Marine Collagen vs Fish Oil: What's the Difference?

There are lots of different supplements available which all contain different ingredients and offer different benefits, and two that often get confused are marine collagen (aka fish collagen) and fish oils. One of the questions we are often asked is whether marine collagen offers any additional benefits to the more well-known fish oil supplements. After all, both are derived from fish sources and both offer benefits for the skin.

This is a great question, so in this blog post we’re going to explain the differences between marine collagen and fish oils, as well as some of the benefits of each.

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Fish Oil and Fish Collagen: Different Sources, Different Fish

Fish oil and fish collagen certainly both derive from fish, but they’re significantly different. For a start, they come from completely separate parts of the fish. The collagen is taken from just beneath the skin of the fish, while fish oils are found in the tissues.

The collagen then undergoes hydrolysis, which is a process that breaks down the long chains into shorter chains of amino acids that have greater bioavailability; that is to say, they can be absorbed by the body, rather than simply digested.

The type of fish also differs. Fish oil is commonly extracted from oily fish such as anchovies, herring, and tuna, while cod liver oil is, of course, taken from cod.

Absolute Collagen’s Type 1 collagen, meanwhile, is extracted from the skin of farm-raised pangasius and tilapia fish from reputable BRC accredited suppliers. This kind of fish produces marine collagen with more proline and valine than any other fish. Proline and valine are compounds that contribute to tissue repair, while valine also boosts energy.

Can I Take Fish Oil and Collagen Together?

Then, there’s the properties of each to consider. Fish collagen contains no omegas, which are a key feature of fish oils, and also has a different composition of vitamins. Absolute Collagen is rich in Vitamin C, which is key to helping the body absorb collagen, while fish oils are rich in Vitamin E and Vitamin D.

For this reason, we usually recommend that you can take Absolute Collagen and a fish oil supplement alongside one another, as they provide different nutrients and benefits. Taken together, they can deliver some great benefits for your skin in particular; the collagen stimulates the human body to create more collagen of its own and replenish lost stocks, and, when taken with fish oil, is particularly beneficial for improving the elasticity of the skin, too.

Absolute Collagen is Rich in Vitamin C

Each sachet of Absolute Collagen contains 8000mg of hydrolysed, ready-mixed, high-quality Type 1 fish collagen from reputable suppliers and ethically sourced fish stocks. We add Vitamin C to this to help with the absorption of the collagen, and each sachet has an extremely high bioavailability count, which means your body absorbs 90-95% of each dose for maximum effectiveness. Vitamin C is also involved in the repair of tissue, which makes it the perfect complement to collagen, and this is why it’s the only thing we add to our supplements.

So in conclusion, fish oil and fish collagen might sound the same but they are entirely different. Although both come from fish, they each have their own properties and benefits, and taking fish oil cannot be used as a substitute for marine collagen, so you may want to consider taking both.

If you have been advised not to take fish oil (for instance, if you are pregnant, taking medication, or suffering from diabetes or a blood disorder) you may still be able to take and benefit from Absolute Collagen.  If you are an expecting mum-to-be, check out our is it safe to take collagen whilst pregnant blog for more information. However, if you have any concerns, you should always contact your GP or healthcare provider.

Why not try Absolute Collagen’s ready-mixed hydrolysed marine collagen supplements today and let us know what you think?