There’s no denying that the supplement market can be rather confusing at times. In a perfect world, all that would be expected from you is to recognize the supplements you want in order to optimize your nutrition. However, in a world of unlimited choices, there are plenty of factors for you to consider before clicking add to cart.When it comes to collagen, what is it exactly that makes the difference?
Recently you may have heard a common question regarding collagen nutrition that concerns the difference between multi-collagen and “normal” collagen or collagen peptides. Is multi-collagen some kind of innovative product that’s going to revolutionize the nutrition world and take the supplement market by storm? Before making the final decision between team multi-collagenand team normal collagen, let’s set the record straight.
Collagen Basics
Collagen is the king of proteins - or queen ;-). Literally, it’s the most abundant protein in mammals, and the primary protein in connective tissues. How important is it? Well, given the fact that it accounts for 25% of the total amount of protein in the human body, we’d say it is vital for overall healthy functioning of our bodies. Although we always regard collagen as a single entity, it is important to note that there are nearly 28 collagen types identified thus far, the most prominent being Type I, found in skin, bones, teeth, organs, ligaments, and many other body parts.
One of the primary roles of collagen concerns the mechanical stability of skeletal tissues, blood vessels, nerves, intestines, as well as skin. Have you ever wondered what is it that gives our skin that elasticity and plumpness? The answer is collagen, the protein responsible for the resilience and structure of not only the skin, but bones and cartilage as well.
So, what happens when the rate of naturally produced collagen starts inevitably degrading? Each and every aspect of health we’ve mentioned before is affected by this change, and the most obvious consequences appear on the skin, in the form of wrinkles, fine lines, and texture. According to a study conducted by Zague V., supplementing with hydrolyzed collagen has been found to increase collagen levels, hence the recommendation of these supplements in balanced nutrition.
Why hydrolyzed collagen? Basically, this type of collagen supplement has been found to provide larger collagen fibrils and more dense fibroblasts, which is a result that could not be replicated by any other source of amino acids, a study on the effects of collagen hydrolysate intake finds.
What Is Multi-Collagen?
Those advocating multi-collagen as a more beneficial variant rely on the variety of collagen sources as the primary factor in choosing your collagen supplement. Long story short, what multi-collagen offers is the nutrient obtained from multiple sources such as porcine skin, chicken feet, cartilage, and eggshell membrane, as opposed to single-sourced collagen. Brands manufacturing multi-collagen rely on a single hypothesis - more is more.Basically, they believe that customers should not be limited when it comes to collagen source, but enjoy the benefits of a mixture of different collagen types instead.
Given that producing multi-collagen requires exploiting multiple sources and creating a balanced mixture, it is understandable that the price of this product is usually higher compared to single-sourced collagen. However, what we’ve decided to put to the test is the very concept of this product, in order to determine whether the price (and the hype) is justified.
When it comes to the quality of a collagen supplement, can multiple sources really be considered a game-changing advantage?