What Is Collagen? A Simple Answer
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Collagen is a structural protein. It is the most abundant protein in the human body, found in skin, bone, tendons, ligaments and cartilage. Collagen supplements are made from animal sources such as cattle hide or fish skin, broken down into small pieces called peptides.
What is collagen made of?
Collagen is made of long chains of amino acids twisted together into a tight triple helix. Three amino acids dominate: glycine, proline and hydroxyproline. Glycine makes up roughly one in every three amino acids in the chain, which is unusual among proteins.
That repeating pattern is what lets collagen form strong, rope-like fibres. It is also why collagen has a very different amino acid profile from proteins such as whey or soy.
Where is collagen found in the body?
Collagen is found throughout connective tissue. Type I is the most common and is found in skin, bone and tendons. Type II is the main collagen in cartilage. Type III often sits alongside Type I in skin and blood vessels.
Scientists have identified 28 types of collagen, but a handful make up the vast majority of the collagen in the body. Our types guide explains the ones you will see on supplement labels.
Related reading: collagen types explained; what are collagen peptides?; is collagen a protein?.
What is collagen used for in supplements?
A collagen supplement is a food supplement that provides collagen protein, usually as hydrolysed collagen peptides. Hydrolysis breaks the long collagen chains into short fragments that dissolve easily in water, coffee or smoothies.
People often choose collagen as part of a beauty, skin or active-lifestyle routine. In the UK there are no authorised health claims for collagen itself, so a responsible label will tell you what is in the product and how much, rather than promising results.
Where does supplement collagen come from?
All true collagen comes from animals. Common sources are bovine (cattle hide), marine (fish skin and scales), porcine (pig skin) and chicken (often cartilage, a source of Type II). There is no plant collagen. Products described as vegan collagen usually contain plant nutrients or lab-made ingredients, not collagen from an animal.
The source affects which collagen types a product provides, which is why labels list both.
Hyoomen's collagen figures
Hyoomen Bovine Collagen Peptides contains 10,000 mg of PEPTAN® B hydrolysed bovine collagen peptides per 10 g serving, providing Types I and III, unflavoured and sourced from grass-fed cattle.
See Hyoomen Bovine Collagen Peptides.
Hyoomen Marine Collagen contains 10,000 mg of hydrolysed wild-caught marine collagen peptides per daily serving, providing Type I.
Hyoomen Multi Collagen contains 10,000 mg of hydrolysed multi-collagen per daily serving, providing Types I, II, III, V and X.
All three are packed in resealable doypack pouches. Compare the Hyoomen collagen range.
Frequently asked questions
What is collagen good for?
People look for collagen as part of skin, hair and joint routines. There are no authorised health claims for collagen in the UK, so check what a label says it contains rather than what it promises.
What is collagen made of?
Mainly the amino acids glycine, proline and hydroxyproline, arranged in a triple helix.
Is collagen a protein?
Yes. Collagen is a protein and counts towards protein on a nutrition label, although its amino acid profile is incomplete.
What is collagen in skin?
Collagen is a major structural protein in the dermis, the layer of skin beneath the surface. Types I and III are the most common there.
Important
This article is general information, not medical advice. Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking any medication or under medical supervision, speak to your GP or pharmacist before taking a supplement. Do not exceed the stated recommended daily dose.