What Does Marine Collagen Do for You? A Crash Course on Anti-Aging Claims

The world is bombarded with countless supplements and health or cosmetics products. Many of them claim to be eco-friendly or sustainably made — answers to the toxic or animal-tested options on the market. Collagen has caught modern attention, mostly as powders, pills, and drops, as a beauty supplement. Recently, marine collagen has entered the scene to provide similar benefits. What is it, and what does it offer that regular collagen can’t?

What Is Marine Collagen?

Marine collagen is a protein that comes from fish skin, and it usually comes in a powder or liquid form. Typical collagen is a protein found in the human body as well. It is nearly everywhere, including your bones, muscles, tissues, tendons, and more. 

What Is the Difference Between Marine Collagen and Bovine?

This is the main difference between marine collagen and other collagen products, because they come from fish instead of humans or cows and pigs. Several people avoid bovine collagen products because of mad cow disease or it conflicts with faith-influenced dietary choices. People who want to take water-based collagen with a vegan spin will source their marine collagen from kelp or seaweed.

Why Do People Take Marine Collagen?

People take collagen supplements for several reasons, but most of them are targeted as beauty products. Additional collagen is supposed to make skin supple and prevent wrinkles because it contains amino acids and peptides. This is why they are often sold as an anti-aging product. As you age, your body naturally produces less collagen than it used to, so people take supplements to try and simulate the body’s creation potential from earlier years.

What Does “Anti-Aging” Mean?

To clarify, the anti-aging promises of marine collagen are a beautification process. They make people look younger, but they may have no other functional impact on the rest of the body’s health. What does research prove about the claims companies make about marine collagen products?

What Do Companies Claim About These Products?

It’s critical to note the Federal Drug Administration doesn’t regulate collagen products, meaning shoppers will need to find alternate third-party certificates on items to validate efficacy. Be careful to identify which studies are proprietary and which contain potential biases that help sell the product.

Corporations are trying to sell marine collagen and its alternatives at all costs, convincing buyers it is an essential part of their beauty regimen. So, scientists have tested claims businesses make to see if marketers advertise their miraculous benefits accurately. Other side effects various marine collagen products claim to have apart from anti-aging include:

• Joint pain alleviation
• Improving muscle mass
• Bettering gut health
• Stronger nails
• Making you sleep better

What Are the Real Benefits of Marine Collagen?

Does marine collagen cause any of these benefits? It depends on the kind of collagen. Most are separated into types, which target different parts of the body:

• Type I: Skin, tendons, ligaments, and bones.
• Type II: Cartilage and joints.
• Type III: Muscles and arteries.
• Type IV: Skin.
• Type V: Hair and tissues.

If you’re looking for skin benefits, it may not be helpful if it doesn’t contain the collagen types that come from and target these regions.

One of the most common medical applications for marine collagen in research is wound dressings. A study showed applications on mice expedited keratinocyte and fibroblast collection in the area, speeding up epidermal growth. It also makes the skin more elastic and better suited for recovery. Test subjects also improved regenerative qualities in the bones. The same study validated claims made about boosting the defensive barrier on the skin, strengthening it against environmental factors causing visible signs of aging.

However, these were not human test subjects. As stated, the human body struggles to absorb collagen. Medical professionals suggest alternative methods for supporting collagen production and delaying aesthetic signs of aging, including reducing alcohol intake, not smoking and using sun protection to lower the impact of UV rays.

A synthesized analysis of human-based collagen studies on anti-aging stated there were benefits to oral and topical supplements, including reducing wrinkles and skin roughness by enhancing the epidermis. However, there are not many diverse control groups, as most research is in middle- to high-income countries, showing opportunities for future research. There were no side effects on the individuals who took collagen.

Should You Invest in Marine Collagen?

You don’t actually have to spend money on expensive beauty products to get marine collagen’s benefits. Additionally, the variances in ingredients could provide different results from one product to another. Remember — the body cannot absorb collagen completely, so you can eat foods containing micronutrients that support collagen production instead. This includes:

• Vitamin C-containing foods, like berries, oranges, and potatoes
• Foods high in zinc, like nuts, leafy greens, and chickpeas
• Copper-rich foods, like tofu and dark chocolate
• Foods with proline, like mushrooms

Another consideration is the environmental impact of marine collagen harvesting. Taking proteins from animals for beauty products has numerous ethical concerns, such as biodiversity losses. Is it sustainable to create animal-based beauty products when plant-based options are available? Though nutrients may not be as bioavailable in vegan options, it may not be necessary to create anti-aging products at all. 

In fact, some places are stopping the sale of these beauty items to young people, citing it creates unhealthy beauty expectations. Some climate activists may dismiss superfluous beauty products from their routines to combat hyperconsumerism from beauty influencers and accept the body’s naturally aging tendencies. Additionally, it reduces the number of pollutants individuals put in their water if they aren’t using skin care and beauty products.

The Ocean’s Role in Beautification and Anti-Aging

Unfortunately, the jury is still out on whether marine collagen is the beauty savior fashion influencers claim. There are several studies on animals, but minimal comparable tests on humans outside of lab environments. Additionally, there are environmental ramifications for supporting products that take proteins from marine life. Hopefully, the future will include more robust wells of data to inform purchasers.