Collagen - What is it?
The word ‘collagen’ is derived from the Greek word ‘kolla’ which means glue.
Collagen is part of the natural make-up of tendons, ligaments, joints, muscles, hair, skin and vital organs. Natural collagen protein weaves throughout the body to give strength and support by its strong fiber, holding the body together like glue.
Collagen is the most abundant natural protein found in the body, making up 30% of our entire body and 75% of our skin.
Besides its many structural properties, collagen is responsible for the repair and growth of most of the body’s tissues.
As we age, the body’s ability to produce collagen protein reduces and slows down. This has an adverse effect on the body’s ability to repair and maintain itself, ultimately resulting in a change of appearance, elasticity, flexibility, strength and function.
Collagen type I and III are the main types of collagen in our hair, skin, nails, tendons, ligaments, muscles, bones, teeth, eyes and blood vessels and are beneficial in joints. It has been shown that collagen type I and III make up 90% of the body’s collagen and are found naturally together.
Collagen type I provides strength to mechanical structures such as bones, whereas collagen type III plays an important role in the area of healing, moisture and elastic organs such as ligaments, skin and tendons.
Type I and type III can be made from bovine (beef) porcine (pork) or fiscine (fish). Collagen is best hydrolyzed and then broken down into a polypeptide for maximum absorption. This is then added to food such as our tasty marshmallows and can be ingested orally.