What is Marine Collagen?

With skin being the largest organ of your body, are you prioritising your skin’s health?

A good skin cream that does exactly what you want it to can be hard to find. You may have tried a dozen skin creams and not found the right one for you or over time, or you might find that as your skin changes it may not be as effective anymore.

However, there is a solution to your problem and that is marine collagen supplements.

So you might be wondering what is marine collagen? Or, you may have heard someone mention how great marine collagen is and you're interested in finding out more.

This blog aims to serve as your guide to answer any questions you have about marine collagen and whether taking a marine collagen supplement is right for you.

Before we answer the question of what is marine collagen, we need to understand what collagen is.

What is collagen?

A research review has suggested that there are 28 different types of collagen. Collagen is the main form of protein found in the body that works to keep your hair, bones and muscles healthy and revitalised.

So how does collagen help skin? Collagen works to help your skin perform at its optimum and boosts skin elasticity.

Without the right levels of collagen, you are more likely to experience things like:

More fine lines
Dehydrated skin
Sore or weak muscles
Tight ligaments and tendons
Pain in your joints
Gastrointestinal issues

What is marine collagen: 7 key questions answered

So now you know more about collagen, you're probably wondering what is marine collagen?

what-is-collagen

1. What is marine collagen?

Marine collagen is just one form of collagen that has been growing in popularity over the last few years. Taken from fish collagen peptides found in the skin, bones and scales of fish, collagen is extracted and then turned into marine collagen.

2. How is marine collagen different to other forms of collagen?

Marine collagen peptides are smaller than other types of animal-based collagens, which makes it easier to be absorbed by the body. This makes it easier for the body to use the nutrients from marine collagen for skin health benefits.

3. What is hydrolysed marine collagen?

Marine collagen can come in hydrolysed form whereby the collagen has been heated or altered chemically using acids. Non-hydrolysed collagen is made up of long, rope-like chains. However, when hydrolysed, these are broken down into shorter chains that can be more easily absorbed into our body. Consequently, this means that the marine collagen will be more effective at doing its job and you'll be more likely to see positive results from taking it.

With that in mind, if you are choosing between supplements, in order to get anything out of it, they have to be hydrolysed.

4. What does marine collagen do?

There are three different types of collagen that can be found in the human body – Type 1, Type 2 and Type 3.

Marine collagen falls under the Type 1 category; the main type of collagen that your body creates. As Type 1 collagen is responsible for making sure your skin cells maintain their firmness and appearance, it’s the most important type to take if you want to look after your overall skin health and improve skin elasticity.

While marine collagen can be found in face and body creams, this does not get absorbed into the skin as effectively. Taking marine collagen supplementation in the form of liquids or tablets can help it be absorbed more easily into the gut and body. This is due to the fact the protein particles found in marine collagen are smaller. It has been said that this process stimulates the natural production of collagen in your body.

marine-collagen-on-skin

5. What are the benefits of marine collagen for skin?

You may be thinking – if there are 28 types of collagen out there, what is so special about marine collagen in particular?

Marine collagen benefits from being a Type 1 collagen, meaning it has great anti-ageing qualities and the ability to improve the overall health of skin from the inside out. When combined with a healthy diet and lifestyle, marine collagen benefits include:

Younger looking skin overall
Reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
Vibrant and refreshed complexion
Moisturising and hydrating qualities
Plumper looking skin
Easily absorbed by the body
Can heal, regenerate and repair skin
Necessary for the growth, development and repair of all body tissues
Helps the immune system
Healthier looking hair
Boost recovery and performance during exercise
Includes hydroxyproline, which enables skin to heighten or produce collagen

6. Is consuming marine collagen better for those who can't take other collagens?

As marine collagen is a Type 1 collagen, it means it originates from sustainable sourced fish. Therefore, this makes it a more suitable option for anyone who is a pescatarian or if you have certain religious beliefs that stop you from eating meat.

7. Is taking marine collagen better for the environment?

Unlike bovine collagen that comes from meat, marine collagen benefits from having a lower impact on the environment.

8. Is taking marine collagen actually effective?

With marine collagen being the best match to collagen already found in your body, studies have found that taking marine collagen results in firmer, healthier looking skin, whilst a 2020 study found that it can also improve wound healing and reduce inflammation. So if you're wondering does marine collagen help with joint pain, then it could do, as this in turn can aid overall health by decreasing joint pain and aches for example.

marine-collagen-for-joint-pain

If my body already produces collagen, why do I need to take supplements?

Although collagen is made naturally, taking collagen supplements can promote the production of additional collagen in your body; which in turn delivers the extra benefits to your skin and overall heath.

Even from your mid-20s, the amount of collagen your body produces can decrease and other factors such as stress, diet, fatigue and sun exposure, can have an impact on the body’s ability to produce it naturally. For this reason, taking extra collagen supplementation may be needed to keep your skin and body as healthy as possible.

When should I take marine collagen supplements?

There’s no right age to start taking marine collagen supplements as you are almost certainly going to reap the many benefits they have no matter when you take them. After all, whether you are 30 or 60, who doesn’t want healthier skin from within? Having said that, taking them earlier can help to delay the signs of ageing and keep your skin healthy for longer.

When it comes to time of day to take your marine collagen supplements there’s not a one size fits all rule. Some people find it better to take marine collagen tablets early in the morning before breakfast to aid the absorption process. If you’re a fitness fanatic though, you can actually take marine collagen an hour before you workout as they also aid the recovery process after you train.

Is there anything extra to be aware of when taking marine collagen?

As with all supplements, if you have any medical conditions such as epilepsy or food allergies, it’s always best to consult with your doctor or pharmacist before you start taking marine collagen or any other supplements.

Like with other supplements, some people may experience side effects such as heartburn and a bad taste in the mouth. However, most of the time these side effects aren’t significant or a cause for concern.

It's important to note that most people don’t experience any side effects, but if you're concerned, you can always reach out to the company you are buying from or your doctor.

Where can I get marine collagen from?

At Simone Thomas Wellness, we have expertly developed award-winning collagen supplements called SkinQuencher. Although marine collagen powders, liquids and capsules are available on the market, our SkinQuencher supplements come in an easy-to-take capsule.

SkinQuencher contains marine collagen and Vitamin C and is proven to be effective in improving skin’s health and vitality. The Vitamin C in our supplements is vital as without it, the body isn't able to correctly utilise the collagen.

Our SkinQuencher supplements won The Janey Loves 2022 Platinum Awards, was awarded silver for UKMums.TV Mum's Choice 2022 awards and was runner up and finalists for many more.

Discover SkinQuencher marine collagen for skin health for yourself or alternatively, feel free to ask our expert team any questions you may have on the product and how it can help.