Collagen Formula Pro is the result of a search for the best forms of collagen, of the highest quality and with the most solid foundation. Thus, this product contains undenatured collagen types I, V and X from eggshell membrane (Ovomet®) as well as undenatured collagen type II (UC-II®). The formula is completed with a superior form of vitamin C (Ester-C®), which is important for the production of collagen and good for cartilage. These ingredients form a strong trio, whose components complement each other very well.

Collagen
Collagen comes from the Greek κολλώ, which means "to bind together. Collagen fibers are the main extracellular proteins in the human body, providing structure, firmness, cohesion and elasticity. Collagen fibers are part of various types of supporting tissues such as connective tissue, cartilage and bone. As many as 28 types of collagen exist. The most common form in the human body is collagen type I, which is found in tendons, ligaments and bone tissue, among others. Other forms, such as collagen type II, V and X, are more specialized and occur in specific areas in smaller amounts. Cartilage, for example, consists primarily of type II (as well as a small amount of type X, among others). All forms of collagen share a common construction. Collagen fibers are made up of bundles of collagen fibrils, which in turn are made up of strands of collagen molecules (see figure). These molecules consist of three protein chains arranged according to a special triple helix structure. Collagen for use in dietary supplements is always of animal origin, as collagen does not naturally occur in plants.

Figure 1: Collagen fibers are composed of bundles of collagen fibrils, which in turn are composed of strands of collagen molecules.

Undenatured collagen type II.
Collagen Formula Pro contains type II collagen (from chicken cartilage) with the brand name UC-II®. This collagen is produced by Interhealth, a reputable U.S. supplier. Interhealth has invested heavily in the scientific foundation of this product. Several human studies with UC-II® have been done with good results. An important distinguishing point with UC-II® is that this is a so-called "undenatured" form of collagen type II. That is, the collagen is still present in the product in its original form and still possesses the same spatial (spiral) structure that can be recognized as such by the body. This is in contrast to "denatured" collagen type II, which is also available as a supplement. In this case, the collagen has been processed through a hydrolysis step (where a cleavage of the collagen into smaller peptides takes place under the influence of a chemical reaction with water). This changes the spatial structure of the molecule, which is unfavorable. In comparison, UC-II® with undenatured collagen type II requires a daily dose of only 40 mg, while several grams of denatured collagen type II should usually be used.

Egg shell membrane
The inside of an egg contains a thin membrane rich in nutrients to support the development and protection of the chick. This membrane is attached to the eggshell and is therefore usually lost in the regular consumption of eggs. Eggnovo, the Spanish producer of Ovomet® (the brand name of the eggshell membrane ingredient in Collagen Formula Pro), has found a way to put eggshells from chicken eggs that are usually considered residual products to good use. Through a natural production process based on water extraction, the membrane is separated from the inside of the egg and processed for use in dietary supplements. This gentle production method ensures that the beneficial properties of the eggshell membrane are preserved, including the spatial structure of the collagen present. Among other things, Ovomet® is rich in type I collagen in the potent undenatured form. In addition, it contains undenatured collagen type V and X. Because it is truly a natural product, Ovomet® also contains other components such as elastin (about 20%), hyaluronic acid (about 4%), glucosamine (about 2%), chondroitin (about 2%), keratin (about 1%), lysozyme (about 1%) and more than 500 different types of proteins. Several human studies have also been done with Ovomet®.

Vitamin C
Collagen Formula Pro is supplemented with vitamin C as Ester-C®. This patented raw material consists of vitamin C in the non-acidic form of calcium ascorbate. In addition, it contains some natural metabolites of vitamin C (such as threonic acid), which makes Ester-C® unique. The advantages of Ester-C® include that it is absorbed into the body faster and retained longer than regular vitamin C in the form of ascorbic acid. Therefore, it has more time to be effective, making a lower dosage sufficient. The various beneficial effects of vitamin C on health have been described extensively in the scientific literature. Vitamin C fits perfectly into this collagen formula because, among other things, it contributes to normal collagen formation. In fact, vitamin C is a co-factor for three different enzymes involved in the production of collagen. These three enzymes catalyze the coupling of a hydroxyl (OH) group to the amino acids L-lysine and L-proline (which are part of the collagen molecule) to stabilize the special triple helix structure of collagen. Among other things, normal collagen formation is important for the creation, construction and normal function of cartilage, and for the composition of bone tissue.

Collagen products from Vitals
In addition to Collagen Formula Pro, Vitals has another collagen product in its range, Collagen-VS. At first glance they are similar products, but there is an important difference between them. In this article we explain the distinction between the two products.

Permitted health claims:

• vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for normal cartilage function
• vitamin C plays a role in bone formation