Where do we find collagen?
Did you know that collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body?! A 70-kg adult contains about 4 kg of pure collagen.
Collagen is a protein present in every structure of the body: skin, cartilage, tendons, ligaments and connective tissue.
What is the role of collagen?
It provides structural support to connective tissues. Due to its rigidity and resistance to stretching, it has the perfect mechanical properties and is an essential component of the extracellular matrix of skin, tendons, bones, and ligaments.
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What does collagen look like?
Collagen is a protein with a fibrous structure. Each collagen fiber has bundles of fibrils, within which are bundles of microfibrils, themselves composed of tropocollagen units formed from the association of three α-chains in a helical structure. The complex collagen structure is maintained by numerous hydrogen and covalent bonds within and between tropocollagen molecules.
The α-chain itself is composed of 33% glycine (every 3 residues), 12% proline, 11% alanine, and 9% hydroxyproline. The existence of various α-chains and splice variants allows different associations and compositions of collagen, having specific mechanical characteristics and tissue distribution within the body.
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How many types of collagen are there?
Collagen can be further divided into several groups depending on the type of α-chains that compose them. There are 28 different types of collagen that have been discovered, but by far, the most common are types I through IV:
- type I, the most abundant, is found in the skin, teeth, tendons, ligaments, blood vessels, and organs;
- type II is found in cartilage;
- type III is found in skin, muscles and vessel walls;
- type IV is found in basement membranes.
Collagen and dietary supplements?
Collagen supplements are now increasingly popular to support the structure and function of the skin and joints. Beware of choosing a hydrolyzed collagen (or collagen peptides) as native collagen is poorly digested and assimilated.
Below is a summary of benefits from one specific hydrolyzed marine collagen ingredient (Cartidyss®) for beauty-from-within and joint health applications.
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