Consumer
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
ABOUT COLLAGEN :
What is collagen, and what does it do for the body?
Collagen is the most abundant structural protein in the body. It is formed of building blocks called amino acids in a specific sequence and form. You can think of collagen of the glue that holds everything together and gives strength to tissues such as skin, bones, cartilage,…
Our skin notably consists of up to 70% of collagen of a certain type – Type 1. It is this collagen that gives skin its firmness and plumpness.
Where does the collagen in collagen supplements typically come from?
Collagen Type 1 is found abundantly in the hides and hooves of cows (‘bovine’ collagen) or in the skin and scales of fish (‘marine’ collagen). These represent the main sources of collagen supplements as found on the market today.
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Why should someone supplement with collagen? Who is a prime candidate for collagen supplementation?
Collagen content in skin increases until mid-20’s. After that, the body’s ability to replenish collagen seems to decrease by 1 to 1.5% per year. So a younger person can benefit from the preventive effect of collagen supplementation, whereas older people can benefit even more from offsetting their limited replenishment of collagen.
Is supplementing with collagen proven to work?
Yes. There has been considerable research in the effects of collagen supplementation (for instance https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26362110/). The commercial success of collagen supplements is also testimony to the effectiveness, as the trend would quickly die if no positive results were observed. VeCollal® was based on over 70 independent studies and its efficacy has been proven in 4 clinical trials to date.
Is it safe to take a collagen supplement every day?
Yes – providing the supplement is of high quality. Unfortunately, a recent study from the Clean Label organisation highlighted the potential presence of heavy metals in animal sourced collagen supplements. https://cleanlabelproject.org/collagen-study-infographic/.
The consumer should realize hides and bones contain heavy metals and high-quality production is necessary to ensure safe levels. Look for products from reputable brands, containing branded ingredients.
What happens if I suddenly stop taking collagen?
Nothing dramatic, but your body will revert to its old level of replenishment and will gradually show signs of skin aging again.
How does a collagen supplement work to create collagen in the body?
Animal collagen is very hard to digest for a human, that is why animal collagen supplements are usually collagen peptides. Which simply put, this means the big collagen molecule has been cut into smaller pieces for easier absorption. These peptides are combinations of building blocks called amino acids. The body will digest the peptides and break them down into amino acids needed to help build collagen.
VECOLLAL® SPECIFIC:
What is VeCollal®?
VeCollal® is a vegan biomimetic of human type 1 collagen. That sounds complicated, but what it means is that it has the exact same amino acid profile as human type 1 collagen – this is what makes up most of the collagen in your skin and bones. Collagen has certain building blocks (amino acids) in a specific ratio.
VeCollal® has the exact ratio as the collagen in human skin. This is unique, as animal collagen is similar to human collagen however, it is not identical. It even lacks some of the building blocks that are essential to humans (such as an amino acid called l-tryptophan). VeCollal® brings the human body the perfect supply of building blocks to create new collagen. However, just having the building blocks is not enough to build effectively. For example, if we want to build a house, having the bricks alone doesn’t build the house, for that, you need instructions. That is why the patent pending VeCollal® ingredient also contains powerful herbal extracts that stimulate the body to use the bricks to start building. VeCollal® in essence uses the body’s own biochemistry to replenish collagen. Find out more here.
Why was VeCollal® created?
Collagen supplements are hugely popular, but the modern consumer is -thankfully- more and more concerned with sustainability and animal wellbeing. This is clearly demonstrated in the number of plant-based products growing on the market and sustainability efforts worldwide. VeCollal® was created to answer the demand of the modern consumer who values sustainability, is vegan or vegetarian but still is unwilling to compromise on results.
Is VeCollal® a collagen?
No, it is a Vegan Collagen alternative. Meaning, it offers the body all the benefits of animal collagen in a sustainable animal friendly way.
What makes VeCollal® unique as compared to other vegan alternative collagens?
In one word: the science. Unfortunately, there are many products on the market labelling themselves as a vegan collagen that have zero science behind them and are not clinically proven. VeCollal® is different. Our formulation was created by collagen expert Dr. Jimenez, based on 70+ supporting studies, but we did not stop there. VeCollal® has been put through 4 clinical trials to date, always showing excellent results in real people. This is not simply self-evaluation by sponsored subjects. Highly technology equipment is used to measure wrinkles, collagen density, hydration etc. in a scientifically sound procedure. Our most recent clinical trial has been conducted by an independent medical facility.
Why a vegan alternative instead of run-of-the-mill collagen?
We believe a consumer is mainly interested in results. VeCollal® gives these results in a vegan, sustainable, allergen-free, sugar free, fat free and high-protein solution. In addition, with this formula, its very easy to create great tasting products. These are very convincing benefits to choose the vegan alternative.
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Is vegan collagen as effective as regular collagen?
The results of our latest clinical trial match the results of similar trials done with animal collagen supplements. VeCollal® seems to achieve similar results but in a shorter timeframe (4 weeks), which we believe is due to the very high absorbability of VeCollal®, with molecular size 10 to 50 times smaller than collagen peptides. VeCollal® delivers convincing results in just 4 weeks:
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14.1% reduction in wrinkles
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13.9% increase in collagen density
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7.4% increase in skin hydration
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16.3% reduction of skin redness
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15.8% reduction in skin roughness
Are there any side effects to watch out for when taking vegan collagen, specifically?
During the clinical trial, blood values and gastrointestinal discomfort were monitored – no side effects of any type were reported.
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How many products are currently being made with VeCollal®?
Today VeCollal® is taking to market at an amazing speed, from Europe over the US to Australia, in various formats such as powder, liquids, gels and gummies. Over 20+ other leading global brands will launch VeCollal® during 2023 with various products and formats.
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Why is VeCollal® a good collagen alternative for the planet?
It’s calculated that the carbon footprint to make VeCollal® is 6.6 times less than when manufacturing animal based collagen. In addition, the manufacturing of VeCollal® is in a carbon neutral facility. We don’t stop there, we also compensate our carbon footprint in transportation by replanting trees with our partner Trees for All. We donate to tree planting projects. These projects not only supports the plantation of new trees in Europe but also in Madagascar. Helping restore endemic forests, endangered plant and animal species, as well as helping the local community. Read more about our environment and social commitments here.
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Can consumers buy VeCollal® directly?
No, VeCollal® is not sold directly to consumers. We supply an ingredient to worlds leading brands. These brands create various types of products for a variety of end consumer needs. We only work in close collaboration with reputable brands that must comply with strict guidelines. This way, we can focus on what we do best, developing ground breaking innovations with extensive research and clinical trials. Our partners are able to focus on bringing great tasting, innovative products to market to meet their consumer's needs.
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