Collagen Peptides 101: Types, How Much, Which Ones to Take, & More - Ask a Nutritionist

Transcript:

Leah: Welcome to another episode of “Ask a Nutritionist”, part of our weekly Dishing Up Nutrition series, where we take a deeper dive into a topic asked by our listeners. My name is Leah Kleinschrodt. I'm one of the registered dietitians here at Nutritional Weight & Wellness. And today I'm going to be tackling one big area of interest that I get questions about fairly regularly, and that is collagen.

You've probably seen collagen advertised in all sorts of different products, and that might be topical beauty creams or gels, or maybe you've seen supplemental forms like powders and gummies. And they all promise things like youthful skin, flexible pain-free joints, and more. So this episode we're going to talk about what exactly is collagen, and asking the ultimate question, is it worth the investment?

So let's unpack the science behind collagen, what it does, how it works, and if you do want to include it as part of your health regimen, how do we choose a good collagen that's the right fit for you? And I do just want to clarify this conversation in particular, we're going to focus on collagen that we take in orally, so collagen that we get from our food and our supplements.

So the collagen that we ingest. We're not going to talk about the collagen or specific collagen that you use topically in beauty products. The great thing about this is Erin Holt, who's another functional nutrition practitioner, says, “Skin is an inside job.” And I love that saying. So that means that the things that we eat and drink have a profound impact on the appearance and the integrity of our skin. So when we talk about collagen that we eat or ingest, we are actually getting that two for one with the skin.

What is collagen & why do people use it?

Let's start with the basics, like what is collagen and why do people use it? Collagen, first and foremost is a protein. It is the most abundant protein in the human body, so you can imagine it's got some importance. I like to think of it as scaffolding. So think about scaffolding of a building that holds everything together.

It gives structure to our skin, our bones, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, and even our gut lining. As we age, like a lot of things, we start to not produce as much collagen as we did maybe in our teens, our twenties and our early thirties. So we might start to notice some of those finer lines, less skin elasticity and stiffer joints.

Collagen is made up of specific protein fragments called peptides. So these little peptides are short chains of amino acids that are put together in a very specific sequence to support the different tissues in the different areas of the body. So imagine this. Visualize that you have a Lego kit, you have your kid's Lego kit, and you pour out the contents of the box onto the floor so that you can see all the little individual pieces.

You know all the pieces are there, they're all accounted for. And you can start building with those pieces. But unless you build them in the right sequence, in the right order, you won't get the exact finished structure that it was intended to be. Now you might get something else that's beneficial, but here, when we're talking about collagen, we actually want very specific peptides. We want some of these Lego pieces or these amino acids to be put together in a very specific way to support very specific tissues.

So those amino acids are like the little individual Lego building blocks. So we use those little individual building blocks to build bigger structures. So we build up peptides, those smaller protein molecules that then we incorporate those different peptides, those different segments of Legos into a greater scheme of things.

We put it together into that finished Lego structure or that final tissue of the body. Again, you could theoretically put all those same individual Legos together in a different sequence, but it just wouldn't have that same result that what again, maybe you intended to have.

So the same goes for the sequencing of amino acids to build very specific collagen peptides, which target specific tissues throughout the body. So there's different peptides for skin versus the cartilage that's in our joints versus our digestive tract, versus the peptides that are in our bones, so on and so forth.

What to look for in a collagen supplement

So if you're looking at a collagen supplement and it lists just the amino acid profile without mentioning specific peptides, this can be one clue or one indicator that it might not be the highest quality or like the best collagen supplement for what you are looking for. You need those amino acids in their specific sequence to make up specific types of tissue. So we are looking for those specific peptides to get to those intended targets.

So one example I, I will shout out our nut Nutrikey collagen for this. One example that our collagen does is it contains high concentrations of four very specific collagen peptides. One of them is called Fortigel. One is called Fortibone. One is called Tendoforte and one is called Verisol. So these are very specialized targeted proteins and they, the Fortigel is a target for more of that joint support.

The Fortibone, for the Bones, Tendoforte for tendons specifically, and that's kind of a rarer one, and we'll get to that in a little bit. And then the Verisol peptide is more for like the skin, the nails, those kind of structural tissues. So again, if you're reading and looking at a label on a collagen peptide or a collagen product, you want to know like what the specific health benefits are.

We want to know what peptides are in there rather than just the amino acids. So one thing you may be thinking is if collagen is so helpful and it makes up 90% of our tissues, how did we as humans get collagen before it actually became a supplement; before you could buy it on every store shelf?

How can we get collagen through our diet?

So the answer to that is our body can make collagen on its own, and we get some collagen directly through the foods that we eat. There is a little bit of collagen found in most all varieties of animal proteins and animal meats. But certain animal sources naturally have a little bit more.

So some of those sources would be like our tougher cuts of meat. Think like brisket, or if you have like a good roast a pork roast or a beef roast that has the bone in it, or any kind of, I guess, meats that have the bone still in it, these types of meat products that need to be cooked for longer periods of time, say like in the slow cooker, these types of meats are going to have more of that natural collagen in it.

So when you slow cook those tougher cuts of meat, or when you slow cook meats that have the bone still in them, you are going to cook out some of that natural collagen, so like the tendons, the cartilage, some of that bone is going to leach into the broth or the liquid base in that meal, and it's going to create this gelatinous quality to that liquid. This is the same idea if you've ever made bone broth or stock at home using bones.

Bones are a great rich source of collagen and so when you slow cook them or you cook them down over a long period of time in hot water, hot liquid, you're going to pull the collagen out of the bones or the joints or whatever, again, kind of things you have in that stock.

So if you've ever made homemade bone broth or say you've made a roast in the crockpot, and it cools, say, over the next couple of hours after you've, like, you're, you haven't quite gotten to the dishes yet, you'll notice that that liquid starts to gelatinize a little bit. So that's the collagen that's in it.

That's what we want. We do want that collagen in there. Some other sources for natural collagen are fish skin and sardines. Not everybody's favorite, but those are other high sources of collagen. And so yeah, you can, if you bake some salmon or open that can of sardines, you can eat the skin. The next time you eat that salmon, you get the extra nutrients in there, you get some of that natural collagen.

Again, might not be everybody's cup of tea, but that is one option. So again, all that being said, not everyone's a fan of eating fish skin or sardines. Not often maybe most of us aren't eating, say like a beef brisket or those really tough cuts of meat every single day, or we're not drinking homemade bone broth every single day.

If these aren't a part of like your, say, even weekly meal structure or an everyday thing for you, this is where collagen supplements can come in handy and we can start to fill some of those gaps. And especially as we age, it does help to replenish some of what our body naturally loses in terms of supporting that skin in terms of keeping our joints supple and moving well and overall tissue repair.

More on collagen supplementation, what to look for, & who might benefit

So another thing that you'll see on a lot of collagen products out there, you'll see different types that target different health goals or different tissues in the body. So these types are, again, different complete proteins or different types of peptides that make up that structural framework of our tissues.

Researchers have actually found about 28 different types of collagen. The vast majority of them fall though into three different types or three different categories, and they're aptly named type one, type two, and type three collagen. These are the most common types that you'll see in collagen supplements out there on the market.

Type 1 collagen: makes up 90% of the collagen in the body

So each one has a unique role. Type one collagen is the primary structural protein found in skin, bones, tendons, ligaments. It's about 90% of the collagen in your body. So this is the one that's the most abundant. So if you're looking for kind of like your more catch-all best bang for your buck type of collagen. We're looking more for that type one collagen.

This is going to be sourced mainly from, it's going to be a bovine source, so from cows or from a marine source, which would be fish. Again, the main benefits are skin elasticity, hair and nail strength, tendons, ligament flexibility, bone support. So again, overall pick or you want like that MVP in there, the one that can, that utility player that can do it all; that's the type one, and that's the one that you'll probably find most often in the majority of collagen products out there.

Type II collagen: supports joint cartilage 

Type two collagen is sourced from chickens to support cartilage specifically so that cushioning in your joints. This type is, it's crucial for that joint flexibility for some of that, like managing joint pain and arthritis. I definitely think about this from my active folks or for people who are struggling maybe with some of that osteoarthritis or they think maybe they're on track for a hip replacement, a knee replacement, or something along those lines.

Type 3 peptide benefits

So that's type two, type three peptides are found a lot of times along with that type one peptide. So this is again, going to be more of a bovine source collagen. You're going to find it paired with the type one. And the main benefits with type three collagen is the skin firmness, some muscle repair properties to it. And actually it can have some nice interesting effects on blood vessel health. All right, so types one, two, and three are the most common.

Bonus peptide types 4, 5 & 10

Sometimes you'll find products that have bonus types like four, five, and 10. Again, this barely brushes the surface when we know there's potentially 28 different collagens out there. But these are the most common things that you'll see if you're out on the market, kind of looking at collagen products.

Benefits of Key Collagen

So the Key Collagen that I mentioned before, our Nutrikey collagen, offers that two of those bonus ones, it offers type five and type 10 collagen as part of that multi-peptide blend, just for that extra support. Type 10 especially is helpful for bone formation. So this can be why a lot of times with our clients who are looking at osteopenia, osteoporosis, why we would recommend taking Key Collagen as part of their bone health regimen.

It has that extra peptide in it beyond just the typical type one collagen supplement that can support the bone health piece. So now you know a little bit about the different types of collagen that are out there, and a little bit about the peptides.

What to look for in a quality collagen supplement

So now let's talk about choosing a supplement that actually works, because of course, like a lot of supplements out there, they're not all created equal. So here's what I tell my clients to look for. I mean, first and foremost, we want to know your goal. What is it that you're looking at, these collagen peptides or these collagen supplements for?

If it's mainly hair, skin, nails, choose type one and three. These are the bovine or marine sources. If it's more for joint support, we're looking at type two collagen. Again, that's the more the chicken piece of it. And then if you're just looking for all of the above: hair, skin, nails, joints, bones, digestive tract, everything. If you think I could check all of those boxes, then choose a multi collagen, which includes the type one, the type two, the type three plus, if you can find some of those extras like the five and the 10 in there, that's going to support everything:

Skin, hair, nails, tendons, ligaments, joints, bones, gut health, all of those. So now let's check the source of the collagen. So again, we’ve got to know your goals first. Bovine is the most common and is the richest type of the type one and type three collagen. I do recommend looking for a grass-fed bovine collagen.

Our Key Collagen falls under that bucket, but there are others out there, that's what we're getting in terms of our best quality. Marine collagen is another option that is similar to the benefits that you would get from a bovine source, but for some people who want to avoid those meat products, beef in particular, the, the fish might be an option.

Chicken is rich in type two for joint health; doesn't have the highest concentration of the type one and the type three. So again, if you're looking for something a little bit more specific joint wise, that's where that type two or more chicken based collagen could be helpful.

I have seen an eggshell option out there for collagen. It's mostly type one. So again, if you're looking for something a little bit more general or a little bit more catch-all, this might be an option. It's not going to have maybe the highest benefits for, especially for the joint piece. But this might be an option, especially if we're looking for something for vegetarians.

One thing to note, and I mentioned this a little bit earlier before, so collagen is found mostly in animal-based sources. There are no plant-based sources of collagen. You may see collagen products out there that are marketed as vegan products. So again, no animal products used in the making of that collagen.

However, what they're typically doing is they're using a combination of certain amino acids and then tagging in some vitamins, usually some vitamin C in there, in the hopes that your body will take those amino acids and the vitamin C, which is crucial for making collagen in the body. They're hoping if we give it the building blocks plus add some vitamin C in there, that your body's going to take those and produce its own collagen.

And some of that might be true. Just keep in mind that there is a difference likely between the vegan products and the animal products. The vegan products are not actually giving you straight collagen like the animal-based products are, but the hope is that it's actually you're, we're still giving the body the building blocks and, and what it needs to synthesize its own collagen.

Keep an eye out for extra additives

All right, so another thing to look for if you're looking at collagen supplements out on the shelf or on Amazon or something like that, we want to keep an eye out for extra additives. And I think this goes for foods in general, but this goes for supplements as well, and especially collagen powders.

Some powders do have added sweeteners, some have flavorings added to it. So ideally we want the only ingredient to in there to be those collagen peptides. You want to avoid added sugars, artificial sweeteners, food dyes, anything like that. Most collagen products should be flavorless and actually mix well, so you should blend in no problem. You shouldn't need to add necessarily any extra ingredients to make it taste any different.

Standards to look for to ensure good quality

And again, as with pretty much all supplements, it's important to look at trusted brands that do third party testing. So we know that what's in there is what's on the label, and that's what you're actually getting. So a couple things to look for would be, looking on the packaging to look for seals that say CGMP, which stands for Current Good Manufacturing Practice, NSF certified, USP Certified or Informed Choice Certified.

So this means that the product was tested for purity and potency. So again, it just means like we've got an extra set of eyes and an extra layer of protection for us as the consumer to make sure that what's in the product is what we're getting. With collagen being a hot product these days, I mean, we really want to make sure we're getting the best bang for our buck. We're getting what we paid for. So again, looking for some of those certifications can be a really just a nice insurance policy.

What collagen form is best? 

So what form is best? Again, like you'll find collagens in powder form. You'll see gummies, you'll see capsules, and there's some other options out there as well. But I tend to stick with the powders. I recommend that for my clients, again, really 99.9% of the time they should be non-flavored, they should mix easily into most different liquids or semi-liquid products. So again, you can mix it.

I'd say most of my clients like to just mix it in their coffee because nobody misses their coffee in the morning. So then you don't miss your collagen supplement in the morning. Some of my clients like to use it in smoothies, mix it into yogurt. I've had some clients that will just throw a little extra into soup. I mean, that's kind of again, naturally where we would've gotten it in other generations, like in our grandmothers and great-grandmothers generations. So that's another option as well.

Our Key Collagen, for example, it's not damaged when you add it to those hot liquids like tea or to coffee or to soup or something like that. It dissolves really well. You can't taste it. You can't feel it. And so that should be the way it is with most collagen powders also.

Capsules can be convenient, but typically there's only so much powder you can fit into those capsules. So you typically, per capsule or per serving size, you're getting a lot less in terms of the amount of collagen in there. So you end up having to take a lot of capsules in order to get the same dose that you would with a powder.

And same kind of idea for gummies also, again, you're not going to get a huge dose in the serving size. When it comes to gummies, I mean, we do just start to worry about the added sugars that are in there, or other additives that are in there, things that we might not necessarily really need.

What is the recommended dosage?

So then dosage wise, what are we looking at? What should we be aiming for? Studies in general suggest that anywhere between two and a half grams to 10 grams per day is a good kind of bucket that people can fall into that is safe and should work well over a couple of weeks time.

So that is one key thing about collagen as well as like this isn't something typically that people are going to take for a couple of days or a week or two and notice a ton of difference. There's some outliers that will maybe notice some of those quicker results, but to get the best bang for your buck to really give it that good college try, we're looking at probably at least eight weeks and maybe more like 12 weeks.

It's more of that slow build over time. We want to give it a good chunk of time before you reevaluate and make that decision of, is collagen helpful for me or is it not? So for the multi-type collagens with the benefits, again and hitting as many areas as we can, we can take that range of two and a half to 10 grams per day of each peptide.

So for example, again, our Key Collagen, each peptide has two and a half to five grams per scoop. So that actually adds up to about 17 and a half grams of total collagen per scoop.

Interestingly actually, if people are trying to aim higher, so like actually after about 20 grams or 25 grams of collagen doesn't necessarily lead to better results. Your body can only use so much per day and it excretes the rest. So taking like that two and a half to 10 grams is a good range.

But if you try to punch it up to 20, 25, 30 grams. Really, we start to see diminishing returns after that. And like I said, consistency matters. Collagen is a slow build. It is a little bit more of a longer term investment. So give yourself that two to three months or so to notice some kind of change, whatever it is that you're looking for.

Stronger hair or better hair growth, joints that don't creak as much as they use to, better gut health, anything like that, we're trying to just give it a good chunk of time.

Are there any side effects associated?

And then last but not least, we're kind of looking at are there any side effects to collagen? Generally speaking, collagen is really well tolerated. Some people might experience some mild bloating, maybe some feeling of fullness, especially if you start right out of the gate with something like 10, 15 or upwards of that 20 grams of collagen right out of the gate.

So it might be helpful for some people, especially if you know you have a little bit more of a sensitive digestive tract to start with, maybe a fourth of a scoop or a half a scoop per day, and then work your way up from there. Again, over time, most of the time people notice more of those benefits and so it's worth continuing to take it. Even if you feel a little bit bloated at first, again, you can always back down, start back up again, or work your way back up.

Final thoughts

So couple final thoughts. You know, collagen really can be a valuable addition to your dietary routine. Again, especially if you're looking in the realm of skin, hair, nails, some joint support; bones, it's a little harder to get inventory on those since most of us can only once we get up in, in age a little bit; we only get a DEXA scan every couple of years.

But really like looking at some of those other tissues, we can really start to see a difference within those two to three months if collagen is that right fit for you. And pairing collagen, of course, with a diet that's already rich in animal proteins and we're getting already some of those amino acids in there. We get vitamin C from plenty of fruits and vegetables. As I mentioned, vitamin C is one of those key nutrients for making collagen in our bodies.

We stay hydrated, we maintain a lot of those normal, healthy lifestyle things. Some of these things are just foundational. They're going to enhance your body's ability to build and protect its own collagen. So then for some people, adding another layer to that foundation and using those collagen peptides adds a little reinforcement.

So you can kind of think of it like teamwork. We're building, we're always building up those good habits, those foundational habits. But then the collagen peptides come in, add a little bit of reinforcement, and for some people really can make a big difference in how they feel, how they move, or again, some of those structural tissues respond really well.

So I want to thank you all for listening. I hope you found this episode helpful. Hopefully you know a little bit more about collagen now than you did at the beginning of the show, and if you did find it helpful, please share it with a friend who you think could benefit or maybe who has asked you questions about collagen before.

So our goal at Nutritional Weight & Wellness is to help each and every person experience better health through eating real food. It's a simple yet powerful message that eating real food is life-changing. Thank you all for listening and have a great day.