Key Takeaways:
- Marine collagen is sourced from fish skin and bones rather than from cows or pigs.
- Marine collagen is rich in type 1 collagen, so it is especially beneficial for improving skin health.
- Benefits of marine collagen supplements are enhanced when you take 3 to 15 g of hydrolyzed marine collagen peptides per day consistently over time.
Collagen seems to enter conversations ranging from skincare and aging to supplements and muscle building, and with good reason: collagen is the most abundant protein in the body, comprising about one-third of the body’s total protein.
Collagen protein forms aspects of bones, teeth, skin, ligaments, tendons, muscles, blood vessels, and corneas and helps hold cells and tissues together.
But, is marine collagen better than bovine collagen? Should you pay attention to the source of the collagen in your supplements?
Keep reading to learn about the benefits of marine collagen vs bovine collagen.
What is Marine Collagen?
Marine collagen is so named because it comes from fish, which are marine animals. The scaly skin and bones of fish and cartilage are rich in collagen.
Marine collagen supplements are often made from hydrolyzed collagen. This means that the collagen has been processed and broken down into peptides, which are smaller constituent molecules.
Hydrolyzed marine collagen is popular because the processing methods increase absorption in the body.
Marine Collagen vs Bovine Collagen: The Main Differences
Collagen supplements are typically derived from one of the three following sources:
- Bovine collagen: comes from the gelatin from the hooves and hides of cows
- Porcine collagen: comes from the gelatin from the hooves of pigs
- Marine collagen: sourced from fish skin (scales) and bones
It is also richer in Type I collagen, which is the primary type of collagen in skin, bones, and tendons, whereas bovine collagen contains more Type II collagen, which is the most prominent type of collagen in joints.
Main Benefits of Marine Collagen
Here are some of the top benefits of marine collagen supplements:
Marine collagen improves skin elasticity
One of the primary benefits of collagen supplements is increasing skin elasticity, strength, and hydration.
As we age, the body starts producing less collagen. This can result in noticeable changes in the texture, firmness, and smoothness of skin.
For example, fine lines, wrinkles, and saggy skin are largely due to a loss of collagen fibers, which form structural components of skin cells.
Studies have found that marine collagen supplements (3-10 grams of collagen per day) can increase skin elasticity, firmness, and hydration over time.
Marine collagen can aid in wound healing
Marine collagen supplements can increase healthy skin turnover. This can help wounds heal faster.
Marine collagen can keep your hair healthy and strong
Hair and nails are primarily composed of keratin, which is a structural protein.
Marine collagen provides some of the essential amino acids required to form keratin.
Marine collagen supports gut health
Like all proteins, collagen is composed of amino acids. The three amino acids in collagen are glycine, proline, and glutamine.
These amino acids have been shown to help heal damage in the intestinal wall.
Inflammation often occurs when there is structural damage to this delicate lining of the gut, and can lead to what is known as “leaky gut syndrome.”
Therefore, taking marine collagen supplements can potentially help keep this tissue healthy and prevent gut inflammation.
Marine collagen can support joint health
Collagen supplements can help keep joints healthy by giving the body an ample pool of amino acids necessary to repair cartilage.
Patients with arthritis are often given collagen to augment treatment and reduce joint pain.
Marine collagen can support muscle growth
Although bovine collagen supplements tend to be more popular for athletes looking to build and repair muscle, marine collagen can still help trigger muscle protein synthesis, the process underlying repairing and rebuilding muscle tissue.
Marine collagen can increase bone density
Much in the way that natural collagen production decreases with age, bone mineral density also decreases.
This can lead to osteoporosis, a condition marked by low bone density.
Studies suggest that collagen supplements can increase the activity of bone-building cells and decrease the activity of cells that degrade bones.
Marine collagen may improve the quality of sleep
Collagen is rich in the amino acid glycine. This amino acid has been shown to help promote relaxation and sleep quality.
Is Marine Collagen Best for Skin?
Most health experts suggest that if you’re primarily interested in the anti-aging skin benefits of collagen, marine collagen is the best choice.
Marine collagen is higher in Type I collagen, which is abundant in the skin.
Marine collagen is also said to have about 1.5 times the bioavailability of bovine collagen.
This means that your body is better able to absorb marine collagen.
How Much Collagen Per Day?
It is generally recommended that you take 3 to 15 g of collagen per day for skin health and overall health.
Athletes looking to build muscle with collagen generally take higher doses—5-10 grams of collagen per day.
Note that the quality of the collagen supplement will have an impact on how much you need and how well your body absorbs and utilizes collagen.
Hydrolyzed collagen or collagen peptides are already partially broken down and tend to be better absorbed.
TL;DR
Marine collagen is sourced from the scales and skins of fish.
It is thought to be superior for skin health and still provides many of the same muscle-building benefits of bovine collagen and porcine collagen.
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