Warning: Very science-heavy blog post ahead! The most important factor when deciding which supplements to take is knowing how bioavailable they are, meaning how well they are able to be absorbed by the body. We are breaking down everything you need to know about collagen and bioavailability below! 

What is Bioavailability? 
The definition of bioavailability is the degree and rate at which a substance (such as a drug) is absorbed into a living system (i.e. our bodies). Anything we put into our bodies (vitamins, minerals, supplements, pharmaceutical drugs, etc.) will only take effect if it can be absorbed by the body. This is why it is important to know how bioavailable collagen supplements are before choosing one - read on because we get way more into this below! 

What makes a supplement bioavailable?
There are many different factors that can affect how bioavailable a supplement is including the formulation, the delivery method, interactions with other substances in your system, gastrointestinal health, etc. Supplements that have been formulated with a higher bioavailability will be more effective because they help the body to absorb more of the substance without having to take higher doses. 

For example, if there are two different collagen supplements that both contain 11g of collagen per serving but one is 80% bioavailable and the other is only 40% bioavailable, you will have to take a higher dose of the less bioavailable supplement in order to have the same effect. A substance will only take effect if it can be absorbed by the body, so bioavailability is a very important factor in how effective a supplement will be in delivering results and benefits. 

How bioavailable is Collagen For Her?
We have said it before and we will say it again: not all collagen is created equal! They vary in terms sourcing, taste, dissolvability, and arguably the most important, bioavailability. How bioavailable is Collagen For Her? We are so glad you asked! 

Our collagen was tested in a model imitating digestion in the human gastro-intestinal tract and both our bovine collagen and fish collagen were digested into peptides with a molecular weight below 2000 Dalton, which is a size that allows easy absorption by the intestine. 

In a separate study, the appearance of free and peptide-bound hydroxyproline (a derivative of proline found in collagen) was measured in the blood at different time points over 24 hours after ingestion of our collagen. Our collagen was quickly absorbed with an absorption peak at 30 minutes to 1 hour after ingestion of the product. 

Yes, that was a lot of science but the moral of the story is our collagen was found to be highly bioavailable through multiple tests and studies conducted by third parties. 

What does this all mean? 
Bioavailability of the collagen supplement you are taking is one of the most important factors in the benefits/results that you will see from taking the product. Our collagen powders have been studied and tested for bioavailability and the conclusion was that they are highly bioavailable, meaning they have a high level of absorption into the body. This isn’t the case for all collagen supplements, so make sure to do your research before deciding which supplements to take! 

Have any more questions about bioavailability? Drop them below or send us a message here!

References: 

1. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bioavailability 
2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/hydroxyproline 
3. https://www.rousselot.com/health/media/news/rousselot-announces-new-fundamental-study-on-bioavailability-adds-to-growing-scientific-literature-investigating-the-mechanisms-behind-peptans-health-benefits 
4. https://www.rousselot.com/health/market-and-solutions/science/bioavailability