Hydrolyzed versus undenatured
Most collagen supplements use hydrolyzed collagen, also called collagen peptides or collagen hydrolysate. Enzymatic processing breaks collagen into small peptides that dissolve easily and absorb efficiently. These products provide amino acids and bioactive pep
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- Most collagen supplements use hydrolyzed collagen, also called collagen peptides or collagen hydrolysate. Enzymatic processing breaks collagen into small peptides that dissolve easily and absorb efficiently. These products provide amino acids and bioactive peptides to support collagen synthesis throughout the body.
- Undenatured collagen maintains its triple-helix structure. Type II undenatured collagen works by oral tolerance mechanisms, training the immune system not to attack cartilage. This requires much smaller doses and has different effects than hydrolyzed collagen.
- For counting toward protein intake, hydrolyzed collagen is what you want. Undenatured collagen products use milligram doses that do not meaningfully contribute to protein intake.