Plant-based collagen, explained
Collagen is an animal protein — so what goes into a vegan collagen complex, and what does each ingredient actually do?
What collagen is
Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body, the structural framework of skin, bones, cartilage and connective tissue. Your body makes it continually, assembling it from amino acids — notably glycine, proline and lysine — in a process that depends on vitamin C.
Collagen supplements on the market are almost always made from fish (marine) or cow (bovine) hides and bones.
So how can it be vegan?
Honestly: no plant contains collagen, and no vegan product can contain it. A plant-based "collagen complex" takes a different approach — instead of supplying animal collagen, it supplies the building blocks and co-factors your body uses to make its own.
Rather than swallowing someone else's collagen, you give your body the materials for its own.
Ingredient by ingredient
| L-lysine & L-proline | Two of the amino acids that make up the collagen chain. |
|---|---|
| Vitamin C (acerola cherry + ascorbic acid) | Contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of skin, bones and cartilage. Acerola is a naturally vitamin-C-rich fruit. |
| Zinc citrate | Zinc contributes to the maintenance of normal hair, skin and nails. |
| Vitamin B12 (methylcobalamin) | Contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. Worth noting for vegans, as B12 is found almost entirely in animal foods. |
| Spirulina | A blue-green algae that naturally contains protein along with minerals including iron, potassium, copper, magnesium and manganese. |
| Hyaluronic acid | A molecule found naturally in skin and connective tissue, included as part of the complex. |
| Natural rice extract (NuMag) | A plant-based flow agent used in capsule manufacture. |
Two 700mg capsules a day provide the 1400mg serving.
What we won't claim
You'll see a lot of promises about collagen products — fewer wrinkles, faster results, younger skin. UK law only allows authorised health claims on food supplements, and we think that's a good thing. So we stick to what's established: what vitamin C, zinc and B12 contribute to, and what each ingredient is. If a product promises more than that, it's worth asking why.
This article is for general information and isn't medical advice. If you have a health condition, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or take medication, speak to your GP or pharmacist before starting a supplement.
