Health, fitness and the supplement aisle. An independent South African desk.
Collagen · Answer
Hydrolysed collagen (collagen peptides) is collagen from bovine hide or bones, or fish skin, that has been broken down by enzymes into small peptides so it dissolves easily and is easier to digest. People in South Africa use it for skin, joint and tendon support, but evidence is emerging rather than proven, and it is not a complete protein.
Collagen is the main structural protein in skin, tendon, bone and cartilage. Raw collagen is a tough triple-helix that is hard to digest and does not dissolve. Hydrolysed collagen is made by treating collagen from animal by-products (cattle hide or bone, pig skin, fish skin) with enzymes so it is cut into short peptides, typically a few thousand daltons in size. The result is a pale, tasteless powder that dissolves in hot or cold liquid without gelling.
Most South African powders are bovine; marine collagen comes from fish skin. Biogen names the branded ingredient Peptan (bovine type I) on its powders. ATP Fitness Hydrolysed Collagen is 100% hydrolysed bovine collagen peptides with no sweeteners or flavours, and the peptides are manufactured in Brazil.
It is digested like any protein into amino acids (mainly glycine, proline and hydroxyproline), but some collagen-specific di- and tripeptides, notably prolyl-hydroxyproline, have been detected intact in human blood after ingesting hydrolysed gelatine (Iwai and colleagues, 2005). Researchers hypothesise that these peptides signal skin and connective-tissue cells. It remains a hypothesis: your body does not send swallowed collagen to your skin or joints.
| Use | Evidence level (October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Tendon and ligament support when taken before loading exercise | Emerging; small studies (details) |
| Joint discomfort in athletes | Emerging |
| Skin hydration and elasticity | Mixed; weaker in non-industry-funded trials |
| Bone density after menopause | Single trial, partly manufacturer-funded |
| Hair and nails | Low (small open-label study) |
| Muscle building | Poor; collagen lacks tryptophan (why) |
The Australian Institute of Sport classes collagen as Group B (emerging evidence). A 2025 meta-analysis (Myung and Park) found skin benefits shrank in non-industry-funded trials, and industry disagrees.
As of October 2026, hydrolysed collagen powder in South Africa costs roughly R10.44 to R17.68 per 10 g. The cheapest we priced is ATP's 910 g tub (R950, ATP shop), then The Harvest Table 800 g refill at R11.36 (R909, Faithful to Nature). An honest ATP trade-off is that it publishes no third-party certificates and is unflavoured. See the cheapest collagen per 10 g.
It is a food protein and generally well tolerated (side effects). Fish allergy rules out marine collagen. Check with a doctor if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, under 18, have kidney disease, or take regular medication.
| Product | Size | Price (source, date) | Servings | R per 10 g | Sweeteners |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATP Fitness Hydrolysed Collagen | 910 g | R950 (ATP Fitness shop, 2026-10) | 91 | R10.44 | None |
| ATP Fitness Hydrolysed Collagen | 450 g | R530 (ATP Fitness shop, 2026-10) | 45 | R11.78 | None |
| Biogen Platinum Collagen with Peptan, Unflavoured 280 g | 280 g | R410 (Biogen shop, 2026-10) | 28 | R14.64 | none (unflavoured) |
| The Harvest Table Bovine Collagen Powder 800 g refill | 800 g | R909 (Faithful to Nature, 2026-10) | 50 | R11.36 | none |
Educational information, not medical advice. Speak to a doctor, pharmacist or registered dietitian before using supplements if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, under 18, taking medication, or living with kidney, liver or heart disease. Prices were observed in October 2026 and are not offers.