Collagen is an abundant protein in the human body that has a number of valuable functions. Found in our bones, muscles, skin, and tendons, this structural protein has a critical job of holding our bodies together. But besides its beneficial function, collagen has been proven to be linked to improving skin health, reducing wrinkles, and even increasing muscle mass.

Although collagen is the most abundant of the proteins within our body, there’s less and less of it with each passing year. With this shortage, it’s important to find ways to fill this gap, and most of us don’t get enough collagen within our daily diet. Luckily, there are plenty of products to supplement your collagen on the market, one of them being Vital Proteins marine collagen that we reviewed here. 

What Exactly is Marine Collagen?

Marine collagen is a pure form of hypoallergenic protein that’s derived directly from fish collagen, more specifically fish skin or scales. In order to obtain the marine collagen from fish, fish skins are washed and then hydrolyzed by acid and a food-grade enzyme in order to remove the collagen protein from the fish.

Marine collagen differs from bovine or porcine-derived collagen because it is absorbed by the body faster and helps promote numerous beauty-related benefits.

How to Add Marine Collagen to Your Diet

From powders to pills, marine collagen products are versatile in that there are many forms available for consumption, including:

Collagen Powder

Marine collagen powder is often dissolvable in both cold or hot liquids. Plus, you can bake or cook with it, making it a diverse form of marine collagen. From your morning coffee to your afternoon smoothie, this form of collagen provides a convenient way to reap the benefits of marine collagen. Our favorite option when it comes to collagen powder is SkinnyFit Super Youth.

Liquid Collagen

Liquid collagen is said to provide a faster way to quickly digest and absorb marine collagen in comparison to solid supplements. This is because your body has to work harder to extract nutrients from a solid form, which liquid collagen is much easier for your body to digest.

The recommended dosage for liquid collagen varies depending on the particular supplement and the reason you’re taking it, but a 2.5-15-gram daily dose appears to be safe and effective.

Hydrolyzed Collagen

Hydrolyzed collagen is a form of collagen that is easily digested and absorbed into the bloodstream when it’s consumed in supplement form. Hydrolyzed collagen comes from the hydrolyzation process, which is where a molecule of water is added to the substance, making it collagen peptides.

NeoCell Collagen

NeoCell collagen is collagen that’s been broken down into smaller amino acid chains, also known as collagen peptides. This form of collagen is one of the more affordable forms of collagen supplements that promotes healthy skin, hair, and nails.

Frozen Collagen

Frozen collagen supplements are aimed to provide clear, radiant skin in a safe and efficient way. This form of collagen is usually ingested in capsule form, taking it 1-2 times daily.

Vegan Collagen

A vegan diet often causes a lack of collagen, due to the fact that this protein typically comes from animal sources, such as beef or fish. Instead of being sourced from animals, vegan collagen is produced using genetically modified yeast and bacteria.

Collagen Tablets/Capsules

This form of collagen is one of the most popular among them all, as it provides a convenient way to boost your body’s collagen production. It’s important to keep in mind that taking collagen capsules may require taking more pills in order to get the same amount of collagen that the powder version provides.

The Benefits of Marine Collagen

Of the 28 different kinds of collagen within the body, marine collagen has been found to provide a plethora of perks when consumed. Not only has this type of collagen been associated with promoting healthy hair, skin, and nails, but it also has internal benefits as well. 

1. Skin Rejuvenation 

As the years pass, we lose more and more collagen over time. With the loss of collagen comes less elasticity in your skin, wrinkles, and sagging in the skin. Luckily, marine collagen helps with that. When consumed, marine collagen works to replenish and support the body’s natural collagen, in turn helping your skin maintain its structural integrity. In order to rejuvenate and replenish your skin, a dose of 10 grams, or 2 tablespoons, per day is recommended for optimal skin health.

2. Healthy Nail Growth

If you’ve been looking for a trick to fast-track your way to healthy, long nails, look no further. Marine collagen is known to promote healthy nail growth, making it the perfect solution for achieving strong, long nails. In fact, it even improves some of the most brittle nails and leaves a notable decrease in broken nail frequency. 

3. Promotes Weight Loss

Looking to get an extra push to lose those stubborn pounds? Marine collagen may be your solution. When you consume this protein, you’re likely to have a decrease in appetite as you are provided with a safe yet full feeling. Plus, preliminary animal research suggests that marine collagen is linked to a healthy blood sugar balance. If that wasn’t enough to convince you, this collagen contains a high amount of protein, which helps keep your body strong and healthy overall.

4. Improves Bone Strength

Marine collagen helps the body absorb calcium, phosphorus, and other beneficial minerals that promote bone strength. Plus, it’s a potential therapeutic agent in the treatment of osteoarthritis and osteoporosis, making it great for bone strength improvement. Marine collagen has also been linked to the activity of osteoblasts, which are cells that are responsible for synthesizing and mineralizing bone.

4. Enhances Workout Effects

If you’re looking to get the most out of your workouts, marine collagen can help. Because collagen is linked to the production of creatine within your body, it works to support your muscle mass and overall exercise performance. It also works as a great source of the antioxidant proline, which helps prevent post-workout body aches.

5. It Helps You Heal Faster

Collagen is often used to help support wound healing, and marine collagen is no different. When you replenish your body’s storage of collagen, your body begins to heal and recover faster, promoting a faster process of healing. This collagen provides your body external bandaging that will heal you with its structural power. 

6. Promotes the Quality of Your Sleep

Glycine, the most abundant amino acid within marine collagen, is linked to supporting an overall better quality of slumber. If you find yourself waking up throughout the night or you’re a hot sleeper, this type of collagen helps maintain your core body temperature while also keeping you asleep throughout your rest. 

Take a look at this article if you’re wondering how it takes for collagen supplements to work.

The Side Effects of Marine Collagen

As with anything, there are a few side effects to look out for when consuming marine collagen on a daily basis. While most of these side effects aren’t anything significant, there are a couple that are still present.

When consuming this collagen, you may experience minor bloating and disruption in your digestive system, but that’s unlikely as this collagen typically helps improve it rather than harm it. If you have an allergy to fish, avoid taking marine collagen without consulting your doctor first. Read here to find out the effect of collagen on your bowel movements.

Overall, marine collagen is tolerated well by almost everyone, so you gain more than you lose when you take it.

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