Why are collagen supplements sometimes called collagen boosters?
Why are collagen supplements sometimes called collagen boosters?
In some circumstances, ‘collagen booster’ is merely another word for ‘collagen supplement’ – for some, the two terms are interchangeable. But the things we call collagen boosters actually differ somewhat from genuine collagen supplements. The basic difference is that collagen supplements revolve around the primary ingredient, which is collagen peptides derived from animal collagen. Collagen boosters, on the other hand, contain a number of amino acids derived from other sources, as well as vitamins and other nutrients, to feed the processes by which collagen is created inside our bodies.
Both types of supplement are designed to kickstart and fuel our own collagen production, which is why the two terms are interchangeable for some. But the results differ depending on whether you take a collagen booster or an actual collagen supplement. In this article, we explain why.
How does a collagen booster work?
Our bodies contain a lot of collagen, which is a protein that provides structure to various connective tissues and bone structures. It also helps keep the cellular matrix healthy and well nourished. When our collagen levels are high, we can expect to have firm, healthy-looking skin, supple joints, strong nails, dense bones and more. But, as we age, our collagen levels naturally decline, leading to signs of ageing like wrinkles and joint pain.
This is a problem many people seek to address, whether for beauty reasons, health reasons or both. Our bodies retain the ability to create new collagen, but it just happens less as we get older. This is not helped by the fact that it is difficult to get collagen in our diet – we would need to be eating the skin, cartilage and bones of animals. Collagen is made up of chains of amino acids, some of which are absolutely fundamental to fuelling the production of new collagen. These amino acids, like glycine, proline and hydroxyproline, can all be obtained from other sources, but never in such abundance as if you get them from collagen.
This is where collagen boosters come in. They are specially-formulated food supplements that pack in these amino acids, along with other nutrients known to play a role in collagen synthesis, all derived from other sources. Vegetarian and vegan collagen boosters are some of the most common among these, as they derive all those nutrients from plant sources with the goal of helping non-meat-eaters experience some of the benefits of collagen supplementation. Those nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream to stimulate, fuel and maintain collagen production in the body and replenish the collagen decline to help fight back against the signs of ageing.
The problems with collagen boosters
While a collagen booster sounds like a good option for collagen supplementation, in practice it rarely delivers the results you want without the addition of actual collagen. The main reason for this is that collagen synthesis from other nutrients is less efficient than from actual collagen peptides. Research has shown that the precursor ingredients face various biological barriers to assisting collagen synthesis as opposed to nutrients that originate from actual collagen. Instead, these nutrients are more effective at fuelling the mechanisms by which collagen is synthesis in the body.
Collagen boosters generally revolve around a vitamin B complex, vitamin C, plant proteins and minerals to try and stimulate collagen productions. Without the presence of collagen peptides, these ‘pro-collagen molecules’ must be gradually knitted together to form fibrils which, in turn, connect together to result in the formation of collagen molecules. This is a long and inefficient process when compared to synthesis using hydrolysed collagen peptides. Kollo provides these amino acid chains, which are highly bioavailable and provide everything your body needs to produce collagen in high concentrations, as well as many of the nutrients found in collagen boosters to maximise collagen production.
Other issues with collagen boosters include:
• You are paying a lot of money to purchase a concentration of nutrients that you could quite easily get from your diet. Things like protein and vitamin C are easy to get from food, whether or not you eat meat. Collagen, on the other hand, is very difficult to get from diet alone, so a supplement with collagen peptides delivers something your food does not.
• Collagen boosters are notorious for containing bulking agents and artificial ingredients. When combining plant-based nutrients from so many different sources, the bulking agents and other fillers are often used to help bind those nutrients together. A true collagen supplement like Kollo does not need all this inferior quality content to deliver its benefits.
The short story is that collagen boosters that don’t contain any actual collagen may not be worth the trouble. Any benefits you experience from them will likely be minimal and no more than what you would achieve by eating a healthy, balanced diet. If you really want to experience the anti-ageing benefits of boosting your collagen levels, you need to be taking collagen supplements that contain real collagen peptides - like Kollo.
What are the benefits of collagen peptides?
The two main benefits of collagen peptides are that they are highly bioavailable and they are loaded with an abundance of collagen-fuelling amino acids that can be easily assimilated and used to form new collagen molecules in your body. Collagen peptides come from animal sources, such as the skin and scales of fish or the hides, bones and cartilage of cows or pigs. The collagen in these parts of the animal carcass is extracted using enzymes or acids, then broken down using a process called hydrolysis, which can also be done with enzymes or chemicals. Hydrolysis separates the triple helix of a complete collagen molecule into single chains of amino acids, which are far easier for your body to absorb.
When you consume this hydrolysed collagen, the amino acid chains are absorbed into your bloodstream. Next, the process of creating new collagen is swiftly triggered and that new collagen is used to replenish the dwindling supplies in your skin, joints, bones, muscles, organs and anywhere else it is needed. This can yield the following benefits:
• Greater firmness and reduced appearance of wrinkles in the skin
• Better hydration for skin cells
• Healthier, less inflamed joints
• Thicker, fuller hair and nails
• Increased bone density
• Gains to muscle mass
• Boosted energy levels and enhanced sleep
• Improved gut health
Supplementation with collagen peptides has yielded benefits for people who suffer from skin conditions like eczema and acne, joint issues like osteoarthritis and bone concerns like osteoporosis. It has provided relief for women struggling with symptoms of menopause and has even been shown to have benefits for people who struggle with mental health concerns like anxiety and depression. Athletes have experienced benefits for their training and sports performance and countless people have enjoyed the perks of looking and feeling more youthful as a result of collagen peptides. You need only head over to the Customer Reviews section of our website to read and watch countless first-hand experiences of taking a high-quality collagen supplement.
The best alternative to the basic collagen booster
If you want to experience the pinnacle of what collagen supplementation has to offer, Kollo is one of the best options on the market. In less than three years of existence, we have won numerous awards, been featured on television, received thousands of 5-star reviews, attained Informed Sport certification and earned ‘Amazon’s Choice’ status on the ecommerce giant’s own platform.
Kollo sets itself apart from the competition by following the science and putting the customer front and centre. For starters, we use premium marine collagen from a trusted source that is known to have extremely high purity and integrity and superb sustainability. Marine collagen is exclusively type I collagen, which is the most abundant in our bodies, and it has a high molecular similarity to human collagen. This means it is the most bioavailable and easiest for our bodies to harness for creating new collagen.
We suspend that collagen in a liquid formula that also contains B vitamins, vitamins C and l-lysine (all of which are known collagen boosters). We also add natural tropical flavouring to ensure the drink tastes delicious. Simply dilute with water and drink it – it couldn’t be easier to add to your daily routine. The other advantages of a liquid suspension are as follows:
• It’s easy to provide a consistent dosage with each serving – we add 10 grams of collagen peptides, which the science tells us is sufficient to experience all the desired benefits of collagen supplementation.
• It further enhances the bioavailability of the collagen peptides since your body doesn’t have to break anything down to access them.
For people who are passionate about sustainability, you may be reassured to know that all our packaging, including the sachets, are fully recyclable. We care about the planet just as much as we care about your collagen levels, so we emphasise both in our product!
Learn more about Kollo
As you can see, a genuine collagen supplement is vastly superior to a collagen booster. We are confident you will not find a better option than Kollo and we encourage you to explore our website to learn why. Our blog contains a wealth of information about everything collagen-related so you can learn a lot there. If you still have any questions about Kollo, please get in touch and someone from our team will answer them.