For most of human history, we did not require to supplement ourselves with collagen since our diet was loaded with it. However, collagen deficiency has become a problem today!
The collagen supplement industry has been prospering over the past few years, which is mostly due to the beneficial effects reported by the scientific community.
Companies started producing different types of collagen from the byproducts of animals to replenish our storage.
Due to the diversity of collagen products, people often get confused about the difference between collagen and collagen peptides, which is the reason we decided to write this article.
What is collagen?
Collagen is a polypeptide (connection of several amino acids) that builds our connective tissue, bones, skin, and integumentary system (e.g. hair, nails).
It is mainly composed of three amino acids –proline, hydroxyproline, and glycine–. Each of these molecules gives collagen specific chemical and biochemical properties, making it the most prevalent and important protein in the body.
Collagen is twisted into a helical conformation that provides it with the strength and resistance to counter environmental factors.
Note that collagen cannot cross the intestinal wall, hence its ineffectiveness as an oral supplement.
What are collagen peptides?
Collagen peptides (collagen hydrolysate) are shorter versions of collagen that can be found in protein powders.
These molecules are made by the breakdown of full-length collagen, but they maintain the same amino acid composition.
Contrary to full-length collagen, these compounds can be absorbed by the digestive tract to travel in the bloodstream and provide constructive and protective benefits.
The difference between collagen and collagen peptides
The major difference between collagen and collagen peptides is bioavailability.
As we mentioned earlier, full-length collagen cannot get absorbed in the digestive tract because of its length and spatial conformation.
On the other hand, collagen peptides are more bioavailable since they get easily absorbed into the bloodstream because of their shorter structure.
Collagen has several benefits that we partially discussed in another article.
Many brands market collagen supplements without giving the customer enough information about their positive effects, bioavailability, and side effects.
Hopefully, this article helped you understand the difference between collagen and collagen peptides and which one is the smart option.
If you have any questions about any of our products, such as collagen powder, or collagen in general, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our friendly team! You can reach us by using our simple online enquiry form, or by joining the conversation on our socials – we look forward to hearing from you very soon!
