Collagen has been misunderstood for ages. Not only do people not understand the cellular power and transformative benefits of supplementing with collagen (if I had a dollar for every time someone said "does collagen actually do anything"?) but also they don't understand how important it is to be getting the quality of your collagen top notch. Agent Nateur's collagen product, holi (mane), is the best-selling product across my entire Agent Nateur line and this is because I truly understand how to source the best quality collagen on the market. Keep reading to understand the key factors that make a good quality collagen.

Collagen supplements are available nearly everywhere, and there are so many types that it's natural that people might have a couple of WTF moments. There are bovine (from cows), marine (from fish), porcine (from pigs) sources (as well as even chicken sources!), as well as hydrolyzed collagen, collagen protein, collagen peptides, pills, powders, gummies, drinks shots, pre-made drinks, bone broths and more! Like with any supplement, it's essential to find the cleanest, best-sourced product that has the best bio-availability to ensure the efficiency of the product. These are all things I keep in mind when I am formulating my products. This was no different from when I started formulating holi (mane) - my exclusive daily fine supplement powder that combines two daily powerhouse superfoods: marine collagen and pearl powder.

When I started formulating our best-selling holi (mane), I spent a ton of time looking at competitors in the market, and I was shocked at the quality of their products. Not all collagen is created equal, and I'd go as far as to say that there are many poor-quality collagen supplements and sources in the industry. I have now spent so much time in this space that I can just run my competitors' products through my fingers and know exactly what type of collagen and processing they've used, as well as understanding how many corners they have cut, how much they fill their products out (binding their collagen with crazy substances like gums, starches, oils, and water (and sometimes even with dangerously inflammatory oils like sunflower oil) - and how they are selling their collagen predominantly by focusing on max profit margins. As well as nearly all being derived from cheap sources of marine collagen, so many of my competitors' collagen products have 'larger granularity' or large granules of collagen. This means that their collagen is, or has been, agglomerated because large granularity means it has gone through a process of agglomeration.

I have always prided myself on sourcing the highest quality, market leading products and for me, this means sourcing from marine collagen. Read on for why I came to this decision.

Bovine collagen is sourced from cow hides from cows raised on farms. Not only is it cheaper to formulate with bovine collagen (which is why I see a ton of my competitors formulating with it), but as well as it is a cheaper product, there are also issues with the sourcing of it in terms of health and sourcing conditions, Now, not all the time, but on many farms today, particularly in industrial farming, the conditions are poor, and often dirty. If you aren't very clear on the source of your bovine collagen, you could easily end up consuming collagen sources that have come into contact with antibiotics, contaminated grain and feed, and pathogens.

Marine collagen, however, which is derived from the scales of fish, can be a ton cleaner if it is derived from open water sources. You need to make sure that you aren't taking collagen from fish farms (this is a big challenge that a lot of people don't know about), but if you are sourcing from the open water, you can hopefully expect a source without antibiotics, unnecessary pathogens, and excess dirt. This source is significantly less likely to be contaminated - which is a huge reason I knew I wanted to formulate with marine-derived collagen.

Due to the smaller molecular size of hydrolyzed marine collagen, it absorbs 1.5 times better than bovine collagen. Marine collagen derived from wild-caught deep-sea fish is regarded as the highest quality and also the cleanest. It is also better for hair, skin and nails. It is the purest form of collagen, and compared to bovine collagen, it is more bioavailable. Higher bioavailability means it can be more quickly absorbed into the body and you see results usually within three months  

Although open to discussion, sourcing a product with marine collagen is also suggested to be better for the environment than sourcing from bovine collagen. Farming fish is thought to release less greenhouse gas emissions than farming meat products. One statistic suggests that beef production contributes around 16 KG of CO2 per KG of beef farmed (discounting the emissions that are also required to get the product to market), compared to Icelandic cod loins that contribute around 0.5 KG.

Another difference is that if you are formulating with bovine collagen, you're often limited to Type I and Type III collagen. holi (mane) contains Types I, II, III, and IV together in a way that very few of my competitors have done or have been able to do. 

Type 1 collagen is the most abundant source of collagen found in the human body and is most known for good hair, skin, and bone health. Type 2 is most important for joint health because it builds cartilage. A recent trial found that people who ingested type II collagen for 6 months consistently saw a reduction in pain and joint stiffness in their physical function. Type 3 is incredible for skin health and works alongside Type 1 collagen to build the skin, vessel walls, and the fibers of nearly all tissues in the body. And finally, type 4 focuses on building out our cells' basement membrane, works as a 'scaffold', and helps with cell survival, movement, adhesion, and more. Holi (mane) has it all - and you won't get this from a bovine source of collagen.

So, in short, while there are a ton of sources of collagen, it was clear that sourcing from marine collagen was a clear winner. Add onto this that it means holi (mane) can be taken by pescatarians; it is just another added benefit that it opens up my revolutionary products to more people who can benefit from them. This is really important for me.

So, today's key takeaways? Our sourcing of our marine-derived types I, II, III and IV types collagen, derived from the scales of wild-caught, deep-sea, non-GMO, kosher cod, pollock, and haddock, sets our holi (mane) categories apart from the rest of the competition.

The incredible quality also shows up in our product. Our holi (mane) is abundant in over 30 trace minerals, including silica, magnesium, calcium and potassium, that support the appearance of optimal hair, skin, and nail health. The bioavailable amino acids activate the feel of hair, skin, and nail cells to produce the look of collagen and hydration, and nacre, the natural compound in pearl powder, stimulates the appearance of collagen to regenerate hair, skin, and nails. holi (mane) is a truly nutrient-dense blend that also powers glutathione and superoxide dismutase within the body, two critical and crazy powerful antioxidants both essential for vitality, general health, reduced inflammation, as well as strong, glowing, and flowing hair, skin, and nail health.

No wonder we get called the Hermes of collagen powders. We win on sourcing, quality, bioavailability, impact on the environment, and more, so it's no surprise that this is my best-selling product out of the entire Agent Nateur line. It is a market-leading product for a good reason.

Buy yours here.

Love Jena x

***THESE STATEMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR REGULATED BY THE FDA. WE ARE NOT DOCTORS, THEREFORE ALWAYS CONSULT WITH YOUR DOCTOR FIRST.