Types and Tips in Choosing Collagen Supplement for you and your Family
Collagen is an essential nutrient needed by the body especially the skin, bones and muscles. Aging people usually lack collagen to supply their needs that is why they need supplements to increase it.
What Type of Collagen Do You Actually Need?
Collagen derived from the word colageno has five common types:
- Type I – for skin, ligaments, tendons and bones
- Type II – for the cartilages
- Type III – for the reticulates, bones (usually found in combination with Type I)
- Type IV – for the basal lamina and epithelium
- Type V – for the hair, placenta and cell surface
Type II collagen, as it is essential for the cartilage is used to prevent or to minimize the effects of rheumatoid arthritis. Type I and III are usually combined and used in surgeries as they are known to heal wounds faster and are essential for the skin and bones.
To determine what type of collagen your body actually needs, you can consult your physician for a more accurate and professional advice before acquiring for supplements.
Sources of Collagen
Supplemental collagen like collagen powder and hydrolyzed collagen gels or capsules are extracted from the following:
- Cow – cows are many in number so collagen from cows are the most offered in the market like Recharged Reality’s hydrolyzed collagen powder which is extracted from US raised cows and is recommended as an anti-aging solution and joint pain reliever
- Fish – this is the best source of Type I collagen used by the skin, hair, bone and nails though, they are a bit expensive than the others as they are rare and use more process of extraction
- Pig – extracted collagen from pigs are essential to the skin and hair too leaving it smoother and younger looking but is not as effective as fish extracted collagen
- Chicken – chicken peptides are most effective in caring for your cartilage so it is one good source of Type II collagen
Which source of collagen best suits you?
Factors to Consider When Buying Collagen Supplements
Ingredients
Number one to check when buying a collagen powder or collagen capsule is to check the ingredients. Vitamin C is the most important nutrient it should contain as it assists in the combination of collagen with other nutrients essential in the regeneration of cells. Another is an antioxidant like the CoQ10 known to fight free radicals and hyaluronic acid to help retain water in the body.
Supplements that can easily be digested
Food supplements that are faster to be absorbed by the body are better. You have to make sure also that the supplement is concentrated and not just to be wasted. Liquid supplements have the higher absorption rate than solids. Collagen powders can be absorbed easier by adding it to your beverages before drinking.
Source of Collagen
Like mentioned above, there are different types and source of collagen supplements so you have to determine your needs first before comparing collagen products found in the market. If your purpose is for a healthier and glowing skin, check for supplements with Type I from cows, fish or pigs and not from chicken because collagen extracted from chicken are for the cartilages. If you are having a joint problem, that is probably one of your considerations.
Effectiveness
Of course you will not know how effective a product is by merely checking the ingredients and the source. One thing to prove the manufacturers credibility is by checking testimonies from users or reading user reviews if they have an online store in Amazon or Ebay like the hydrolyzed collagen of Recharged Reality which you can view here: 
Choosing the best collagen product or other supplements may be a big issue especially that they are taken in internally. When it comes to medicines or food supplements, parents make sure that these will not harm their family instead. Gathering information from friends and relatives might help especially when they have already experienced similar products. More and more people are already shifting to natural remedies and even more are trusting organic and naturally grown herbs and natural resources as an alternative method in keeping a healthy lifestyle. These may be attributed to the appearance of unexplainable illnesses nowadays that comes from the changed lifestyle and food intake in today’s generation.
