Does vegan collagen work?

In this brief guide, we will answer the query, “Does vegan collagen work?” and will discuss how vegan collagen is made?

Does vegan collagen work?

Yes, vegan collagen does work. The effectiveness of vegan collagen boosters can’t be disputed. With vitamin C being the major element in these goods, it’s reasonable to depend on the research findings of vitamin C in connection to collagen formation. Overall, that sends out a favorable message, but one that is not emphatic: It seems that vitamin C promotes collagen formation in the human body, but further research is required to determine whether or if this holds for postoperative vitamin C supplementation.

Easy availability of collagen sources has been reported to increase the production of collagen products in the forecast period of 2020-2027 at the estimated CAGR of 5.9%. The increasing demand for collagen in food and beverages, cosmetics, and medical applications are anticipated to drive the collagen demand. The major share of the collagen market is dominated by Europe and North America, which have 30% and 40% of the market, respectively (5).

What is collagen?

Collagen is an insoluble and fibrous protein that is a key structural component of skin, bone and connective tissue. Natural collagen is mainly sourced from animal products such as fish scales, pork and chicken skin, bone broth and egg whites (1). Collagen is an important biomaterial that has many medical applications, ranging from fillers for cosmetic use, carriers in drug delivery systems, surgical suture, to scaffolds in tissue engineering (2).

Our bodies’ connective tissues are made up of nearly a third of the protein in our bodies, which makes collagen a critical structural protein for them. Collagen production declines with aging. Slowing down has both apparent and internal effects, such as skin drooping and wrinkles, as well as injuries taking longer to heal. Using collagen obtained from animals has been on the rise for almost a decade, thanks to studies showing it to be effective in treating anything from osteoporosis to wrinkles.

What You Should Know About Collagen Derived from Animals?

Since the dawn of time, humanity has reaped the many advantages of ingesting animal proteins. There is nothing intrinsically wrong with animal collagen (and well before that, even). However, our penchant for eating animal products has done nothing good for the environment. Many climate experts have pushed us to consume more vegetables and fewer big animals because cows emit greenhouse gas methane.

And this is without even mentioning industrial animal farming’s brutal practices, which have prompted many people to switch from animal to plant-based diets.

As with any plant-based substitute for an animal product, vegan collagen has a market. Using more plants and fewer animals may assist the world and the lives of farm animals and ocean species, whether it’s leather shoes or a burger.

In addition, collagens that are animal derived may potentially cause immunogenic reactions and suffer from unwanted batch-to-batch variabilities. Novel methods to bio-manufacture large quantities of recombinant collagens in a consistent and efficient manner were developed. The development of synthetic biology has created an opportunity to engineer biological systems for large-scale production of useful but difficult to produce recombinant proteins such as human collagen. Vegan collagen has been synthesized from genetically modified yeast and bacteria, such as Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (2).

In what ways is vegan collagen different from animal collagen?

The development of better genetic engineering tools coupled with a growing demand for medical materials have driven research in the direction of transgenic plants that produce biomaterials. Much research on plant-based recombinant human collagen has been performed by the Shoseyov Laboratory, with a focus on type I collagen being produced by tobacco plants. Besides tobacco, researchers have also engineered maize to produce hydroxylated recombinant human procollagen1α1 peptide, with comparable hydroxyproline content as native human collagen1α1 (2).

Unlike collagen promoters derived from plants, we now have “genuine” vegan collagen owing to scientific advancements. Topical skincare products may use it since it is a topical ingredient. The first thing to know about vegan collagen is that most topical treatments like creams and serums that claim to include it are touting plant-based collagen-promoting chemicals rather than actual collagen.

Algenist, a biotech-savvy skincare business, has created vegan collagen that has all of the amino acids found in animal collagen but is made in a lab using vegetable and plant derivatives. “The specific plants selected are sustainable crops that give an accessible method to recreating the amino acids present in collagen,” explains Tammy Yaiser, Algenist vice president of product development, of their strategy for generating this product. However, by fusing their protein fibers, these plants create vegan collagen that is functionally identical to animal collagen and has the same anti-aging advantages. This helps maintain the skin’s young firmness, elasticity, and suppleness as well as a more youthful appearance.

The homogenous plant-derived collagen created by vacuole-targeted expression has been investigated as a reliable source material for regeneration. Plant-extracted collagen was safe in use as drug delivery scaffold material. In studies, plant derived collagen supported endothelial, fibroblast, and keratinocyte cell attachment and proliferation at a higher level than a commercial scaffold made of bovine collagen. Another study demonstrated the ability for wound healing of plant-derived collagen gel in a rat cutaneous wound model and found that plant-derived collagen induced a more rapid healing process. Within 21 days, 95% wound closure was observed with enhanced re-epithelization and reduced inflammation, whereas 68% closure of wound was achieved by bovine collagen products. Overall, biomaterials made from plant-derived collagen are biocompatible, cause zero immune response, are mechanically stable, and promote regeneration of damaged tissues (3).

Ideal collagen supplements for healthy skin that are vegan

Ancient and Brave Radiant Collagyn

A game-changing vegan alternative to hydrolyzed collagen peptides was developed by Ancient and Brave , the first firm in the UK to do so. For the best results, use Radiant Collagyn, which contains collagen-specific amino acids as well as botanical extracts and vitamin C buffered in a berry flavor. It also contains prebiotic fiber, which helps digestion and the bacteria in the stomach. Radiant Collagyn blends well with banana, oats, frozen berries, and oat milk/water in the morning smoothie.

The Beauty Chef Collagen Boost

One of the most popular vegan collagen alternatives is the Beauty Chef Collagen Boost. All of the products created by the Australian company are formulated with probiotics to help with gut health.

 Vegan collagen’s advantages

The advantages of vegan collagen go well beyond collagen synthesis since it is made from healthy plant-based components. This is only a small sampling of the many benefits that Dr. Pingel (naturopathic physician) says it may provide. He says it can assist with joint and muscular strength as well as bone density. He also says it boosts energy and helps the immune system. It can even aid with seasonal allergy problems.

When it comes to vegan collagen supplements, how do they work?

Anti-aging chemicals found in plants are highly effective in helping to prevent and cure the effects of aging. Plants have these compounds in abundance. Using our Vegan Collagen will help your body produce more of its collagen, as well as trace minerals that activate enzymes and metabolic pathways necessary for the development and stability of collagen in the skin, resulting in firmer, more tight looking skin.

Plant-based foods are rich in bioactive compounds, including vitamin C, vitamin E, beta carotene, polyphenols, and phenolic acids, which can contribute to oxidant defense, lower inflammation, and promote structural support of the skin. Many fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of VitC, with reduced intake of VitC associated with dry or wrinkled skin in women. VitC is a cofactor for prolyl and lysyl hydroxylases that are important for collagen synthesis. Studies demonstrated that the ingestion of plant extracts, such as of mangoes, tomatoes, oranges, kale and pomegranate were significantly effective in promoting collagen synthesis, decreasing skin wrinkles and therefore reducing skin aging (4).

As a result of the phytonutrients, your skin’s collagen is less likely to be damaged by free radicals and environmental stresses, which means that your skin’s total collagen content will grow as well.

There are three minerals, according to the Cleveland Clinic, that are necessary to increase collagen formation and support your body’s natural collagen-producing processes: Vitamin C, Zinc, and Copper, all of which may be found in plants.

Other FAQs about Vegans that you may be interested in.

Is a vegan diet low fat?

How is vegan ice cream made?

How is vegan leather made?

Conclusion

In this brief guide, we answered the query, “Does vegan collagen work?” and discussed how vegan collagen is made?

References

1. Martini, Nataly. Collagen supplements. J Primary Health Care, 2019, 11, 385-386.
2. Wang, Tianyi, et al. Production of recombinant collagen: state of the art and challenges. Eng Biol, 2017, 1, 18-23.
3. Binlateh, Thunwa, et al. Collagen-Based Biomaterials in Periodontal Regeneration: Current Applications and Future Perspectives of Plant-Based Collagen. Biomimetics, 2022, 7, 34.
4. Fam, Vivien W., et al. Plant-based foods for skin health: A narrative review. J Acad Nutr Diet, 2021.
5. Bhadra, Bhaskar, et al. A Guide to Collagen Sources, Applications and Current Advancements. System Biosci Eng, 2021, 67-87.