If you choose to supplement collagen to improve your skin health, it's important to choose wisely! There are so many products on the market and so much information (and misinformation) - it's easy to become overwhelmed. Our handy collagen shopping checklist will help you research and select the very best collagen supplement for you.
Marine collagen for healthier skin
If you’re looking to improve your skin health, choose marine collagen. It has the highest levels of type 1 collagen – the same collagen comprising 90 per cent of the collagen in our body and the main type of collagen in our skin. This means it has a greater affinity with human skin than other collagen types.
Smaller particle size is more easily absorbed
Collagen is only effective if it can be absorbed by the body (highly bioavailable). Collagen particles in their native state are too large to be absorbed. Their size must be reduced through a process called hydrolysation. Select hydrolysed collagen peptides for optimal bioavailability.
Seek high levels of peptides
Look for a product with at least 95% collagen peptides for optimal effectiveness.
Aim for 10g per serve
Clinical trials show the more collagen you take, the better the result. For optimal skin health benefits, aim for 10g of collagen per serve.
Make an ethical choice
If you’re conscious about sustainability, choose an ethically sourced marine collagen from a Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified fishery.
Choose wild caught over farmed fish
Some fish farming practices may negatively impact the environment and carry the risk of contaminating the farmed fish with toxins so choose wild caught where possible.
Ensure mercury and heavy metal screening
If choosing marine collagen, make sure the source fish and finished product have been screened for mercury and heavy metals to guarantee the purest possible collagen.
Avoid added nasties
Choose collagen supplements with natural flavours and sweeteners, no preservatives and no emulsifiers that can disrupt gut barrier function (potentially causing leaky gut and other issues). A supplement using natural sweetener such as stevia, instead of sugar, will further benefit your skin health.
Choose powdered form
Adding water to powdered collagen makes it just as bioavailable as liquid collagen. The benefits of powdered over liquid is that it doesn’t require as many preservatives. Powders are also better for the environment as liquids are heavier to ship, using more fossil fuel.
Things to remember:
- “Vegan collagen” cannot stimulate the body to produce its own collagen
Collagen is unique to animals. While there are vegan alternatives available, these only provide the “building blocks” of collagen. They do not stimulate the body to produce its own collagen like animal-based collagen does.
- Collagen is not just a beauty supplement
Women and men of all ages can benefit from supplementing collagen, with those over 30 seeing greater benefits. Collagen can also help with eczema, acne and psoriasis while supporting skin health function, wound healing and immunity.
- Collagen will only be properly absorbed by a well-functioning gut
Absorption is affected by gut health. Conditions like dysbiosis and leaky gut may affect the bioavailability of collagen and other nutrients.
- Optimal skin health requires more than collagen
A supplement that combines collagen with other essential skin health ingredients will ensure the best results. OPTY.NC Ultimate 1.0 – Complete Skin Food Elixir™ provides all the nutrition and antioxidants your skin needs, along with 10g of highly bioavailable collagen peptides, sustainably and ethically sourced.
Knowing that healthy skin begins in the gut, OPTY.NC includes prebiotics and probiotics to support microbiome diversity and a healthy gut, essential for optimum nutrient absorption, immune function and clear, healthy skin.
