1/ What is the difference between marine collagen and classic collagen?
Collagen is necessarily of animal origin. Marine: from fish skins and cartilage (it is therefore a co-product of the preparation of fish fillets). Classic: made from beef, pork or chicken carcasses. It is mainly a question of ethics and personal beliefs. Marine Collagen has a lower ecological impact than bovine collagen. And even more so when it comes, like that of Aroma-Zone, from certified sustainable aquaculture (Friend of the sea label), it is a co-product of the food production of fish fillets, using a renewable resource and whose production emits much less greenhouse gas than cattle breeding. Marine Collagen is also the most renowned for beauty, because it has been the subject of numerous studies and scientific publications. That said, not all marine collagens are created equal.
We have chosen a grade which has been the subject of several clinical studies to validate its effectiveness on the firmness and elasticity of the skin, wrinkles, hydration, radiance of the complexion, but also the support of joint comfort…
2/ How do we recognize good collagen? What are the characteristics of good marine collagen?
- Molecular weight: Collagens are proteins of very high molecular weight, of the order of 300,000 Da, which makes them insoluble in water and limits their absorption by the body. “Hydrolyzed” means that these large collagen proteins have been broken into small pieces, called peptides, which are small collections of amino acids. This process makes it possible to obtain collagen peptides that are water-soluble and easily absorbed by the body, thanks to their lower molecular weight. We have chosen a low molecular weight hydrolyzed marine collagen, 2000 Da, for very good collagen assimilation. This “cutting” (or hydrolysis) is carried out using targeted enzymes, we speak of enzymatic hydrolysis. The choice of enzymes, the temperature and the hydrolysis time are part of the manufacturer’s know-how and determine the characteristics of the peptides obtained. The hydrolysis process for our marine collagen is a gentle enzymatic hydrolysis specifically developed to produce peptides of low molecular weight and with an optimized amino acid sequence for good efficiency.
For optimal effectiveness, marine collagen must be hydrolyzed with a molecular weight less than 5000 Daltons (the Dalton is the unit of measurement of molecular weights in biology)
We chose a low molecular weight hydrolyzed marine collagen, 2000 Da, for optimal absorption.
This low molecular weight also allows it to be very soluble in water, for easy and pleasant use. - The type of collagen: type I is the best? Not necessarily. Collagen from fish skin is naturally type I. We often read that type I collagen is better for the skin and type II better for the joints, but this is a generally false idea (There are some type I collagens for which good effectiveness has been shown in clinical studies both on the skin and on the joints, and there is also a type II collagen for which good effectiveness has been demonstrated both on the skin and on joints). In addition, the types of collagen are defined on the native molecule in the body, but after hydrolysis, there is no longer really a “type” since the molecule is cut into peptides, what counts is the profile of these peptides and their molecular weight. It is the clinical data available on the chosen collagen that will allow us to know whether it is effective. The quality of the hydrolysis (choice of enzymes, temperature, time) has an impact in determining the profile of the peptides obtained, and this will have an impact on efficiency. Since you cannot know the peptide profile of the collagen you are purchasing, the best thing is to ensure that this specific grade of collagen has been the subject of clinical studies proving its effectiveness at the recommended doses.
- Powder format: guarantees a better dosage: this allows high dosages (we recommend between 2.5 and 10 g per day depending on the type of treatment / needs), which are the dosages evaluated in clinical studies, whose effectiveness has been proven. This type of dosage would require a very large number of capsules, not practical to consume on a daily basis (probably at least 5 to 20 capsules depending on the dosage chosen).
- The importance of sourcing
Favor reliable sourcing with good traceability. We have chosen collagen from certified sustainable aquaculture fish “Friend of the sea” for total traceability of the sector, a renewable resource and a less significant ecological impact.
- Neutral taste: not a scientific quality criterion, but a customer/pleasure quality criterion. Yes, and the neutral taste also reflects the high purity of the product, these are highly purified collagen peptides, we do not find the compounds that give the fishy taste
- No additive:We always strive to develop dietary supplements without unnecessary additives. Some additives are controversial. Furthermore, for collagen to drink, it is common for flavors (not always natural) and sweetening agents to be added, perhaps to mask a slightly strong taste. We preferred to offer a collagen with a very neutral taste, without sweetener and without flavoring, which everyone can choose either to consume as is in a glass of water, or to add to a fruit juice, a coffee, a matcha tea or other if you prefer to add a taste.
3/ When and how to consume marine collagen?
- Powder vs gel/capsule: better dose
- Grammages :
- From 2.5 g: the maintenance treatment for the beauty of the skin, or for prevention from the first wrinkles
- 5gr/day: the ideal treatment for powerful action as soon as wrinkles begin to set in, or for dry skin. Maintenance treatment for athletes who are not too intensive / without specific problems
- 10gr / day: intensive treatment for skin losing firmness / very marked skin / photoaging / smoking. As a maintenance treatment for athletes who practice intense activity, or as an attack treatment in the event of specific needs (muscles, joints, tendons, etc.).
- In drinks (water, juice, hot drinks, cold drinks, etc.): yes, water, fruit juice, tea, coffee, smoothies, protein shakes, etc.
- In treatment or all year round? We recommend courses of at least 2 to 3 months, for good effectiveness, because this is what has been tested in clinical studies. The ideal is to repeat this treatment at least 2-3 times a year to maintain the effects.
There are no contraindications to taking collagen continuously at the recommended doses (unless of course there is a possible contraindication to taking collagen such as a fish allergy or kidney failure). This can be interesting in cases of increased need, for example among athletes practicing intense activity.
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Source: www.topsante.com
