A study performed at the College of Pharmacy in Gyeongsang National University reported that Collagen Tripeptides are six times more available than Collagen Peptides. Yes, you have read that correctly so let’s take a look at why. There are many collagen supplements on the market with an array of names including collagen peptides, marine collagen, hydrolysed collagen, fish collagen, bovine collagen, and more. And this is before we even get to the types of delivery systems for collagen such as collagen powders, capsules, tablets & liposomal collagen supplements, so it follows that many people get confused when trying to buy the best collagen supplement for skin, hair and joints.

Until now hydrolysed marine collagen, also known as collagen peptides, has been considered to be the best form of collagen. However, there is a new type of collagen called Collagen Tripeptides, which supersedes every other type of collagen, which I now consider to be the best form of collagen available.

What are Collagen Tripeptides (CTP)?

Collagen accounts for 30% of the protein content in the body so it is not surprising that a lot of attention is paid to ensuring we maintain these levels. Collagen is found mostly in skin, joints, bones, tendons, ligaments, and blood vessels which means that all our organs cannot function if our collagen levels are lower, whether due to age or otherwise.

Collagen from food sources consists of a chain of roughly 3000 pieces of amino acids. This type of collagen is simply too big to be absorbed and therefore further digestion by the enzymes in the intestine before collagen may be absorbed, but this is usually very small amounts.

Most collagen supplements contain hydrolysed collagen or collagen peptides consisting of chains of between 30 and 100 amino acids with a molecular weight of between 2000 to 5000 Daltons which is still too large to be absorbed and so further digestion is required to break them down into smaller amino acids for the body to utilise them and replenish collagen in the body.

Collagen Tripeptides are composed of chains of just three amino acids and are the smallest units of collagen, being just 500 Daltons in size compared to the collagen peptides found in most collagen supplementation, and in comparison this makes it far easier for them to be absorbed by the body, which is really important.

Benefits of collagen supplements containing Collagen Tripeptides

We know that our collagen levels deplete markedly as we age and we also know that collagen is essential to maintain healthy skin, bones, joints, ligaments, and cartilage.

The benefits of Collagen Tripeptides over any other collagen supplement are enormous and they include:

Collagen Tripeptides are very small in size and so are directly absorbed into the bloodstream from the intestines unlike collagen peptides which, being larger in size, are not absorbed as efficiently as CTPs.

Collagen Tripeptides do not require further digestion unlike hydrolysed collagen powders containing collagen peptides. They are absorbed directly from the intestines into the bloodstream.

Hydrolysed collagen or collagen peptides require doses of 5-10 grams per day as a minimum to deliver some collagen peptides, however we still cannot measure how much they deliver because it is dependent on the digestive system, which for many is compromised.

A dose of one to two grams of CTP’s is equivalent to 6.5 grams to 13 grams of collagen peptides. This is important especially for people who cannot take collagen peptides or powders, which can often cause side effects such as stomach pain, GI disturbances, or mild diarrhoea. There are NO side effects with CTPs.

CTP’s have a size of 500 Daltons or less; they also provide CTP made of GPH and PH which are specific amino acid chains that are absorbed quickly with higher absorption rates than collagen peptides.

What makes CTP’s even more beneficial to the whole body is that studies indicate that they are preferentially absorbed by our skin, cartilage, ligaments, and bones. But that’s not all, because CTP’s activate the body’s ability to produce more collagen helping to make our skin, bones and other structures strong.

According to studies performed at Kyung Hee University Skin Biotechnology Centre, oral ingestion of Collagen Tripeptides significantly inhibited skin wrinkle formation induced by UV-B radiation by inhibiting MMP-1 synthesis in comparison to collagen peptides. MMP-1 synthesis is a major marker for skin wrinkles caused by UV radiation and for skin inflammation which leads to ageing skin. Incidentally, DoSe Ergothioneine Serum also inhibits MMP-1 which is the collagen destructing enzyme.

CTPs also enhance fibroblasts which are specific cells programmed to produce collagen.

It is often recommended that we should take supplements with Collagen Type 1 and 3 for skin, hair, and bones, and take Type 2 Collagen for joints. With CTPs, there is no need to take two different collagen supplements as studies indicate that CTP’s are incorporated into skin, bones, joints, skin and hair.

Which is the best collagen to take?

Until now, collagen peptides were considered to be the best form of collagen to take which is why these are found in numerous collagen powders, capsules and liquids.

As technologies advance, Collagen Tripeptides, CTPs, from marine sources, are now being recognised as the best form of collagen in supplementation.

DoSe Collagen Tripeptide Complex provides not only marine collagen tripeptides but it also contains a blend of nutrients known to support collagen synthesis. In addition, since the CTPs do not require further digestion, these very small collagen peptides are protected from stomach acid, which can cause the denaturing of all sources of protein, by a patented enteric capsule ensuring that all of the 1000mg of this type of collagen reaches the bloodstream.

DoSe collagen supplement contains collagen tripeptides from fish peptides as well as Zinc Ascorbate, providing both zinc and Vitamin C for collagen synthesis. In addition, this formulation also contains Silicium, also known as Silicon, which supports healthy collagen and elastin for skin, joints, bones and strong hair and nails.

DoSe Collagen Tripeptides supplement is free from any fillers and additives and is suitable for pescatarians and vegetarians who exclude meat but not fish.

References:

1. Tak YJ, Shin DK, Kim AH, Kim JI, Lee YL, Ko HC, Kim YW, Lee SY. Effect of Collagen Tripeptide and Adjusting for Climate Change on Skin Hydration in Middle-Aged Women: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial. Front Med (Lausanne). 2021 Jan 11;7:608903. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2020.608903. PMID: 33521019; PMCID: PMC7839319.

2. Yamamoto S, Deguchi K, Onuma M, Numata N, Sakai Y. Absorption and Urinary Excretion of Peptides after Collagen Tripeptide Ingestion in Humans. Biol Pharm Bull. 2016;39(3):428-34. doi: 10.1248/bpb.b15-00624. PMID: 26934933.

3. Sontakke SB, Jung JH, Piao Z, Chung HJ. Orally Available Collagen Tripeptide: Enzymatic Stability, Intestinal Permeability, and Absorption of Gly-Pro-Hyp and Pro-Hyp. J Agric Food Chem. 2016 Sep 28;64(38):7127-33. doi: 10.1021/acs.jafc.6b02955. Epub 2016 Sep 13. PMID: 27573716.

4. Collagen-Tripep20 (CTP) is absorbed quickly and high absorption in the body than Collagen peptide (CP). CTP Has an innovative characteristic that is to be absorbed by collagen affiliated organs such as the skin, bones, cartilages and tendons preferentially according to experiments performed at the College of Pharmacy in Gyeongsang National University. 

5. According to Naraoka et al. Arthritis Research & Therapy 2013, periodical injections of CTP delayed progression of cartilage degeneration of early osteoarthritis...