Collagen is a triple helix protein comprising of amino acids which build strong fibers used for the body’s structure. Amino acids are organic compounds composed mainly of nitrogen, carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Your body needs 20 different amino acids to grow and function properly. Amino acids and proteins are the building blocks of life.
There are 3 main forms of collagen.
Native collagen or Fibrous insoluble collagen
Gelatine
Hydrolysed collagen - made from native collagen that has been hydrolysed or broken down into short amino acids known as peptides. Hydrolysed collagen is soluble in hot or cold water and does not have gelling properties.
Native collagen is extracted from the skin, bones, hide and/or connective tissues of mammals, birds, or fish. It is used in both the food industry for collagen casings and in the biomedical sector for medical materials, and sponges for burns and wounds. It is insoluble in the body and has no health benefits.
In order to make native collagen assimilable in the body, the collagen protein must be broken down into smaller chains. Native collagen that has been partially denatured by thermal or enzymatic processes into smaller chains results in the formation of gelatine (what is used to make Jelly). Collagen peptides, also known as hydrolyzed collagen, are the result of breaking down native collagen by means of an enzyme. The enzyme cuts the large collagen molecule into small fragments (peptides) that our bodies can easily digest and efficiently absorb.
Collagen peptides are not the same as gelatin. Both are proteins made of amino acids, but the amino chains of collagen peptides have been cut into smaller pieces through a specific enzymatic hydrolysis process. Gelatin is a healthy food, but the unique benefits that collagen offers are not easily obtained by eating gelatin alone. Consuming collagen peptides allows your body to maximize the benefits that collagen has to offer.
Collagen peptides do not have the gelling functionality of gelatin and are soluble in cold water. They are highly digestible and bioavailable and are used in dietary supplements and functional foods because of their proven health benefits.
As shown in scientific studies, collagen peptides offer:
High bioavailability, meaning that the peptides are efficiently taken up in the bloodstream and transported to the target body tissues.
High bioactivity, stimulating the synthesis and reorganization of new collagen fibers in several tissues.
GRADE | ABSORPTION | APPLICATION | MOLECULAR WEIGHT |
Native Collagen | Insoluble. Less than 1% Absorption | Medical materials, Collagen Casings | >300,000 Da |
Gelatine | Medium. 10% Absorption | Gelatin Confectionery, desserts | 50,000 - 100,000 Da |
Hydrolysed Collagen | High. 99% Absorption | Dietary supplements, functional food | 300 - 8,000 Da |
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