Is Vegan Collagen Real Collagen? Plant vs Marine vs Bovine
Reviewed by Sonia, Pharmacologist · Last checked 16 October 2026
Short answer: No, not strictly. Collagen is an animal protein, and plants don't make it. "Vegan collagen" gives your body the amino acids found in collagen and the vitamin C it needs to make its own. Vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of skin. Marine and bovine collagen are real collagen, taken from fish and cows.
Why plants can't give you collagen
Collagen is the main structural protein in skin, bones and connective tissue in animals, including people. Plants hold themselves up with cellulose instead, so no fruit, vegetable or seaweed contains collagen.
Your body doesn't absorb collagen whole anyway. Whether it comes from food or a supplement, digestion breaks it down into amino acids and small peptides. Your body then builds its own collagen, and it needs vitamin C to do that (Pullar et al., 2017).
Vegan, marine and bovine collagen compared
| Vegan collagen | Marine collagen | Bovine collagen | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Made from | Plants and fermented plant ingredients | Fish skin and scales | Cows' hides and bones |
| Is it collagen? | No. Amino acids plus vitamin C | Yes, collagen peptides (mainly type I) | Yes, collagen peptides (types I and III) |
| Suits vegans and vegetarians | Yes | No | No |
| Suits pescatarians | Yes | Yes | No |
| Fish allergy | Check the label | Not suitable | Usually fine; check the label |
| Research | Small and new | Many trials, mixed quality | Many trials, mixed quality |
| Authorised UK claim | Vitamin C collagen claim, if at least 12 mg vitamin C per serving | Only if vitamin C is added | Only if vitamin C is added |
On research, two large reviews of animal collagen trials disagree: - A 2021 review reported positive results for skin hydration and elasticity (de Miranda et al., 2021). - A 2025 review found those results came from industry-funded and lower-quality studies. Independent, high-quality trials showed no clear effect (Myung and Park, 2025).
Neither review tested plant formulas.
Marine collagen
Marine collagen is made from the skin and scales of fish, usually as hydrolysed peptides. It is real collagen, mostly type I, the kind found in skin. It isn't suitable for vegans, vegetarians or anyone with a fish allergy.
Bovine collagen
Bovine collagen comes from the hides and bones of cows. It contains types I and III collagen and is the most common, and usually the cheapest, collagen supplement. It isn't suitable for vegans or vegetarians, and some people avoid it for religious reasons.
Vegan collagen
Vegan collagen comes in three forms:
- Amino acid blends. These match the building blocks of collagen. Vollagen®, in our Luxe powder, is one. Its makers report it is 98.8% identical to human collagen.
- Collagen boosters. These are vitamin C-rich plants, such as camu camu, baobab and berries.
- Fermented, bio-identical collagen. Yeast or bacteria make real collagen protein. It is still rare in UK shops.
None of these is "collagen" in the strict sense, except the fermented kind. What they can honestly offer is the vitamin C your body needs to make collagen normally, plus the amino acids it is built from.
Vegan collagen and collagen peptides: what's the difference?
"Collagen peptides" (also called "hydrolysed collagen") is animal collagen broken into short chains so it dissolves and digests easily. Vegan collagen has no collagen peptides. It supplies amino acids and vitamin C instead. If a label says "vegan collagen peptides", check the ingredients: it is usually an amino acid blend.
Which should you choose?
- You're vegan or vegetarian: a vegan formula is your only option. Look for at least 12 mg of vitamin C per serving, every amount listed in milligrams, and Vegan Society certification.
- You eat fish but not meat: you can choose marine or vegan.
- You have a fish allergy: avoid marine collagen.
- You want the formula with the most research: animal collagen has more trials, but the independent, high-quality ones haven't shown a clear effect.
Our approach
We make vegan collagen powders only.
- Vegan Collagen Luxe gives you 1,500 mg of Vollagen® per scoop, with camu camu, strawberry, raspberry and baobab. That is about 26–49 mg of vitamin C per scoop. Vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of skin.
- The Booster is a fruit-and-vegetable formula built around camu camu.
Both are Vegan Society certified, free from allergens and made in the UK. They have a 4.8 average from 1,147 reviews.
Frequently asked questions
Is marine collagen better than vegan collagen?
They work differently. Marine collagen gives you collagen peptides from fish. Vegan collagen gives you amino acids and vitamin C so your body can make its own. Independent, high-quality research hasn't shown a clear skin effect for collagen supplements of either kind.
Can vegans take collagen?
Not animal collagen. Vegans can take a vegan collagen formula, which supplies the amino acids found in collagen and vitamin C. Vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of skin.
What is Vollagen?
Vollagen® is a plant-based, fermented amino acid complex designed to match human collagen. Its makers report it is 98.8% identical to human collagen. Each scoop of our Luxe powder contains 1,500 mg.
Is plant collagen the same as collagen peptides?
No. Collagen peptides are animal collagen broken into short chains. Plant or vegan collagen has no collagen in it. It supplies amino acids and vitamin C instead.
