Types of Collagen Explained
Type I and III collagen typically come from bovine or marine sources; type II usually from chicken cartilage. Source determines type, and it also determines dietary suitability — marine collagen is a fish product, and no collagen supplement is vegan.
Collagen supplements are labelled by type and by source, and the two are related — certain types come from certain animals. Understanding both is what lets you compare two tubs.
The types you will see
Type I is the most abundant collagen in the body and the type most commonly sold. Type III frequently appears alongside it, which is why so many products are labelled “Types I & III”. Type II is sold separately and is associated with cartilage, which is why it appears in joint-positioned products rather than skin-positioned ones.
Other types exist and appear in multi-type blends, usually described as a five-type or ten-type formula.
Source determines type
| Source | Typically provides |
|---|---|
| Bovine (cattle hide) | Types I and III |
| Marine (fish skin and scales) | Type I |
| Chicken (cartilage) | Type II |
| Eggshell membrane | Types I, V, X |
Source matters for dietary and allergy reasons as well as type. Marine collagen is a fish product, which is relevant to anyone with a fish allergy. No collagen supplement is vegan — collagen is an animal protein. Products marketed as “vegan collagen” are generally nutrient blends intended to support the body’s own production rather than collagen itself, and the panel will show that.
What a type-blend actually tells you
A ten-type product sounds more complete than a two-type one. The useful question is whether the panel states how much of each type is present, or only a combined gram total. Where it is a total, the extra types may be present in small amounts.
Next
See peptides vs collagen for what the processing words mean, and collagen dosage for the amounts used. Our collagen comparison filters by brand, format and pack size.
References
- NCCIH — Dietary and Herbal Supplements
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements — Dietary Supplement Fact Sheets