These days when a "hot supplement" comes along, a plant-based version is sure to be right on its heels. For example – Collagen! Collagen products – in everything from supplement powders to topical creams – have experienced a sixfold increase in sales over the last 6 years.

There's been lots of conversation – and some confusion – about the differences between plant-based and animal-based collagen-building products in the past few years. This Ultimate Guide to Plant-Based Collagen Building will provide helpful information about plant-based collagen, the differences between vegan collagen and animal collagen, and how to build collagen from plant-based sources.

• Vegan Collagen vs Animal Collagen
• Collagen How-To – An Insider’s Guide to Collagen Building
• Collagen Protein: Is it What You Think?
• Is it Possible to Get Collagen From a Plant?
• Hot Product or Hoax – Do Collagen Peptides Work?

Collagen is one of the many proteins that our bodies produce, and it’s one of the more abundant proteins found in the body. Collagen protein is found in our hair, nails, bones, skin, and connective tissues (like tendons and ligaments) – it really holds the body together! As we age, our bodies gradually produce less natural collagen, which makes the bones brittle, the skin sag, and causes our joints to ache.

The process to produce natural collagen is fairly intricate - the body deploys lots of helpers along the way. Many people think that when we ingest collagen protein from animals, it is instantly converted to become collagen in the body. Unlike the old adage "You are what you eat", this simply is not so!

By understanding the key components in the production of collagen (i.e. amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants), we can adjust our diet to include collagen-producing foods. For example, having an orange or eating some broccoli will provide vitamin C. Grabbing a handful of blackberries, blueberries, or cherries can provide the nutrients from anthocyanidins. Both Vitamin C and anthocyanidins support collagen formation.

Plant-based ingredients are actually far more efficacious at building, hydrating, and protecting collagen simply because they support our body’s natural functions. Even better, PlantFusion has already done extensive research on the best sources to help the body build its own collagen, and created a Complete Plant Collagen Builder.

Collagen itself is found only in animal proteins. This is why plant-based collagen supplements might be called "collagen-building" rather than just "collagen". While collagen products are derived from animal-proteins, collagen-building supplements are predominantly derived from plant proteins – and their benefits tend to go well-beyond those of a standard collagen product.

With so many outside environmental influences wreaking havoc on our skin, a natural collagen supplement that will help the body build more of its own natural collagen is something to feel good about.

1. They can be taken at any time of the day.
2. Just one serving a day will yield results!
3. They may be easier to digest than animal-based collagen.
4. They are loaded with antioxidants, polyphenols, and other nutrients that provide additional health benefits.

PlantFusion's Collagen Builder and Collagen Beauty products are great options to help nourish the skin, from within.

As the demand for collagen keeps increasing, stores have been having a hard time keeping it in stock. Clearly, everybody would love to find the "Fountain of Youth" in a supplement bottle. A tasty drink with the power to build muscle, support joints, and restore that youthful glow – no wonder it's selling out so quickly.

But is all the hype validated? Are collagen products really making a positive impact on consumer health?  

Collagen is a tough, fibrous protein found in hair, nails, bones, tendons, ligaments, and skin. Since plants do not make collagen, most of the supplements labeled as "Collagen" are produced from animal sources. What might come as a surprise to many, however, is that there is limited research to support whether the incomplete protein found in animal collagen is even useful when taken as a supplement.

All proteins are created through the bonding of amino acids. Collagen is created by 4 specific amino acids, whereas most proteins contain 20. Usually, protein molecules are too large for the body to absorb in their whole form, so they are broken down into their individual amino acids via the digestion process.

Understanding that the key players in producing collagen are amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, it seems logical that nutrients beyond just a collagen protein would be needed for the job.

Along with the amino acids, there are a myriad of vitamins, minerals and nutrients which are needed for the production of collagen.

Fat soluble vitamins like A and D are necessary in aiding amino acid functions and for building collagen, as well as supporting the hydration and structure of cellular walls.

Vitamin C and other antioxidants also have roles in the production and functionality of collagen, as well as maintaining its strength. All of these elements working together determine how well the body can build, hydrate, and protect its own collagen, which is what a plant-based collagen builder will provide.

There is no doubt that a plant-based lifestyle is being embraced by more people than ever before. At the same time, a record number of consumers are turning toward supplements to help them fill in their nutritional gaps, power up their immune systems, and address other health concerns.

This focus on natural health solutions includes a desire for natural beauty options, as well. Whether it is products to improve skin, hair and nails, or a wish to avoid chemicals in anything being put on the skin, natural skin care is a growing market, and one of the most frequently asked questions out there is "Can I get collagen from a plant?"

Collagen is often described as "the glue that holds your body together." In fact, the Greek word "Kolla" directly translates to "glue!"

1.   ANIMAL-BASED COLLAGENThis source of collagen is sourced from animals - specifically from their by-products. In general, it would be the leftover joints, tendons, and bones, etc. that were not wanted when the animal was being processed. Most often the animal source being used is bovine (cow), but there are a few porcine (pork/pig) products available as well.
2. MARINE-BASED COLLAGENMarine collagen is also usually sourced as a by-product – in this case, the scales and skin of fish. The hope is that cold-water fish such as salmon would be the primary source, however "Marine Collagen" as a term can actually be used to describe collagen from any ocean source, including shellfish, jellyfish, or even sharks.
3. PLANT-BASED COLLAGEN-BUILDINGAs stated above, plants do not contain the unique amino acid combination that collagen is made of, so here we get to the big question: How can we get collagen from plants?

Luckily, the body can use the power of plants to create its own collagen! Research has shown that many plant-based foods have the ability to promote collagen synthesis. Even better – these sources can help the body to hydrate and protect that collagen in ways that animal collagen alone never could.

These natural, plant-based ingredients can help the body to build, hydrate, and protect healthy collagen in skin, nails, and hair, with complex, essential nutrients that provide highly important benefits for overall health.  

Check out PlantFusion’s carefully crafted line of collagen builders and boosters to discover natural products that can help to build, hydrate, nourish, rebuild and protect essential collagen.

The manufacturing and marketing of collagen products has become somewhat surrounded in – well, mystery, if not exactly controversy.

Although these products are meant to be healthy, intending to infuse the body with wellness and youthful energy, the vast majority of collagen products are made from a processed form of gelatin that is derived from the hides, skin, joints and bones of animals. Even if this weren't completely gross, the processing methods used to do this are so harsh that the majority of the protein’s nutritional value is destroyed. As a result, brands selling animal collagen peptides are forced to show "zero daily value" for the protein on their product labels in order to avoid lawsuits or government crackdown.

The fact is, ingesting animal-based collagen products will not translate to producing more collagen in the body any more than eating brains would increase intelligence.  

Fortunately, researchers have examined this deeply and discovered that there are ways to boost the body’s production of collagen - naturally. Not only that, but the additional nutrients found in plant-based sources will serve to hydrate and protect that collagen – definitely not a quality to be gained from boiled-up animal collagen. For example...

Building Collagen:Vitamin C, a critical nutrient for building collagen in the body. PlantFusion collagen-building products contain a citrus fruit called Alma which is harvested in regions of Southeast Asia. Amla has demonstrated collagen benefits far beyond vitamin C, in that it has natural plant chemicals (phenols) that are believed support the body’s own natural collagen building process (study, Takasha Fujiii, et al, 2008: )

Collagen Skin Hydration:Healthy collagen is impossible without proper skin hydration. The natural oils that make up approximately 50% of our skin are called ceramides. Ceramides can be obtained from plants (called phytoceramides), and these phytoceramides have been shown to support skin hydration (study, Bizot Cestone, et al, 2017: )

Protecting Collagen:Certain types of tea (such as white tea and green tea) are well-known for their antioxidant properties. PlantFusion uses a particular concentrate of white tea sold under the trademark ® that not only supports healthy antioxidant levels within the cell, but also inhibits enzymes that damage collagen fibers.†

We hope that this guide will be helpful in providing some useful information on how plant-based collagen products can be greatly effective in collagen-building. Within these posts we will dive into the differences between vegan collagen and animal collagen, how to build collagen from plant-based sources, and hopefully clear up some of the confusion around these products.

 ^†These statements have not been evaluated by The Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.