Ingredient guide
Collagen Types I & III: What the Numbers Mean
Short answerType I and III are the collagens found in skin, hair, nails and bone. Type II is a different protein found in cartilage and sold differently. A tub labelled only “collagen” is not telling you which one you are buying.
Collagen is not one substance. There are at least 28 types in the human body, and three of them account for most of what supplements contain. Which types are in the tub determines what the product is plausibly for — which is why leaving the number off the label is a choice, not an oversight.
The types that matter commercially
Type I is the most abundant collagen in the body — skin, tendon, ligament, bone. If a product is aimed at skin, hair or nails, this is the one doing the work.
Type III occurs alongside Type I in skin and blood vessels, and is especially present in more elastic tissue. The two are usually supplied together because that is how they occur.
Type II is the collagen in cartilage. It is sold for joint support, often as undenatured collagen at much smaller doses — tens of milligrams rather than tens of grams — because it is thought to work by a different mechanism entirely.
Source determines type
| Source | Types supplied | Typically sold for |
|---|---|---|
| Bovine | I and III | Skin, hair, nails, bone |
| Marine | Mostly I | Skin, smaller peptide size |
| Chicken | II | Joint and cartilage support |
What hydrolysed means
Whole collagen is a large, triple-helix molecule that dissolves badly and absorbs poorly. Hydrolysis breaks it into shorter chains called collagen peptides.
Two consequences. Practically, peptides dissolve in coffee or water without grit. Biologically, they are absorbed as di- and tripeptides rather than as intact collagen — so the popular idea that eating collagen sends collagen straight to your face is not how it works. The current thinking is that these peptides may act as signals as well as raw material.
Being honest about the evidence
Evidence for collagen peptides and skin elasticity and hydration is reasonably encouraging, though studies are often small and industry-funded. Evidence for joints is more mixed. Evidence for hair and nails is thinner than the marketing suggests.
It is also worth remembering collagen is an incomplete protein — low in tryptophan. It is a supplement to your protein intake, not a substitute for it.
Anyone promising visible results in a fortnight is selling. Studies that show effects typically run eight to twelve weeks of daily use.
What we use
Viara Collagen is Type I and III from grass-fed, pasture-raised bovine, fully hydrolysed and unflavoured. The types are on the front of the tub, because that is the part worth knowing.
This page is general information about ingredient forms, not medical advice. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Talk to your doctor before starting a supplement, particularly if you take prescription medication or have a health condition.