The best alternative to marine collagen powder UK
The best alternative to marine collagen powder UK
When looking for marine collagen powder, UK residents are rather spoilt for choice. There is no shortage of collagen powder supplements out there, containing marine collagen or other types like bovine or porcine (from cows and pigs respectively). But collagen powder isn’t for everybody as it may not always be the most convenient or easiest type of supplement to use. Moreover, there could be some disadvantages to using a powder supplement that mean you are not getting the best results possible by taking it.
In this post, we will explore the pros and cons of marine collagen powder and look at the alternatives to help you zero in on what might work best for you.
The benefits of collagen supplements
If you’re reading this, you’re probably aware of the anti-ageing effects that are widely reported by advocates of collagen supplementation. The early signs of ageing come about largely as a consequence of our bodies’ natural collagen levels diminishing with age. By the time you enter midlife, the collagen level in your skin, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, bones and more may have declined enough for you to start exhibiting the following signs:
• Sagging skin with fine lines and wrinkles
• Thinning hair and nails
• Pain and discomfort in your joints
• Loss of bone density and muscle mass
All these early signs of ageing can be slowed and even reversed by taking a good collagen supplement. These supplements contain broken down animal collagen called collagen peptides. The complete collagen molecules from animal tissues are too large for our bodies to absorb, so they are put through a process called hydrolysis to separate out the individual chains of amino acids, thus making the molecules smaller and easier to absorb. When we swallow these collagen peptides, the amino acids enter our bloodstream to stimulate and fuel the increased production of new collagen within our bodies.
With all this new collagen being produced, the levels of collagen in our bones and connective tissues can be replenished, undoing some of the loss of structure and health that cause the early signs of ageing. It is very difficult to get the necessary amino acids in the required quantities to achieve this through diet alone, so supplementation has become very popular in the health and beauty industries.
Both scientific research and anecdotal evidence suggest the following potential benefits of collagen supplements:
• Firmer, well-hydrated skin
• A reduction in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
• Thicker, fuller hair and nails
• Improved joint comfort and suppleness
• Gains in bone density and muscle mass
• Better gut health
• Boosts to sleep and energy levels
In short, collagen supplements can help you look and feel younger. But not all supplements are created equal.
The trouble with marine collagen powder UK
Though it is a popular form of supplement, there are some problems with the marine collagen powder UK consumers use. Before we get into them, we can say with confidence that marine collagen peptides are an excellent choice of collagen type for your supplements. Studies have shown that the collagen extracted from the skin and scales of fish is the most bioavailable and also the closest match on a molecular level to the collagen in humans. It is also most likely to be free from contaminants that relate to the farming of the animal as fewer chemicals, hormones, antibiotics and GM foods are used with fish than with cows or pigs.
Though fish are a very good source of hydrolysed collagen, the form the actual supplement takes is an important factor for success in reaping the benefits. When it comes to collagen powder, there are a couple of key issues to consider:
Consistent use
In order to experience the full benefits of collagen supplementation, you need to maintain your intake consistently over a long period of time. This means you need to provide your body with those collagen peptides every single day over weeks, months and even years. The benefits to skin have been shown to come in as little as 6-8 weeks in some studies, while the gains in bone mass can take 12 months or more. But once you experience these benefits, you need to continue taking your supplement in order to keep them.
What this comes down to is that it needs to be easy to take the supplement every day. The marine collagen powder UK buyers take is fun because it can be added to a milkshake, smoothie or even food like yoghurt. But there will be days where you are rushed off your feet and unable to carry out a relaxed routine for your breakfast, lunch or any other meal. Mixing a powder into a drink or food takes time and work, and when those days roll up where you have no time to spare, your collagen supplement may be the first thing that gets forgotten about.
Consistent dosage
Another substantial disadvantage of collagen powder that few people talk about is that you can’t be sure of what dosage you are getting each day. Collagen powder is usually supplied in a tub and the contents include powder granules that contain different elements of the nutrients. Some of the granules contain the collagen peptides, but some are flavouring and others are additional nutrients that the supplement supplies.
Inside the tub, the granules of the same weight tend to gradually come together. This means you have different areas of the tub that contain larger deposits of certain granules, so when you take a scoop, there may not be an even distribution of the nutrients. If you were hoping to have a consistent daily dosage of 10 grams of hydrolysed collagen, you simply have no way of knowing if you are getting it from a powder.
Alternatives to marine collagen powder UK
With the above in mind, you may want to consider some alternatives to powders for collagen supplementation. You have a couple of options:
Tablets/capsules
These are a common form of supplement and are essentially powder either compressed into a pill or contained in a dissolvable casing. For people who are okay with swallowing large pills, this can be a convenient way of taking your daily supplement and will provide a consistent dosage. However, not all people get on well with swallowing pills. What’s more, the limited size of a pill or capsule places a heavy restriction on the amount of collagen that they can contain. In order to get that 10 gram daily dosage, you may have to swallow 2, 3 or even 4 pills/capsules a day. This makes it an inefficient way of taking your collagen and significantly reduces the convenience of doing it every single day.
Liquid
Also known as collagen shots, liquid marine collagen supplements are usually supplied as a small, concentrated liquid formula that you dilute with water and swallow. It is very quick and easy to do this, so you will have no problem taking it even on days when you are in a hurry – you can even swallow the concentrated formula without diluting it if you are really in a rush!
What’s more, each daily serving will be identical to the last, so you can be confident in getting a consistent dosage of the collagen peptides and any other nutrients in the liquid. And by suspending those nutrients in a liquid solution, your body doesn’t have to break anything down to access them, so it will take no time at all for the collagen to enter your bloodstream and get to work. As an added bonus, the collagen itself is tasteless but the liquid shots are usually flavoured with natural ingredients so your daily collagen drink will taste great!
Switch to Kollo from marine collagen powder in the UK
As you can see, the marine collagen powder UK suppliers advertise is not the best form of supplement to take. We firmly believe that liquid marine collagen is your best option, and we have developed our product with your needs in mind at every stage. With Kollo, you get all the benefits of a daily dosage of premium marine collagen peptides with all the added advantages of a liquid supplement. And we set ourselves apart from the competition.
Kollo uses Naticol marine collagen peptides, which are known for their high purity and integrity as well as the sustainable sources and superb bioavailability. Following the science, we provide an optimal dosage of 10 grams, fortified with B vitamins, vitamin C and l-lysine to nurture all the mechanisms by which collagen is produced in your body. The liquid is easy to use, tastes great and gets those nutrients into your bloodstream fast so you can feel the benefits as soon as possible. And we ensure all our packaging is fully recyclable for maximum sustainability.
We have won numerous awards since launching Kollo in 2020, as well as 5-star user reviews from over 2,000 satisfied customers. We have achieved Informed Sport certification and ‘Amazon’s Choice’ status on Amazon, as well as being featured ITV This Morning and in a number of high-profile publications. Kollo is the real deal and we know you will be glad you chose us.
Learn more
We encourage you to look further into Kollo before buying. Our website contains links to scientific research, a full showcase of reviews from our lovely customers and a detailed blog section with articles covering everything you could want to know about our product and collagen in general.
If you still have questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch and someone from our team will answer them.