What Is Collagen? A Plain Guide to Types, Sources and How to Take It

Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body. It is the structural material that holds skin, bone, cartilage, tendon and ligament together - roughly a third of all the protein you are made of. If protein is the body's building material, collagen is the scaffolding.

The body makes its own. It also makes less of it as you get older, which is the reason people start supplementing.

What does collagen actually do?

Collagen fibres give tissue its tensile strength - the ability to resist being pulled apart. In skin it sits in the dermis, the layer beneath the surface, and contributes to firmness and elasticity. In joints it forms cartilage, the cushioning between bones. In hair and nails it is part of the structure they are built on.

This is why collagen comes up in three quite different conversations - skin, joints, and hair and nails. It is the same protein doing structural work in different places.

Why do collagen levels fall with age?

Natural collagen production begins to decline gradually from the mid-twenties onwards. The rate varies between people and is influenced by factors including sun exposure, smoking and diet.

Nothing reverses that on its own. The reasoning behind supplementing is simpler than it is often made to sound: you are providing the raw material, consistently, over time.

What are the collagen types, and do they matter?

There are more than twenty known types. Five come up in supplements:

• Type I - the most common in the body. Skin, bone, tendon. This is what most marine collagen is.
• Type II - cartilage. The type most associated with joints.
• Type III - found alongside Type I, particularly in skin and blood vessels. Common in bovine collagen.
• Type V - involved in the formation of Type I fibres.
• Type X - associated with cartilage and bone.

In practice: if skin is your reason, Type I is the relevant one. If joints are your reason, Type II matters more. A multi-collagen product covers several at once, which is a reasonable choice if you do not want to decide.

Marine or bovine collagen - what is the difference?

Marine collagen comes from fish and is predominantly Type I. Bovine collagen comes from cattle and contains more Type III alongside Type I.

Marine collagen peptides are on average smaller, which is why marine powders tend to dissolve cleanly into hot or cold liquid without setting the way gelatin does. Marine is also the option for anyone who avoids beef for dietary or religious reasons - though it is unsuitable for anyone with a fish or shellfish allergy, and it is not vegetarian.

There is no vegan collagen. Products marketed as "vegan collagen" are collagen builders - vitamin C, amino acids and similar - rather than collagen itself.

What does "hydrolysed" mean?

Whole collagen is a large, tightly wound molecule. Hydrolysis breaks it into much shorter chains called peptides.

Two practical consequences. The peptides are absorbed more readily than intact collagen. And the powder dissolves in liquid at any temperature instead of gelling, which is what makes it possible to stir into coffee or a smoothie rather than having to cook with it.

Every NewYou collagen powder is hydrolysed marine collagen.

How do you take it?

One scoop daily, mixed into water or whatever you already drink. Unflavoured collagen disappears into coffee, tea, juice or a smoothie. Flavoured versions are made to be drunk on their own in plain water.

Timing does not appear to be the important variable. Consistency is. Take it at whatever point in the day you are most likely to actually remember.

How long before there is any difference?

Skin cells turn over roughly every four weeks, so any honest answer starts at weeks rather than days. Most people give a collagen routine eight to twelve weeks of daily use before forming a view, and individual experience varies considerably.

Be sceptical of anything promising a timeline. A pack that lasts at least a month is the minimum sensible test - which is one reason the trial packs are described here as flavour tests rather than trials of the product itself.

Can you take collagen with whey protein?

Yes, and many people do. They have different amino acid profiles and serve different purposes - whey is a complete protein taken around training for muscle, collagen is a structural protein taken daily for skin, joints, hair and nails. Neither cancels out the other.

Who should be careful?

Marine collagen is unsuitable for anyone with a fish or shellfish allergy. As with any supplement, if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking prescribed medication or managing a health condition, speak to your doctor or a qualified nutritionist before starting.

Which NewYou collagen should you choose?

• Marine Collagen Essentials - 100% hydrolysed marine collagen, nothing added. Unflavoured, mixes into anything. The default if you want collagen and nothing else.
• Collagen Active - the same marine collagen with glucosamine, chondroitin and hyaluronic acid added. Built around joints and mobility. Orange flavoured.
• Collagen Glow - the same marine collagen with glutathione and hyaluronic acid added. Built around skin. Blueberry flavoured.
• Multi Collagen Complex - tablets rather than powder, covering Types I, II, III, V and X from bovine, marine and eggshell membrane.

A fuller side-by-side is on the collagen comparison page, and the Find your NewYou quiz narrows it down in four questions.

This page is general information about collagen, not medical advice. NewYou products are dietary supplements intended to support general nutrition. They are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.