The staff at Perfect Supplements has collected this list of frequently asked questions about collagen.  

Dissolving in Water

In hot water, the collagen powder will dissolve right away when stirred, but in cold water, it just takes a little more time.

Here is a video on the best way to dissolve collagen in hot and cold water.

Why no Tryptophan?

We don’t believe in altering the naturally occurring ingredients we sell. Mother Nature does the hard work, we put it in a bottle with as little processing as possible. Collagen naturally has 8 of the 9 essential amino acids. It naturally does not have Tryptophan. So, in order for us to sell a Collagen with tryptophan we would have to inject tryptophan from some other sources and then our product would not be pure collagen. Always good to have a varied diet and get different forms of protein as they will have different levels of amino acids. Our goal is to provide pure, nutrient dense ingredients, as you would find them in nature.

Does Collagen contain MSG?

It is a common misconception that Hydrolyzed Protein contains MSG, but it is NOT true. I recommend people check out this post from Whole Foods about Hydrolyzed Protein and how it does NOT contain MSG - http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/blog/whole-story/myths-and-misconceptions-msg MSG (Monosodium Glutamate) is the sodium salt of glutamic acid. Glutamic acid is a non-essential amino acid and found in numerous foods. Fun fact to throw out at your next dinner party - we all have about 4.4 pounds of Glutamic Acid in our body.

MSG is produced outside the body and often in a synthetic environment. Chemical formula C5H8NNaO4. Glutamic Acid has a chemical formula of C5H9NO4. So, not exactly the same thing. The problem with MSG is it is manufactured to have very high levels of Glutamic Acid salt. MSG - highly concentrated and at times synthetically processed - is certainly troubling.

We totally agree that the chemical process used to make MSG is troublesome and we would NEVER add MSG to our product. Our hydrolyzed collagen is 100% natural, and like many other proteins, it contains glutamic acid. Again, this is NOT the same as MSG (the Whole Foods article explains it clearly). I also want to point out that even if you have Gelatin or Collagen that is not hydrolyzed - it will be hydrolyzed by the acids in your stomach. This is just the natural process of breaking down protein. We want to be completely transparent, here is our full lab testing showing the amount of Glutamic Acid - http://www.perfect-supplements.com/pdfs/CollagenTestResults.pdf If anyone has a sensitivity to Glutamic Acid and is looking to limit it in their diet, they may use this information to make that determination. I just want to be clear that a naturally hydrolyzed protein (which our Collagen is) is not the same as MSG.

What does Hydrolyzed Mean and what is the Hydrolization Process?

Collagen is a very long, heavy triple helix protein - made up of 1,050 amino acids

If you just eat collagen, a large percentage will not get absorbed because it is too large and heavy. Collagen is absorbed through the intestines into the bloodstream. The very long molecular structure of Collagen makes it a challenge to get a high absorption rate. Think of it this way, imagine you had a long hose with tiny little needle holes and you pushed water through that hose. Sure, some water comes out of the holes, but most passes through the hose. Same deal with Collagen passing through our intestines, some will get absorbed into the bloodstream, but a large amount will not be absorbed due to the large size of the collagen.

While many different factors are involved, to give a ballpark figure - 50 to 60% of the Collagen protein can pass through our body and not be absorbed.

The all natural solution to this problem is to bath the collagen in enzymes. This is the process we use to create our Hydrolyzed Collagen. Hydrolyzed simply means we use all natural enzymes to break the secondary and tertiary bonds in the collagen - creating Hydrolyzed Collagen Peptides.

The Hydrolyzed Collagen has the exact same amino acids as Collagen, it is just broken into smaller and lighter Collagen Peptides, that are more easily absorbed.

In a way, you can think of Collagen as a large ball. If you tried to fit that ball through a small circular hole it would be very hard. Hydrolyzed Collagen takes that large ball and sort of lays it flat, making it much easier for the collagen to fit through the small holes.

Regular Collagen can have a molecular weight of 100,000 Daltons, The Perfect Hydrolyzed Collagen has a molecular weight of 4,000 Daltons.

It is the low molecular weight of Hydrolyzed Collagen and the short Collagen Peptides that allow the Perfect Hydrolyzed Collagen to have a 90% Bio-Availabilty and getting easily absorbed into the bloodstream.

In the end, Collagen and Hydrolyzed collagen are made of the exact same amino acids, it is just the Hydrolyzed Collagen is soaked in an all natural enzyme bath to make it much easier for the body to absorb and process.

What Type of Collagen Do We Use?

Our Perfect Hydrolyzed Collagen is made mostly from Type 1 Collagen. Let me give you some background on why we went with that formula…

Type 1 Collagen is the most abundant collagen in the body, with Type 3 being the second most abundant collagen in the body. Both Type 1 and Type 3 are very similar and help with skin health, digestive issues, ligament, muscle and joint issues, brain health, energy, sleep, metabolism and more. Type 1 and Type 3 are found all over the body, with the exception of our cartilage. Cartilage is where Type 2 Collagen is found.

So, as Type 1 and Type 3 serve basically the same purpose in the body, we use just Type 1 as we could source it from pasture-raised, grass-fed cows. In addition, in our testing we found the best Bioavailability with Type 1 Collagen (90%). Basically we could create a Type 1 Collagen supplement that was sourced from 100% grass-fed, pasture-raised cows AND fully dissolves in any liquid, has no taste, no smell and a 90% Bioavailability.

Now, moving onto why we don't use Type 2 Collagen… Type 2 Collagen can be great if you have a very specific condition. If you have an injury that is specific to your cartilage, perhaps a knee injury, then taking type 2 for that cartilage injury can be beneficial. Therefore, Type 2 Collagen is more about providing a solution to a specific problem involving the cartilage and perhaps arthritis - something you might take in a specific case, for a specific period of time until the problem is corrected.

On the other hand, Type 1 Collagen is something everyone can take on a daily basis and see long term benefit to multiple areas of the body. This is our philosophy when creating supplement - feed the body the food it needs to heal the whole body. We see our Perfect Hydrolyzed Collagen as something anyone can take on a regular basis and see improvement to the overall function of their body. If we included Type 2(and therefore decreased the amount of Type 1) we would have a product which was good if you had a specific cartilage issue, but less effective as a whole body supplement.

What is the PH?

Our collagen has a PH between 5.0 and 6.0

What is the difference between hydrolyzed collagen and BCAAs?

BCAAs (branched-chain amino acids) are a group of three amino acids - leucine, isoleucine and valine. BCAAs are often used in an attempt to spur muscle growth while working out.

Hydrolyzed Collagen is made up of 18 amino acids - so a much more diverse mix of amino acids than BCAAs. While BCAAs have a more specific use case for muscle growth, Hydrolyzed Collagen has a more broad use case...

Here are some of the potential health benefits of collagen:

• Improve Skin Health
• Promote Younger, Firmer Skin
• Support Joint Health
• Improve Gut Function and Digestion
• Keep Excess Inflammation in Check
• Build and Restore Muscle
• Support a Healthy Metabolism
• Keep Appetite In Check
• Promote Healthy Brain Function
• Promote Deeper Sleep

In terms of what exactly the Hydrolyzed means in our Perfect Hydrolyzed Collagen, here is some more information:

Hydrolyzed simply means we use all natural enzymes to break the secondary and tertiary bonds in the collagen - creating Hydrolyzed Collagen Peptides. The Hydrolyzed Collagen has the exact same amino acids as Collagen, it is just broken into smaller and lighter Collagen Peptides, that are more easily absorbed.

Collagen vs Whey Protein

Collagen and Whey Protein can both be very good sources of protein. There are a couple of aspects of the collagen which we feel can give it the edge over whey protein for many people:

1. People with Milk Allergies or Sensitivities will have problems with Whey Protein

A large percentage of the population has milk allergies or sensitivities and will not be able to handle Whey Protein. There are many ways to process Whey Protein - concentrate, isolate, etc. Some forms have low lactose, while others have more. Even if you get a high quality Whey Protein isolate, that is low in lactose, if the individual is sensitive to whey, they will have issues with Whey Protein.

Collagen, which in the case of Perfect Hydrolyzed Collagen is made from grass-fed, pasture raised beef - is well tolerated by the vast majority of people. It is much more common to have a milk allergy as compared to a meat allergy. Of course, vegetarians and vegans will not be able to use a beef based Collagen.

2. Collagen Has a Higher Percentage of Protein Per Gram

The Perfect Hydrolyzed Collagen has been lab tested to be 97% protein. This means when you take an 11 gram scoop of Collagen, you are getting 10.6 grams of protein.

While percent of protein per gram varies from Whey Protein to Whey Protein, even the highest quality whey does not come close to Collagen. For example, one of the best selling whey proteins - Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein is 72% protein (compared to 97% in the Perfect Hydrolyzed Collagen).

3. Collagen Fully Dissolves in Water and has Basically No Taste

Collagen is very easy to work into your diet as it can fully dissolved in any liquid and not effect the taste profile.

Whey Protein has a very distinctive taste and you tend to have to mix it into a smoothie and try to mask the taste.

4. People Following a Paleo Eating Habit May Have Issues with Whey Protein

As whey protein comes from cow’s milk, some people who follow the Paleo Eating Habit will not be comfortable taking a whey protein shake.

Collagen is made directly from beef, therefore, not an issue for people following a Paleo Eating Habit.

5. All That Said, Variety in Proteins is Always Good

While we do think there are some clear advantages to Collagen over Whey Protein, we do think variety in protein sources is important. The amino acid profile for Whey Protein and Collagen is different, so we encourage people to get their protein from a variety of sources (in their diet or via supplements) so they can feed their body all the amino acids and nutrients it needs.

Phenylalanine concerns

Phenylalanine is an essential amino acid and naturally found in many sources of protein. As our body can not make essential amino acids, it is important we get them from our diet.

Yes, our Perfect Collagen contains Phenylalanine. In one serving of our Collagen, 1.94% or 213mg is Phenylalanine. Our Collagen is made from grass-fed cows - we do not alter it in anyway. So, the Phenylalanine you are getting is the natural amount you would get from grass-fed cows.

For the vast majority of people Phenylalanine is safe and actually essential (as an essential amino acid) for a healthy diet. You are absolutely correct, if you have PKU, you want to avoid Phenylalanine. It is for this reason we list the exact amount of Phenylalanine on the label. As Phenylalanine is found in all beef, people with PKU know to avoid beef products. Much in the same way, if you are Vegan or Vegetarian, you would also avoid our Bovine based Collagen.

Yes, products that contain Aspartame are required to have a warning label as per the FDA, which simply says the product contains Phenylalanine. This is not the case with beef based products. Aspartame is 50% Phenylalanine - so you are getting a much higher amount. Also, if you have PKU you know to avoid beef proteins, so you don’t need a warning on meat or beef as it obviously contains Phenylalanine. Just as Vegans would be well aware that beef contains beef :) With Aspartame, it is not immediately clear that you are getting Phenylalanine. Without the FDA warning, people with PKU would look at the label for a diet soda and just see Aspartame and no Phenylalanine and could think it is okay to drink.

Hope this makes sense - but basically the warning is there on Aspartame because it is not obvious that Aspartame contains Phenylalanine. With products like our Collagen and any meat based product, no warning is given because it is obvious that meat contains Phenylalanine (and we put it clearly on the label).

I do want to stress, this is all only an issue for the small percentage of people who have PKU. PKU is usually detected at a very young age with a blood tests, so people with PKU are very careful about checking labels and knowing exactly what they eat.

Why not organic and what about Glyphosate testing?

All of our Collagen and Gelatin is made from cattle that are pasture-raised, grass-fed and follow organic practices. The cattle naturally graze in fields in Brazil that have not been touched by any pesticides. The ranchers follow organic practices by not using pesticides, hormones or antibiotics. The reason why we can not put the Organic Certified seal on the label is simply that the ranchers have not paid the very large sum to get all the open pastures certified organic by a certifying agency. Since the cattle roam over a large area of open pasture, it would be very expensive to get Organic certification.

We continue to look at options in terms of an Organic Certification seal, but at this point it does not seem to make sense to greatly increase the price of the product, with no change in quality, just so we can put an Organic seal on the label.

I should note, this is a problem many of the folks that raise Organic cattle are having. US Wellness Meats - a company we love for grass-fed beef, has a similar issue. Take a look at https://discover.grasslandbeef.com/FAQs/ and the Are You Certified Organic question. Just showing that for many in the grass-fed beef industry, the Certified Organic seal is not worth the cost.

In terms of glyphosate…

Yes, it can be an issue with cattle raised on grain, especially if that grain has GMOs. As we only use Grass-Fed beef and NO GMOs, the glyphosate will not be an issue.

WAP has an excellent article on this - https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/environmental-toxins/glyphosate-in-collagen/

They state -"This also means, of course, that bone broth, a highly nutritious food, must be made from grass-fed beef rather than from the large confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs).” We totally agree and it is one of the primary reasons that all of our meat based products (collagen, gelatin, and desiccated liver) are made from grass-fed beef.