Traditional Collagen vs Vegan Collagen..let’s break em down!

Collagen is so trendy right now, from bone broth to powders to coffee creamers to bars to even shampoo and body lotion, it’s going VIRAL BABY! But what exactly IS collagen and why do we benefit from supplementing with it?

Collagen is one of the main proteins in the body and is one of the major building blocks for your skin, joints, muscles + ligaments. Did you know there are actually 16 different types of collagen?! Type 1 is the most abundant however as it accounts for 90% of our bodies collagen and is the primary support for skin, muscles, bone health, and hair and nail growth.

So why do we need to supplement with it if our bodies already produce it?! Well unfortunately as we get older (“older” as in our 20s, YIKES!)our quantity and quality of collagen production deteriorates, womp, womp. Collagen fibers break down or no longer regenerate and the supply of our naturally occurring collagen cannot meet the demand! BUMMER!!!

So that’s where supplements come into play and, like most things, not all are created equal…

Collagen is found in the connective tissues of animal foods. Bone broth for example is made by boiling down the bones of chicken and other animals to extract the collagen. Collagen “peptides” are a powdered form of collagen that has been extracted from bovine hides (cow skin). There is debate on how effective consuming these products are at increasing the collagen levels in your body however since most products are highly processed.

Plant-based collagen supplements, on the other hand, are environmentally friendly and cruelty-free and provide the same amino acids as animal collagen.

Arbonne’s skin elixir collagen builder is a vegan formula made with a skin boosting botanical blend containing the following key ingredients:

Hyaluronic Acid: Hyaluronic acid is nature’s moisture magnet and it plays a big part in our skin cells’ moisture retention. A naturally occurring
polysaccharide (carb) in our body, it acts like a sponge that soaks up
and locks in moisture. Supplementing the diet with hyaluronic acid helps skin smoothness and texture to support healthy-looking skin.

Sea Buckthorn Fruit Extract: Sea buckthorn berry naturally contains vitamin C — an antioxidant needed for optimal collagen production. Its antioxidant activity is characterized by acting as a reactive species scavenger to avert oxidative damage.

Gotu Kola Leaf & Stem Extract: Gotu kola leaf and stem extract contains flavonoids, phytochemicals that demonstrate antioxidant activity to fight
free radicals. Gotu kola is known to possess triterpenes —
compounds studied for their effects on collagen formation.

Biotin: Biotin is an essential B vitamin that plays an
important role in the normal metabolism of fats, carbs
and protein, and has been studied to help nourish hair, skin
and nails. People with a biotin deficiency may experience skin
complications that result in rashes and scaly skin.

When combined, these ingredients assist in the absorption + production of your body’s own collagen. Basically, it’s a super water for your skin + joints and it’s absolutely delish!!

Have more questions? Feel free to shoot me an email or check out my website here, Amanda Mills Arbonne !