Share
Related Products
Perfect Hydrolyzed Collagen Powder Grass-fed Glyphosate-free
Supplementing your diet with collagen is one of the easiest ways to improve your overall health and appearance, but which collagen is better for you: bovine or marine?
Before we do get into it, we must put something straight as there seems to be a misconception out there that marine collagen is sourced form sea weed or sea vegetables rather than from fish bones. Marine collagen is not vegan!
In this blog, I'm going to review the benefits of collagen in general, and then explain the benefits of both bovine collagen and marine collagen so that you can make the right decision for you.
The Benefits of Collagen
Collagen occurs naturally in our bodies and is composed of a long chain of linked amino acids. It helps our cells, tendons, muscles, blood vessels, connective tissues, and digestive systems by providing them with the framework they require to function well. Collagen helps keep our skin supple, our hair strong, our joints healthy and our connective tissues robust. Collagen also reduces inflammation, help improve sleep quality and just overall feeling a better version of yourself! 💃🏼💃🏽
Learn more about the benefits of collagen here.
However, as we age, our body's production of collagen declines at a rate of 1.5% every year from our early twenties onward. Add this up and by your early forties, you're producing 30% less collagen.
But supplementing with some collagen is an easy way to top up our body's depleting stores, helping you look and feel younger and more vital.
Which Collagen is Best for You: Bovine or Marine?
You'll receive benefits from either kind of collagen, but your goals in taking the supplement and personal tastes may make one kind better than the other for you.
The Benefits of Bovine Collagen
It's important for your health and the health of the planet that your bovine collagen be sourced from grass-fed cattle. Not only is it healthier for you, but it is a sustainable and ethical source of collagen. Unlike cows that are raised in a feedlot, grass-fed cows are afforded a happier life where they are pastured raised and allowed to roam. 🐂
Grass-fed bovine collagen can contain type, type 2 and type 3 collagen. Our grass-fed bovine collagen is available in a hydrolyzed collagen with type 1 and types 3 in a powder form, as well as a type 2 collagen in a pill form. Both are made with pure collagen, have no fillers or flow agents, boast high bioavailability, and low molecular weight for easy absorption.👏🏻
Learn more about the differences between type 1 and type 2 collagen here.
Type 1 and 3 are the most abundant types of collagen in our bodies and constitute our connective tissues and skin. For this reason, grass-fed bovine collagen is excellent for total body health, more supple skin, stronger hair and to help your body repair from and prevent injury. Type 2 collagen is perfect for bolstering joint health and building a strong immune system. 🙌🏻
The Benefits of Marine Collagen
Marine collagen is a good source of type 1 collagen and can help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Marine collagen has excellent bioavailability, so as with our grass-fed bovine collagen, you rest assured that the collagen is absorbed readily.
One thing to watch out for: a lot of fish collagen is harvested from tilapia fish farms in South East Asia. These fish scales are tough and big, so strong acids like hydrochloric acid are required for break down. Then there's the environmental ethics of fish farming, which can have a devastating impact on marine life and human health. The use of antibiotics on fish farms can result in the development of drug-resistance bacteria, which can be transferred to people. These chemicals and drugs are also transferred to the coastal waters, which can destroy ecosystems. 🙁
Often, also, the fish are given hormones to make them grow so that's important to know as well. 🐟
If you are going to get marine collagen, make sure it is harvested from the wild and read the label to ensure the collagen is derived just from wild fish. Some brands use collagen from jellyfish and even sharks! Not only does this deplete an already endangered species, but the peptides from these sources are larger and not as easy to absorb. 😔
One more thing: marine collagen can, understandably, have a fishy taste, so either look for a brand that claims to be almost tasteless or stick with grass-fed bovine collagen.
The bottom line is that bovine and marine collagen both have their merits, and which you choose will largely be a matter of personal preference. This said, due to the influx of brands on the market and the often less-than-transparent ingredients in marine collagen, it’s often much easier to identify good quality, ecologically responsibly sourced grass-fed bovine collagen. 🐮
Get yours here!
