BeBamBu Marine Collagen
What is collagen?
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Collagen is a structural protein found in the extracellular matrix, made up of amino acids and formed into fibrillar structures. It functions as a vital component of the body’s connective tissue and is also responsible for the maintenance and repair of cartilage, bones, tendons, ligaments, and skin. It’s speculated that there are at least 20 different types of collagen but 80-90% of the collagen in the body is made up of type I, II, or III, with different types of collagen being distributed throughout different parts of the body according to their biochemical function.
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What type of collagen should I choose?
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The three main types of collagen used for supplements are Type I, II and III:
Type I collagen is the most abundant type of collagen in the human body. It is responsible for the maintenance of our skin, hair, nails, connective tissues, bones, and ligaments. Type I collagen supplements are primarily sourced from marine (fish) collagen. It can also be found in much smaller amounts in the collagen derived from land animals – for example, both porcine (pig) or bovine (cattle) collagen supplements contain roughly 1/3 less Type I collagen than fish.
Type II collagen is most commonly found in cartilage, vitreous body, and nucleus pulposus. Its commercial purpose is typically for the treatment of arthritic conditions or as a dietary supplement to boost low protein reserves. It is found in chicken, porcine and in some derivatives of bovine collagen.
Type III collagen is the second-most abundant collagen found in our bodies’ tissues; mostly, it occurs in tissues with elastic properties such as the skin, lungs, vessel walls, and intestinal walls. It is selectively present alongside type I collagen in porcine collagen and in bovine collagen that is derived from the hide of the cattle.
The reason that we use 100% naturally-sourced marine collagen is due to greater bioavailability and effectiveness at increasing whole-body collagen levels. Marine collagen is absorbed up to 1.5 times faster into the body than bovine or porcine collagen. It is also considered to be more eco-friendly and more sustainable than other collagen sources.
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How is marine collagen made?
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Our marine collagen is made using the skin of the fish, not the scales, and is provided to us as a by-product from the fisheries – fish are not killed specifically to make it. The fish is deep sea, wild-caught and thoroughly cleaned before processing. The collagen is first extracted and then hydrolysed for maximum efficiency. During the hydrolysation process, the long fibrillar structures of the collagen are broken down into smaller collagen peptides, which are easier to absorb by the body.
At the end of the process, the marine collagen peptides are formed into either powder or capsule supplements which can be added to any hot or cold beverage.
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What are the benefits of taking marine collagen?
Marine collagen has a number of beneficial qualities. It’s often touted for its anti-aging properties (see: our blog post – The Science of Skin). However, it’s also so much more than a complexion booster! Marine collagen’s positive effects on our general health and wellbeing is what we here at BeBamBu want to highlight. Numerous academic studies have demonstrated marked results in the protein’s treatment of joint pain, maintenance of immunity and gut health, improvement of sleep quality, and decrease of stress.
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Another great benefit of taking marine collagen supplements is to help support your body’s natural collagen production. As we age, collagen synthesis begins to slow, which means that the body cannot as easily produce new collagen cells. Typically, the first visible signs of a loss of collagen is the onset of fine lines and lack of elasticity in the skin. However, it can also lead to much more serious issues such as a decrease in bone density, joint pain or even disrupted sleep.
The great thing about collagen supplements is that, once you start taking them, it doesn’t merely “replace” missing collagen, but triggers your body’s natural production – meaning the initial quantity can be reduced after some time. Some collagen brands recommend taking a higher dosage of supplements than the body can not adequately put to use. While this is not harmful to the body at all, it does mean you could be spending a lot more money than you need to! BeBamBu, views transparency and authenticity as the most important aspect of our business – our main goal is to educate our customers on the potential benefits of marine collagen and provide only the highest quality ingredients.
Browse the shop, or read through our helpful blog posts to learn more about the natural ingredients we use and how collagen can keep you healthy, happy and strong!
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1. Silva, Tiago H et al. “Marine origin collagens and its potential applications.” Marine drugs vol. 12,12 5881-901. 5 Dec. 2014, doi:10.3390/md12125881.
2, Ferreira A.M., Gentile P., Chiono V., Ciardelli G. Collagen for bone tissue regeneration. Acta Biomater. 2012;8:3191–3200. doi: 10.1016/j.actbio.2012.06.014.
3. Di Lullo, Gloria A.; Sweeney, Shawn M.; Körkkö, Jarmo; Ala-Kokko, Leena & San Antonio, James D. (2002). "Mapping the Ligand-binding Sites and Disease-associated Mutations on the Most Abundant Protein in the Human, Type I Collagen". J. Biol. Chem. 277 (6): 4223–4231. doi:10.1074/jbc.M110709200.
4. Liu, A.-J & Song, X.-D & Zheng, J. & Wang, Z.-J & Du, J.-J & Guo, J. & Wang, Y.-M & Han, Y.. (2014). Mechanism of porcine collagen type II and collagen peptide on anti-arthritis. Modern Food Science and Technology. 30. 1-6.
5. Silva, Tiago H et al. “Marine origin collagens and its potential applications.” Marine drugs vol. 12,12 5881-901. 5 Dec. 2014, doi:10.3390/md12125881
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Daily Recommendation
We recommend 10g per day at first. 5g/ a rounded teaspoon, taken once in the morning and again, last thing at night.
Eventually, 5g is a good maintenance dose.
Mix into a hot or cold drink; some say it works even better on an empty stomach. As time goes on, 5g per day can be good enough for everyone, as collagen consumption encourages the production of our own collagen. In water, it dissolves clear.
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Summary:
10g per day to Boost
5g per day for Maintenance
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