Is it pregnancy & breastfeeding friendly?
Yes! In saying this, we do advise on all our products to seek advice from your health care professional on taking our products if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. We only say so as we believe that every pregnancy is different, taking a toll differently on each individual body in vitamin, mineral and energy levels. We invite you to research the product to ensure that you are not sensitive to any particular ingredients.
Why would I take Collagen Build instead of another protein powder for building muscle?
Collagen Build has a different action compared to other protein powders. In fact, collagen Build is perfect to mix in with other protein powders as they can complement each other (despite being an animal source protein, collagen is not a complete protein, as it lacks the EAA Tryptophan). Collagen Build is a great source of protein and magnesium, which is essential for muscle building and repair, but it’s the specialised collagen peptides that give Collagen Build it’s point of difference. Collagen Build targets the connective tissue (endomusium, perimycium, epimycium and deep fasciae) within muscle tissue. This connective tissue has been found to have a central role in muscle quality, strength and growth.
But muscle doesn't contain much collagen? Why would a collagen product help with muscle building, strengthening and repair?
True, muscle doesn’t contain much collagen (we are looking at about 6% of total muscle mass) which is why eating lean meat isn’t a great dietary source of collagen, HOWEVER the connective tissue which is in muscle is incredibly important. It has a central role in muscle growth (including stimulation the mTOR pathway for muscle cell anabolism) transmission of signals (fibre recruitment for a synchronised contraction, increasing strength) and metabolism.
When and how should I take Collagen Build?
Mix Collagen Build into protein shakes, smoothies, soups, porridge, sauces - any type of flavoured liquid. It can be consumed at any time of day but best consumed post workout, when at rest for optimal digestion and utilisation.
Will Collagen Build make me Big, Bulky, and Buff?
For anyone out there with a fear of bulking up - you need not be afraid. Collagen build will not turn you into the hulk. To really bulk up takes a huge amount of effort. A lot of food (all food - not just protein), some really heavy lifting to stimulate growth, and the help of hormones. Our collagen Build is designed to improve muscle quality and body composition meaning strength and tone. Collagen build will be a great ally for you no matter what your goals are. If your goal is to all about gains and bulking, then you will need a diet with more energy. Particularly plenty of protein and carbohydrates. You will want to be well fueled to get the most out of your workouts and have plenty of nutrients available at all times for muscle building and repair. Eat more regularly to keep your body in a “fed” state. Collagen Build provides a good source of protein for muscle building and magnesium for energy. The BODYBALANCE bioactive peptides will further help to target muscle mass and upregulate muscle building. If your goal is a combination of building lean muscle and shedding a bit of fat, you will want to be a bit lighter on energy and carbohydrates, and also extend your fasting window to allow your body to switch over into burning stored energy. You will still want to be well fueled for workouts and post workout to maximise protein synthesis. Collagen Build will help to upregulate muscle building and repair, as well as muscle sparing during fasting windows. If your goal is more about losing fat mass, your energy intake will be lower. Collagen Build will provide a good source of protein and is effective in muscle sparing when your body is spending a lot of time utilising stored energy. Exercise and resistance training is still very important to keep your body strong and keep your metabolism running well.
Which Collagen Product is best for me?
That depends entirely on what your goals and priorities are, as each of our collagen powders contains different bioactive collagen peptides that have different functions in the body. We have also added some specific key nutrients to each that further support and target those functions and make them even more specialised. Collagen Beauty® targets skin hair and nails, Collagen Body targets bone and Collagen Build targets muscle. For example, If you are concerned with wrinkles and skin hydration, Collagen Beauty® is the one for you! If you are concerned with bone density or have recently injured yourself and fractured a bone, then Collagen Body is the one for you! If you are focusing on building strength and lean muscle mass then Collagen Build is the one for you!
Can I take more than one collagen product at the same time?
We do not recommend taking more than one collagen product at a time. More is not always better. If you would like to target multiple body systems, we recommend taking turns with which collagen product you use. The clinical studies that demonstrated the effectiveness of each of the collagens was done by using just one of the specialised bioactive collagen peptides, every day for the trial period (usually between 8-12 weeks). So we recommend doing the same thing (for example, you may want to take Collagen Beauty® for 12 weeks to help strengthen and hydrate skin over winter, then focus on Collagen Build for 12 weeks to build and strengthen lean muscle over spring). Taking more Collagen won’t cause harm (as it is a food product that is generally considered safe) but there is only so much protein synthesis and metabolism that you can do in a day. Also, consuming too much of anything isn’t a good idea, as it takes the place of other foods in the diet which may reduce the variety of foods that you have in your day. A healthy varied diet is always the best!
Is Collagen Build safe for consumption during pregnancy and breastfeeding?
Collagen Build is safe for consumption during pregnancy and breastfeeding - this is because our collagen is literally just made up of pure protein derived from natural bovine sources. Our Collagen Build also contains the added benefit of naturally occurring Magnesium which further supports protein synthesis and energy. As this is naturally occurring and only present in small amounts this product is classified as safe for consumption during pregnancy and breastfeeding. We recommend if you have any concerns, that you consult your primary physician.
Where does your Collagen come from?
We proudly source all of our collagen from the most reputable, sustainable and ethical manufacturer in the world.
Is your collagen sustainable?
Yes! We are passionate about sustainability, which is another reason why we chose to partner with our Collagen manufacturer. You can read their 2019 Sustainability Report here which details everything from their sustainable production processes to their commitment to the highest animal welfare standards. There are concerns that all agricultural farms in Brazil are a result of deforestation, and that the collagen industry contributes to this issue. Nutra Organics is very proud to deliver the highest quality collagen product available on the global market, and part of the criteria that assures this is the sustainable origin of our ingredients. Our Collagen is produced as a by-product of the pre-exisiting meat industry, and therefore is actually responsible for reducing a huge portion of food waste. It’s important to note that no land is cleared in the name of collagen and further, no cattle are killed to produce it directly, rather the animal hide is derived from abattoirs of the meat industry already present. We certainly understand that deforestation is a global issue and have taken steps to address this through our Project Give Back and Sustainable Packaging.
Why bovine collagen?
We thought long and hard about this one. In the end we decided on bovine collagen for the following reasons:
- Bovine hide is a by-product of an industry that is already well established, so it reduces waste, and therefore up-cycles the parts of the animal that would otherwise be disposed of.
- Traceability of bovine sourced collagen is much clearer than marine collagen (so it’s easy to ensure that the collagen comes from healthy, well cared for cows. “Marine” collagen is rarely even “marine” as it mostly comes from fish farms rather than the ocean, and our oceans are majorly over fished already as it is).
- The amount of collagen that you get from one cow is massive compared to one fish. Making it much more cost effective and affordable.
There are a lot of misconceptions about the size of collagen peptides from bovine source vs marine source. One is not “bigger” or “smaller” than the other. The size of collagen peptides relies on the hydrolysis process. This is the process where collagen fibres are broken down into small peptide chains. The collagen that we use has been specifically hydrolysed to be the correct size and shape for optimal absorption and utilisation by the body, specific for it’s function!
Are the cows fed grass or grains?
If there’s one thing we are passionate about here at Nutra Organics, aside from food of course, its animals and their welfare. Therefore we have ensured that the bovine our collagen comes from are treated under the highest animal welfare schemes possible. We do not claim "grass fed" as some of them are located in climates where it snows a large portion of the year, and due to other environmental factors, such as drought, cattle are occasionally fed wholesome non-gmo grains to ensure survival. Therefore as they are not exclusively grass-fed for the entirety of their lives, we do not choose to claim grass-fed.
Is your Collagen Certified Organic?
No, unfortunately there is no commerically viable source of certified organic collagen at this time. This is a global issue and we are doing our best to push for this change as the industry expands.
How is Collagen Body different to Gelatin?
The main difference between the Collagen and Gelatin Powders are as follows:
- Collagen is naturally present in all connective tissue. Gelatin is extracted from collagen, and hydrolised collagen is gelatin that has been broken down even further. Therefore, the amino acid profile is the same, but the protein sizes are different.
- Hydrolysed collagen peptides are so small that they will dissolve in hot and cold liquid unlike Gelatin that goes solid (giving it it’s gelling effect).
- Our Collagen products are fortified with specific Collagen Peptides that are trademarked peptides that make the Collagen Powders functional. ie. Collagen Beauty® is fortified with Verisol Collagen peptides that aid in depositing Collagen in hair, skin and nails. Whereas Collagen Body is fortified with Fortibone Collagen peptides that aid in depositing Collagen in bone, ligaments, joints and muscle mass.
