Collagen makes up over 30% of your body. It provides structure, support and strength to skin, hair, nails, joints, muscles, bones, connective tissue, and even your gut. The body makes its own collagen, but as we age – especially after age 30 – collagen production slows down, leading to signs of ageing such as fine lines and wrinkles, weaker joints, decreased bone density and more brittle hair and nails. Collagen is made up of amino acids, the key players being glycine, proline, hydroxyproline and arginine. These specific amino acids give collagen the benefits of decreasing and preventing wrinkles and sagging skin, improving joint health, preventing bone density loss, [1], increasing muscle mass, potentially speeding up injury healing, and improving gut and digestive health. [2] When it comes to choosing the best type of collagen for you however, it’s important to know that there are different types. 

Marine Vs Bovine Collagen: The Most Effective Collagen For Your Needs

Collagen helps with a wide range of issues; from ageing to injury, gut and digestive health, and improving skin, hair and nail health. When it comes to choosing the best type of collagen for your needs however, it can be confusing to know which type of collagen is best. There are two main types of collagen you’re likely to find online; marine collagen and bovine collagen. Both of these types of collagen are loaded with the amino acids that help improve your health, but they also hold special benefits of their own. Let’s look at the key benefits of marine vs bovine collagen.

Marine Vs Bovine Collagen: The Key Benefits of Marine Collagen

Marine collagen is derived from the skin, scales and bones of fish. It is made up of type 1 collagen, which is found mostly in the body’s skin, hair, nails, tendons, bones, blood vessel walls and connective tissue. [3] Here are the key benefits of marine collagen:

• Marine collagen is the most bioavailable type of collagen, meaning the body can easily absorb and utilise the amino acids. Marine collagen is also the most biocompatible type of collagen, meaning it is well tolerated by the body, with very low risk of any side effects. [4]

• Marine collagen is the best type of collagen for skin health, and has been shown to effectively reduce the signs of fine lines and wrinkles, sagging skin, age spots and pigmentation. The type 1 collagen found in marine collagen is usually considered best for skin, as it specifically minimises signs of ageing in the skin. [5]

• Marine collagen accelerates wound healing especially when it comes to reducing the appearance of scarring. When an injury occurs, type 1 collagen such as that found in marine collagen is synthesised to speed up healing of the area. By further increasing hydration, elasticity and smoothness of the skin, even issues such as acne scars can be reduced. There is also promising research showing the benefits of marine collagen in speeding up healing after C-section births. [6]

• Marine collagen supports gut health thanks to the amino acids proline, glycine and glutamine. These amino acids help strengthen and rebuild the delicate lining of the digestive tract, as well as reducing inflammation. [7] Inflammation and damage to the gut wall can cause issues such as bloating and gas, leaky gut, irritable bowel syndrome, and problems with absorbing valuable nutrients from foods, so preventing and remedying this is vital.

• Marine collagen helps with strong, healthy hair. Hair is mostly comprised of the protein keratin, of which the amino acid proline is the main amino acid. By consuming marine collagen regularly, this can help increase your intake of proline and support strong, shiny, healthy hair.

The Love Life Supplements Marine Collagen Complex is ethically and sustainably sourced from the pristine waters of Brittany, and contains complementary ingredients such as vitamin C to improve the effectiveness of collagen, as well as Hyaluronic Acid, silica, and other impressive components.

 

Marine Vs Bovine Collagen: The Key Benefits of Bovine Collagen

Bovine collagen is derived from animals in the bovine family - most commonly cows, and is derived mainly from the bone, cartilage and hide. Bovine collagen is rich in types 1 and 3 collagen, and is the type of collagen that most closely resembles that already present in the human body. Type 3 collagen is a major structural component in organs that need to withstand large amounts of stretching, such as large blood vessels, the uterus and bowel, as well as muscles. [8] The type 1 collagen found in bovine collagen also supports skin, hair, nails, bones, connective tissue and the gut. Here are the key benefits of bovine collagen:

• Bovine collagen is easily absorbed by the body, as it is closest to the type of collagen already found in the body. Hydrolysed collagen peptides, such as those found in the Love Life Supplements Hydrolysed Collagen Peptides, are broken down into smaller particles which are extremely easy for the body to absorb and utilise.

• Bovine collagen is thought to be best for those who suffer with intestinal problems, as the type 3 collagen is found in organs and blood vessels, including the gut. As bovine collagen contains both types 1 and 3 collagen, it works to heal the gut lining, reduce inflammation and support the integrity of the digestive tract. [9]

• Research shows that bovine collagen can help increase muscle mass, as well as support healing and recovery of muscles after a workout. Pairing collagen with a strength training routine can significantly impact fat loss, and muscle mass, as the amino acid glycine in collagen helps the body produce The Love Life Supplements Hydrolysed Collagen Peptides supplement contains BODYBALANCE, which studies show revealed a statistically significant increase in lean body mass after supplementation.

• Bovine collagen can help increase strength when combining regular resistance training with regular collagen supplementation. In a study of 77 pre-menopausal women who performed a 12-week resistance training programme, the women significantly increased muscle mass and handgrip strength when taking collagen peptides compared to the control group. [10]

• Studies show that bovine collagen can increase bone formation and mineralisation, which may help aid osteoarthritis and prevent bone density loss. Further studies have also demonstrated that after supplementing with bovine collagen for 13 weeks, people with osteoarthritis affecting their knees noticed significant benefits. For those looking for the best type of collagen for knee pain then, bovine collagen could be the best choice with its combination of both types 1 and 3 collagen. [11]

The Love Life Supplements Hydrolysed Collagen Peptides contains 15 grams of hydrolysed bovine collagen per serving, vitamin C to increase collage synthesis, as well as the specialised BODYBALANCE compound, shown to help decrease fat mass, increase lean body mass, and provide more muscle strength.

Marine vs Bovine Collagen

Marine Collagen	Bovine Collagen
Derived from fish	Derived from cows
Contains type 1 collagen – best for skin, nails and hair health, as well as connective tissue and gut health.	Contains types 1 and 3 collagen – best for organs and muscles, as well as being beneficial for skin, hair, nails, bones and gut health.
Better for skin and hair health	Better for muscles, joints and athletic performance
Best for repairing scarring	Best for repairing joint and muscle injuries
Usually more bioavailable	Standard bovine collagen is slightly less bioavailable, however the Love Life Supplements Hydrolysed Collagen Peptides contain smaller molecules which are highly bioavailable and effective.
Suitable for anyone who does not consume meat	Not suitable for vegetarians

Which form of collagen is most effective?

As you can see, both marine and bovine collagen contain big benefits. The main difference between these types of collagen is the benefits you want to gain from them. Want to improve your skin health and prevent signs of ageing? Choose the  Love Life Supplements Marine Collagen Complex, which helps improve the hydration and elasticity of skin, reduces the appearance of ageing, and can help with scarring and gut health. If muscle and joint recovery and athletic performance are your goals, choose the Love Life Supplements Hydrolysed Collagen Peptides, which is proven to increase lean muscle mass, support joint and bone health, repair injuries and protect tissues from wear-and-tear. Collagen is highly beneficial whatever your goals are – it just comes down to choosing the one that’s best for you!

Want personalised guidance on choosing the right type of collagen for your needs? Book a health consultation with our expert health coaches and nutritionists here. 

References

• [1] König D, Oesser S, Scharla S, Zdzieblik D, Gollhofer A. Specific Collagen Peptides Improve Bone Mineral Density and Bone Markers in Postmenopausal Women-A Randomized Controlled Study. Nutrients. 2018 Jan 16;10(1):97. doi: 10.3390/nu10010097. PMID: 29337906; PMCID: PMC5793325.

• [2] Abrahams M, O'Grady R, Prawitt J. Effect of a Daily Collagen Peptide Supplement on Digestive Symptoms in Healthy Women: 2-Phase Mixed Methods Study. JMIR Form Res. 2022 May 31;6(5):e36339. doi: 10.2196/36339. PMID: 35639457; PMCID: PMC9198822.

• [3] Naomi R, Ridzuan PM, Bahari H. Current Insights into Collagen Type I. Polymers (Basel). 2021 Aug 9;13(16):2642. doi: 10.3390/polym13162642. PMID: 34451183; PMCID: PMC8399689.

• [4] Xu N, Peng XL, Li HR, Liu JX, Cheng JS, Qi XY, Ye SJ, Gong HL, Zhao XH, Yu J, Xu G, Wei DX. Marine-Derived Collagen as Biomaterials for Human Health. Front Nutr. 2021 Aug 24;8:702108. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2021.702108. PMID: 34504861; PMCID: PMC8421607.

• [5] Bolke L, Schlippe G, Gerß J, Voss W. A Collagen Supplement Improves Skin Hydration, Elasticity, Roughness, and Density: Results of a Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Blind Study. Nutrients. 2019 Oct 17;11(10):2494. doi: 10.3390/nu11102494. PMID: 31627309; PMCID: PMC6835901.

• [6] Peng X, Xu J, Tian Y, Liu W, Peng B. Marine fish peptides (collagen peptides) compound intake promotes wound healing in rats after cesarean section. Food Nutr Res. 2020 Aug 31;64. doi: 10.29219/fnr.v64.4247. PMID: 33061887; PMCID: PMC7534952.

• [7] Abrahams M, O'Grady R, Prawitt J. Effect of a Daily Collagen Peptide Supplement on Digestive Symptoms in Healthy Women: 2-Phase Mixed Methods Study. JMIR Form Res. 2022 May 31;6(5):e36339. doi: 10.2196/36339. PMID: 35639457; PMCID: PMC9198822.

• [8] Kuivaniemi H, Tromp G. Type III collagen (COL3A1): Gene and protein structure, tissue distribution, and associated diseases. Gene. 2019 Jul 30;707:151-171. doi: 10.1016/j.gene.2019.05.003. Epub 2019 May 7. PMID: 31075413; PMCID: PMC6579750.

• [9] Abrahams M, O'Grady R, Prawitt J. Effect of a Daily Collagen Peptide Supplement on Digestive Symptoms in Healthy Women: 2-Phase Mixed Methods Study. JMIR Form Res. 2022 May 31;6(5):e36339. doi: 10.2196/36339. PMID: 35639457; PMCID: PMC9198822.

• [10] Jendricke P, Centner C, Zdzieblik D, Gollhofer A, König D. Specific Collagen Peptides in Combination with Resistance Training Improve Body Composition and Regional Muscle Strength in Premenopausal Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Nutrients. 2019 Apr 20;11(4):892. doi: 10.3390/nu11040892. PMID: 31010031; PMCID: PMC6521629.

• [11] Liu J, Zhang B, Song S, Ma M, Si S, Wang Y, Xu B, Feng K, Wu J, Guo Y. Bovine collagen peptides compounds promote the proliferation and differentiation of MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblasts. PLoS One. 2014 Jun 13;9(6):e99920. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0099920. PMID: 24926875; PMCID: PMC4057461.