Endogenous or natural collagen is mostly secreted by connective tissue cells. Collagen is produced naturally in the body in the same manner any regular protein is produced. It can also be found in the dermis, which is the middle layer of the skin, where collagen forms a fibrous network of cells known as fibroblasts, which is necessary for promoting new cellular generation and hence restoring dead skin cells. The extracellular matrix is also rich in collagen where it creates a complex network of macromolecules that regulate the physical properties of various body tissues. Collagen can also be found around vital organs, such as the kidney, acting as protective cushion.

Upon aging, the body’s production of collagen declines. Women start experiencing a drastic reduction in collagen synthesis after menopause, causing the structural integrity of the skin and joints to weaken, resulting in the appearance of skin imperfections such as wrinkles and joint related health problems such as osteoarthritis. Also, hair usually does thin upon aging due to decreased collagen production.

Exogenous collagen can be derived from different animals including fish, cows, pigs and chicken. However, fish collagen is preferred over others as it has high availability, no risk of disease transmission (examples: bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and foot and mouth diseases (FMD)), and no religious restrictions as Muslims and Jews have restrictions against pig-originating products and Hindus have restrictions against cow-originating products. Fish is the source of collagen in our Alphagen products.