Where Does Collagen Come From?
Collagen is a pervasive protein found throughout the animal kingdom; many dietary collagen sources are derived from animal products. There are a number of foods, including bone broth, gelatin, organ meats and fish that contain collagen.
Unfortunately, eating these products doesn’t guarantee an increase of collagen peptides in your body since this whole form of collagen has poor bioavailability. Many collagen powders and supplements utilize these animal sources, isolate the collagen and partially break down the collagen fibers to create hydrolyzed collagen peptides that are easier for your body to digest and absorb.
Below is a closer look at the most common sources of collagen protein.
Marine
Marine Collagen peptides are a kind of collagen supplement that tends to be derived from the skin and bones of fish but may also be derived from waste from the fishing industry. Using what would otherwise be waste makes Marine Collagen an increasingly popular option for its sustainable qualities.
Pure Marine Collagen from JSHealth is derived from wild-caught cod fish skin and provides a high-quality, highly absorbed form of collagen peptides. The unflavored formulation contains mainly type 1 collagen, the most prevalent type of collagen.
Many Marine Collagen supplements can have a slightly off-putting taste, but our Marine Collagen is tasteless and odorless. Fish-derived collagen is an excellent source of pescatarian-friendly collagen and is more sustainable than bovine collagen.
Terrestrial
Collagen can also be obtained from terrestrial animals such as livestock. Pigs (porcine) and cows (bovine) tend to be the most common livestock utilized in these forms of collagen. Grass-fed bovine collagen tends to be the most common, and it can provide the body with an increase in collagen.
Bovine collagen does differ in its collagen composition. Where Marine Collagen contains mostly type 1 collagen, bovine collagen tends to contain a higher percentage of other types of collagen.
Should You Take a Marine Collagen Supplement?
Collagen supplementation is generally considered as safe and tends to have very few side effects. At its core, collagen supplementation provides your body with collagen peptides and amino acids to help bolster the body’s natural collagen production.
While generally safe, there are several things to consider before starting a Marine Collagen supplement regimen. Below is a closer look at some things to consider to ensure that Marine Collagen is right for you.
Consult a Healthcare Professional
Many people start a supplement on a whim, and while doing this tends to be fine, it is generally recommended to consult a healthcare professional before starting a supplement. Certain medications and health conditions can interact with supplements, and a healthcare provider can help ensure that your supplements are safe for you.
A prime example is if you have an allergy to fish or shellfish. Marine Collagen is sourced from fish and may contain shellfish, and people who have allergies to marine products should steer clear of Marine Collagen.
Understand Your Protein Consumption
Collagen is one of the most prevalent proteins of the body, but it is not considered a complete source of protein as it lacks some essential amino acids required by the body, namely tryptophan.
Proline, glycine and hydroxyproline are the most common amino acids found in collagen peptides. While these amino acids are important, they do not provide the body with all the amino acids it needs to function optimally.
If you want a complete protein supplement, consider JSHealth’s Protein + Probiotic. The formula contains pea protein which is a complete source of protein and probiotics to help support gut health.
How To Support Collagen
You can take collagen supplements at most adult life stages to help support your overall wellness. Collagen has many health benefits and many ways you can start incorporating collagen support into your daily routine.
Below is a closer look at a few of our collagen support options you should consider bringing to checkout.
The Glow Bundle
The Glow Bundle is a package that offers unrivaled skin support from the inside out. The package contains our non-GMO gluten-free Pure Marine Collagen powder and our best-selling Skin + Digestion Support dietary supplement. This one-time purchase can provide your skin with an immense support to your skin and connective tissue.
Pro-Collagen Vitamin Serum
Our Pro-Collagen Vitamin Serum is a deeply penetrating serum that aims to provide your skin with several molecules that can help to support collagen production in the skin and provide anti-aging support by helping to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. The inclusion of Hyaluronic acid, Vitamin C and Niacinamide provide your skin with antioxidant and pro-collagen support. This serum is a perfect addition to any skincare routine.
Collagen Creamer
Collagen creamer is a fantastic way to start incorporating more collagen into your diet. Many people start off their day with a cup of coffee, so why not opt for a dairy-free creamer that contains collagen to increase your intake of these important peptides?
JSHealth’s Beauty Collagen Creamer comes in a powder and is easily dissolvable in hot and cold liquids. The coconut milk and creamy vanilla add an enjoyable tasting experience, while the pure Marine Collagen peptides help to support your overall health.
Conclusion
In summary, collagen is a protein that is utilized throughout the body and helps to facilitate skin, bone, joint and connective tissue health. As we age, the synthesis of collagen can begin to decline, especially in the skin, and cause premature signs of aging like wrinkles and fine lines.
Supplementing collagen into your diet and utilizing products that help to support collagen production in the skin could help support your skin's appearance and help you glow from the inside out.
Sources:
Collagen | The Nutrition Source | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Bone Architecture: Collagen Structure and Calcium/Phosphorus Maps | NCBI