Marine vs Vegan Collagen: What’s Best for Your Skin?

When it comes to good skin, hair, nail and joint health, most of us get out of order while choosing a good collagen supplement whether to have marine collagen supplements or to have vegan supplements or even to consider supplements and stick to natural diet.

Few of the studies show that collagen cannot be produced by eating supplements while it protects the collagen that stay in the body. And other studies suggests that Marine collagen is one of the best Collagen building supplement as it increases collagen production due to its enrichment in Type 1 Collagen.

So, have you made a choice yet? NO? Then let me break it down for you.

So, basically the collagen which is best absorbed in the body is Type 1 collagen, which is the same type your skin, bones and tendons are made of.

Now there are two kinds of collagen supplements which are available in the market

Marine Collagen
Vegan Collagen
Natural Diet

If you are allergic to Sea food, then it’s a hard and fast for marine collagen because the basic components are made from fish skin, scales and bones. Whereas the vegan (plant-based) collagen does not have Type 1 collagen which can be ingested directly as a source of collagen. The vegan collagen mainly has biosynthetic collagen or collagen boosters.

Feature	🐟Marine Collagen	🌿🧬Vegan Collagen
Source	Fish skin, scales, bones	Plant-based or lab-created (fermented yeast)
Type of Collagen	Natural Type I (most abundant in body)	Collagen boosters or biosynthetic collagen
Bioavailability	Very high (easily absorbed)	Moderately absorbed
Effectiveness	Direct collagen supply	Stimulates your body to produce collagen
Ethical/Sustainable	Depends on fishing practices	100% cruelty-free and eco-friendly
Allergy concern	Not suitable for those allergic to fish	Generally hypoallergenic
Vitamin & Antioxidants	Usually requires Vit C pairing	Often includes Vit C, silica, biotin, etc.

Busting the Myth: Omega-3 & Flax Seeds= Collagen?

A lot of buzz about omega-3 and flax seeds are building, every naturopath or incluencer focus on smothies made from flax seeds or having a luke warm glasss of water with flax seeds in the morning gives you all the collagen you need. IS IT REALLY?

Omega-3 and flax seeds does not have collagen in it. Well this may hurt if you take omega-3 supplements everyday thinking its getting rid of your fine lines, omega-3 does not directly produce collagen rather it provides the environment for collagen production. Think of collagen like the house, amino acid and vitamin C like the building blocks and Omega-3 as the envirment and strong fondation.

Flax seeds are no different they do not have Type 1 or Type 2 collagen. They’re just super food which has omega-3 in it. So if you have omega-3 supplements or flax seeds it makes no difference.

Feature	🐟 Marine Collagen	🌱🧬 Vegan “Collagen Builder”
Contains Real Collagen?	✅ Yes – actual Type I collagen peptides	❌ No – only nutrients that stimulate collagen production
Type I Collagen Content	✅ Rich in Type I (for skin, joints, bones)	❌ None (stimulates it indirectly)
Absorption Rate	✅ High – peptides absorb quickly	⚠️ Depends on body’s efficiency to synthesize
Visible Results (Skin, Hair, Nails)	✅ 4–8 weeks (clinically proven in studies)	⚠️ Slower – needs consistent intake of multiple nutrients
Joint Health Benefits	✅ Yes – supports cartilage, reduces joint pain	⚠️ Indirect – needs added amino acids, antioxidants
Allergy Concerns	❌ Fish/shellfish allergies possible	✅ Safe for most people unless allergic to seeds/herbs
Suitable for Vegetarians/Vegans?	❌ No	✅ 100% Plant-based
Sustainability	⚠️ Depends on source – wild-caught = better	✅ Often made from renewable plants & fermentation
Most Effective for Aging Skin	✅ Clinically proven for elasticity, hydration	⚠️ Supportive role – not a direct source
Best For	✔️ People seeking fast results in skin, joints	✔️ Vegans, vegetarians, plant-based preference