While there are at least 16 different types out there in the nature, 80-90% of the human body’s collagen is made up of types I, II, and III. The various structures they form all serve the same purpose: to help tissues better withstand stretching, whether that’s external bodily tissue such as our skin or internal tissue such as our tendons and ligaments. At Pura, we source our collagen from marine animals as well as land mammals — mainly fish and cows. The animal products are first broken down into gelatine and then broken down even further to make smaller molecules called protein peptides using a process called hydrolysis. The end product is called collagen hydrolysate or hydrolysed collagen. So why bother using all these different collagen sources?

Choice is the key.

Unlike many commercial supplements, Pura Collagen only uses patented bovine hydrolysed peptides. This ensures the potency of our products, but it also means that we can offer high strength options to people with a wide array of dietary and cultural preferences. We want our customers to be able to get their hands on the best source of collagen for them, personally. That said, there are no vegan or vegetarian sources of collagen; nature has the last word on that. Nor can a marine source (types I and III) effectively enhance the overall health of joints. That’s why Pura collagen does not offer a marine source option in our flex+ product. The only collagen source proven to have a positive effect on joint and tendon health is type II, presently only available from land mammal sources. But you can rest assured that we’ll keep searching and moving with the science to bring you best quality patented collagen sources and broadest possible choice out there. It’s your body, after all.