Where does the collagen in supplements come from?
Collagen for supplements is obtained from fish skins, scales or bones (marine collagen) or from cattle skins and bones (bovine collagen). The raw material — fish skin — contains, alongside typical collagen fibres, fractions called signalling peptides: short amino acid chains that act as messengers in the body, informing fibroblasts about tissue damage and initiating new collagen production.
The problem is that these signalling peptides are extremely sensitive to temperature and enzyme activity. How the raw material is processed after harvesting determines how many of these fractions make it into the final product.
Two methods — two different outcomes
| Feature | Lyophilizate | Hydrolysate |
|---|---|---|
| Processing method | Freeze-drying at low temp. (vacuum, below 0°C) | Enzymatic or acid hydrolysis at elevated temp. |
| Signalling peptides | Preserved | Partially or completely destroyed |
| Molecular weight | Higher (depends on raw material) | Low (controlled through hydrolysis) |
| Absorption | Good (sponge-like structure) | Very good (low Da) |
| Taste and smell | Neutral | Usually neutral after purification |
| Production cost | Higher | Lower |
What does lyophilization involve?
Lyophilization, also called freeze-drying, is a process for removing water from biological material under controlled low-temperature, reduced-pressure conditions. It happens in three stages: first, the raw material is frozen to below -40°C, then pressure is lowered while temperature is gradually raised — causing the ice to sublimate directly into vapour without passing through a liquid state. Finally, residual moisture is removed in a secondary drying phase.
The result: a dry powder in which the biological structure of proteins and peptides is preserved practically unchanged. Lyophilized cells have a characteristic sponge-like structure — once water is added, they absorb it instantly, which makes dissolving and absorption easier.
Lyophilization uses the same technique as making premium instant coffee or the freeze-dried fruit found in trekking food rations — flavour and properties are preserved, though the product is dry and lightweight. Enzymatic hydrolysis of collagen is more like simmering a broth for many hours — you extract amino acids, but you change the protein's structure.
Why do signalling peptides matter?
Most collagen supplements deliver amino acids (mainly glycine, proline and hydroxyproline) — building blocks the body can use to create its own collagen. That's important, but it's only half the mechanism.
Signalling peptides work differently: they aren't building material, they're information. When a fibroblast receives a signalling peptide, it interprets it as a sign that the collagen matrix has been damaged and triggers production of new fibres. This mechanism is known from wound-healing research — the body "thinks" collagen is breaking down and produces more of it.
WellU claims it's precisely this peptide fraction — from lumican, decorin and histones — that's responsible for the results of the 2012 study, which showed a 671% increase in collagen synthesis when using preparations based on Biopeptide Complex.
How does this apply to WellU products?
Both Nutrivi supplements (Glowin'UP, Holistic Peptide Complex, Collagen Booster) and Larens cosmeceutics (Biopeptide Serum Spray) are built on lyophilized marine collagen fractions from freshwater fish skins. The extraction and lyophilization method is patented by WellU and forms the core of Biopeptide Complex technology.
It's also worth knowing that WellU products recommend avoiding hot water when dissolving them — precisely because high temperature denatures signalling peptides and converts collagen into gelatine, destroying what the lyophilization method was meant to preserve.
Never dissolve Glowin'UP, Holistic Peptide Complex, or other WellU supplements in warm or hot water. The optimal temperature is room-temperature or cold water. Under the influence of heat, signalling peptides undergo denaturation.
Sources: WellU Group technical materials, official Nutrivi product documentation (wellu.eu), research cited by WellU (Medical Academy in Wrocław, 2012). This content is for informational purposes and does not replace medical consultation.