What is hydrolysed collagen?

Such inconspicuous food products as cartilage, gelatin, bone broth, and whole fish are sources of a substance that is very valuable for the body. The fact that these products are not usually consumed on a daily basis, and that the chemical form of this substance in its best sources does not show optimal bioavailability, means that supplements are increasingly being used. Collagen, as it is called, is present in supplements in the form of hydrolysate, which is motivated by maximising its bioavailability for the body.

1. Protein breakdown in the body
2. Sources of pre-broken down proteins
3. Tissue formation in the body

Protein breakdown in the body

The process of food digestion is particularly important in the context of protein breakdown. These are compounds which, after being broken down into peptides and amino acids, perform building functions and exhibit multidirectional biological activities. To break them down, the body activates enzymes called proteases, which belong to the hydrolase group. The work of these enzymes can be facilitated by consuming products that have undergone preliminary hydrolysis.

Sources of pre-broken down proteins

In order to facilitate the transport of the most valuable substances for the body to the tissues, protein isolates and hydrolysates are often used. While isolation is more commonly used for milk or plant-based preparations, hydrolysis is more prevalent in the case of collagen proteins. In the isolation process, whole proteins are transferred to the final product, while hydrolysis produces proteins broken down into peptides or amino acids.

Thanks to the hydrolytic breakdown of proteins, the size of the molecules that need to be further ‘processed’ in the digestive tract becomes smaller, and therefore they require less energy to activate proteases. Hydrolysed collagen is therefore a product that improves nutrition, but unlike its natural sources, it has a neutral odour and can be easily dosed thanks to fixed servings. Eliminating the odour is extremely important here, as beef (less often pork) and fish tissues are generally used to produce collagen hydrolysates.

Tissue formation in the body

Collagen proteins are responsible for the structure of almost all tissues in the body. The synthesis of this compound in the body takes place in fibroblasts, which are the main type of cells in connective tissues. While several dozen types of collagen have already been identified, type I is considered to be predominant in the tissues of mammalian organisms. It is found in the skin, tendons, ligaments, bones and teeth. Type III collagen, which is found in muscles and blood vessels, for example, also accounts for a significant proportion of the total collagen pool in the body.

Three amino acids are mainly responsible for collagen production. One of them is specific to collagen proteins, namely hydroxyproline. The other two are proline and glycine. In addition, vitamin C is involved in the conversion of amino acids into collagen, which is why it is one of the most common additives to hydrolysed collagen preparations.