Sourcing and quality pique consumer interest in the well-established collagen space

30 Apr 2019 --- The health benefits of collagen are already well established within the industry and touch on sectors such as sports nutrition, mobility and the beauty-from-within space. Increased consumer demand for sustainable and environmentally friendly ingredients, however, has opened up a market for alternative collagen sources. Marine collagen, derived from fish and even “vegan collagen” or vegan, collagen-boosting ingredients, such as vitamin C, are experiencing increased traction due to the growing popularity of the category.

As the category becomes more established, consumer demand towards sustainability is casting a spotlight on sourcing.

“There is a lot of confusion on the market about which source of collagen is best. Science tells us that the body can easily digest any of these sources, as long as the long polypeptide chains of gelatin have been broken down into smaller ones like in the case of hydrolyzed collagen,” Uros Gotar, Head of Research & Developement at Tosla, tells NutritionInsight. 

Collagen comprises roughly 30 percent of the body’s protein and is responsible for tissue regeneration, bone health and skin elasticity. Despite the body’s ability to produce its own collagen, its reserves start to run short from after the age of 30. A plethora of alternative resources, however, support the body’s functions through supplementation. 

Collagen 101 and marine collagen potential
Most available research into the benefits of collagen supplementation is based on bovine, which originates from cows and porcine, which originates from pigs and chicken sourced collagen peptides, Oliver Wolf, Head of B2B Marketing, Global Marketing and Communication at Gelita, tells NutritionInsight. This scientific research has led to the creation of many collagen products aimed at human health and wellbeing. As research continues to explore their benefits, more of collagen’s nutritional and physiological advantages are bound to come to the fore, Wolf says. 

There are at least twenty-eight different types of collagen in the human body and each collagen type shows a characteristic tissue distribution and has different functions and properties. Type I collagen is the major collagen type present in most tissues, accounting for over 90 percent of the collagen in the human body.  

Suhail Ishaq, President of BioCell Technology, tells NutritionInsight that type III collagen is the second most abundant collagen in human tissues and it occurs particularly in tissues exhibiting elastic properties, such as skin, blood vessels and various internal organs. Collagen types I and III usually coexist in tissues. Type II collagen, however, comes from cartilage tissues, where it makes up most of the protein content and coexists with glycosaminoglycans chondroitin sulfate and hyaluronic acid. 

The rising category of marine collagen
An emerging source of collagen that shows potential but is still regarded with ambiguity is marine collagen. It is a type I collagen, made of peptides derived from fish and is touted as having a high absorption rate. Marine collagen is considered to be environmentally friendly and sustainable as it uses parts of the fish that are normally discarded. The category is an emerging one, however, and whether it will gain popularity remains to be seen.

“Marine collagen’s potential is far from being fully understood and utilized. What is available on the market today is only the beginning. Collagen is fast becoming a standard inclusion in many people’s daily supplement routine including beauty influencers and top athletes. This is making collagen a commodity,” Gotar says. 

“In terms of structure and function, mammalian – bovine or porcine – collagen is closest to our own. Fish live in a completely different environment and thus have a different collagen structure. Marine collagen is also more likely to trigger allergies,” notes Wolf. 

Does vegan collagen exist?
Collagen boasts a surplus of health benefits but is derived mainly from animal products. Several vegan brands, however, have released so-called “vegan collagen” supplementation lines and collagen-boosting ingredients. 

Ecocentric biodesign company Geltor has announced it is producing vegan, “human collagen” created for cosmetic formulations. The synthetic collagen product, coined HumaColl21, was presented at In-cosmetics Global in Paris, France, in April. HumaColl21 is produced with “zero animal inputs” and is touted as having maximum biocompatibility with human skin cells.

“Geltor has developed a method to produce collagen proteins via microbial fermentation and is seeking to have it approved as vegan. When comparing such manufacturing process against current industry ones it certainly is promising for its sustainability and animal-free advantages,” Gotar notes.

Strictly speaking, since collagen is a substance of animal origin, vegan collagen cannot exist. “Those who follow a strict vegan diet will not be able to benefit from the improvements that natural collagen peptides can have on overall health and wellbeing,” Wolf says.

Gotar notes that product is not collagen and instead calls it “vegan gelatin,” which, generally speaking, has a very different application. While vegan gelatins have a very useful application in food manufacturing and technical development of food products, they do not have any of the health benefits that collagen does, he says.

“In the vegan collagen alternative space, products like MSM – an aloe based ingredient – do have promising preliminary studies. However, more research and development need to take place before we get a good understanding of the matter,” he says. 

Collagen for beauty from within and anti-aging
Collagen is ubiquitously cited as beneficial for the body’s largest organ, the skin. Due to its plumping and rejuvenating properties, it could hold potential for the ingestible beauty or “beauty-from-within” space, which is growing.

When the human body ages, the activity of fibroblasts – the skin cells producing collagen – begins to decrease, which leads to the degradation of the collagen matrix and the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. 

Collagen peptides can combat this process as they “create building blocks once ingested, thus sending a message to the body to start the production and the synthesis of new collagen fibers,” Frank Engel, Global Market Development Manager at Rousselot, tells NutritionInsight.

Engel explains that as collagen peptides are highly bioavailable, they can support the regeneration of the collagen matrix rapidly, therefore improving the overall appearance of the skin. He refers to a recent clinical study which showed that supplementation with Rousselot’s Peptan collagen peptides contributed in increasing dermal collagen density and hair strength, as well as reducing wrinkles around the mouth and eyes and the visibility of pores.

Gotar of Tosla also notes the strong clinical backing that links collagen intake and skin improvements.“Not to mention returning customers and positive feedback after a month-or-so of regular use. More studies will be made in the near future on this exciting innovation in the beauty supplement industry, which will provide even more evidence on the positive effects collagen supplements have on our bodies, health and appearance.” 

Vietnamese supplier of pangasius and marine collagen peptides Vinh Hoan has also carried out research in the space. An endorsed study documented substantial improvements in skin health and appearance in study participants treated with 10g a day of Vinh Wellness Collagen. 

Mobility remains an area of increased interest
Global life expectancy is increasing and with it, expectations for a more quality senior life. Mobility and high activity levels well into old age are consumer demands that collagen supplementation can support. Prevention is key and therefore NPD is targeting a younger demographic of active consumers. Several industry players are responding by developing ingredients to support bone and joint health, aid in prevention and encourage consumers to a healthier and more active senior life. 

Consumers see dietary supplements as a convenient and effective way to support joint health. A survey of supplement users commissioned by Lonza and conducted by the Natural Marketing Institute (NMI) found that seven out of ten consumers in Germany, France and Italy would consider purchasing a joint health product.  

“Collagen is one of the main components of the cartilage between our joints. The body’s natural ability to produce collagen, however, slows down as we get older and becomes more susceptible to degradation over time, which may lead to joint stiffness, discomfort and, in some cases, osteoarthritis (OA). This can, ultimately, have a major impact on mobility,” Dominik Mattern, Associate Director Business Development, Consumer Health & Nutrition at Lonza, tells NutritionInsight. 

The market is evolving from joint health to a wider concept of mobility that also includes muscle and bone health, Marta Masides, Head of Product Support at Bioiberica’s R&D Department tells NutritionInsight.

“According to consumer surveys, mobility is one of the most important health concerns for the healthy agers, as people want to enjoy an active, healthy lifestyle. Consumers are seeking natural solutions, products with proven efficacy, safety, and convenient dosage and intake.”

Collagen supplementation, she says, may have positive effects on inflammation and degradation in joint diseases, such as osteoarthritis and other joint conditions.

“That’s why we are currently focusing on clinically proven and low dosage naturally-derived ingredients to help companies develop products to successfully target these consumers. We also understand that the only way to satisfy the market needs is through robust scientific development,” Masides further notes. “According to our point of view, only the ingredients and supplements developed using the highest scientific standards will be able to succeed and improve the quality of life of people with joint discomfort.”

The broad potential that collagen holds for health and beauty are still being explored.  Meanwhile, the industry consensus seems to be that as the body’s natural ability to produce collagen decreases, supplementation can delay any negative health outcomes and prolong an active, quality lifestyle.  

By Kristiana Lalou