Why collagen peptide size matters
Collagen products vary a lot. The size of the peptides affects how your body absorbs them.
Your digestive system breaks collagen down into peptides and amino acids, as it does with other proteins.
Hydrolysis is one step in making collagen peptides. It does not guarantee the joint-comfort effects reported in studies of specific formulations.
Hydrolysis breaks the large collagen protein down into small, low-molecular-weight peptides (typically measured in Daltons). Smaller peptides are more likely to get through digestion and into the bloodstream intact.
Some proposed mechanisms come from laboratory and animal studies, not demonstrated effects of this product in people. When comparing products, check the ingredients and serving size rather than assuming smaller peptides guarantee better results.
Works cited
- Paul, C., Leser, S., & Oesser, S. (2019). Significant Amounts of Functional Collagen Peptides Can Be Incorporated in the Diet While Maintaining Indispensable Amino Acid Balance. Nutrients, 11(5), 1079. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11051079
- Oesser, S., Adam, M., Babel, W., & Seifert, J. (1999). Oral administration of 14C labeled gelatin hydrolysate leads to an accumulation of radioactivity in cartilage of mice (C57/BL). The Journal of Nutrition, 129(10), 1891-1895. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/129.10.1891
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