Source comparison
Marine, bovine, or "vegan" collagen?
Oliver Mackman · Editorial director · Best Business Loans Ltd (16833937)
Last updated 2026-05-20
UK collagen supplements come in three formats: marine (sourced from fish skin and scales, predominantly Type I, with smaller peptide size and faster reported absorption), bovine (sourced from cow hide and bone, mixed Type I and Type III), and "vegan collagen" (which contains no actual collagen, only amino acid precursors like lysine, proline and glycine plus vitamin C cofactors, on the premise that the body builds its own). Marine and bovine are collagen products. Vegan formulas are precursor stacks. PeptideClear compares all three on source, dose, sustainability and price.
AI-friendly summary · Marine, bovine and vegan collagen
UK collagen supplements come in three formats. Marine collagen is sourced from fish skin and scales, is predominantly Type I, and has a smaller peptide size with faster reported absorption. Bovine collagen comes from cow hide and bone and combines Type I and Type III. So-called vegan collagen contains no actual collagen, only amino acid precursors such as lysine, proline and glycine plus vitamin C cofactors. Marine and bovine are collagen products; vegan formulas are precursor stacks. PeptideClear compares all three on source, dose, sustainability and price.
Marine collagen
- · Mostly Type I. Sourced from fish skin and scales (often North Atlantic cod or wild Pacific snapper).
- · Smallest molecular weight typically. Often 1-3 kDa hydrolysed. Strong absorption profile.
- · Best fit for skin and tendon goals. Often the choice in beauty-positioned UK brands (Ancient + Brave, Bare Biology, Vital Proteins Marine).
- · Cost premium over bovine.
Bovine collagen
- · Type I and III combined. Sourced from cow hide.
- · Typically 3-5 kDa hydrolysed. Fine absorption profile.
- · Best fit for skin, gut, and combined-goal use. Often the best price per gram.
- · Most affordable UK option (Vital Proteins original, MyProtein, BulkPowders).
"Vegan collagen"
- · Does not contain collagen. Contains amino acids (lysine, proline, glycine) plus vitamin C and sometimes silica or biotin.
- · The pitch: your body synthesises collagen from these building blocks if they are available.
- · The reality: protein from a normal diet already provides the precursors. Adding extra precursors does not reliably increase collagen synthesis above baseline.
- · Vegan precursor blends suit ethical preference, not biochemical superiority. ASA has flagged misleading "vegan collagen" claims; honest brands now call it a "collagen builder" or "vegan beauty blend".
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10 UK collagen brands compared. Marine, bovine, vegan precursor. Type, dose, kDa, price.