THE IMPORTANCE OF BIOAVAILABILITY

When you take a supplement, the goal is for it to enter your bloodstream and do its work. But what if the nutrient can't get into your bloodstream? What if it gets lost in your digestive system? This is where bioavailability comes into play. When taking supplements, bioavailability is key. If you don't understand bioavailability, you might not get the most out of your supplementation regimen. Bioavailability measures how much of a substance is available to the body to be used. If the bioavailability is low, the substance may not be effective. This article explains the process that leads to bioavailability. We also look into bioactivity—what makes a nutrient beneficial. 

BIOAVAILABILITY

What Is Bioavailability?

Bioavailability is a calculation of how much of the active ingredient is available for use by the body. Everything you ingest goes through a digestion process before your body makes use of it—or not. For example, drugs directly administered into the bloodstream—known as intravenous dosing—are said to be 100% bioavailable because they don't have to go through the digestive system. However, supplements are taken orally and must be soaked through the gastrointestinal tract before entering the bloodstream.

In the dietary supplement field, bioavailability is too often overlooked; people assume that if they take a pill, they get all the active ingredients. But that's far from the truth. Many supplements have poor bioavailability because they're not designed with absorption in mind. Absorption is a complex process that involves many different factors, including:

  • The form or chemical structure of the active ingredient
  • The solubility of the active ingredient
  • The pH of the gastrointestinal tract
  • The presence of food or other drugs in the gastrointestinal tract
  • Possible drug interactions
  • The individual's metabolism
  • How the substance is taken (with food, on an empty stomach)

These factors can affect how much of the active ingredient is absorbed and, as a result, how effective the supplement will be (its bioactivity). When you ingest collagen peptides, the digestion begins in the stomach, where digestive enzymes start the digestive process, and continues in the small intestine. The chains of amino acids are broken down into smaller pieces (di- and tripeptides) and free amino acids. They become more readily absorbable by the intestinal lumen into the bloodstream. Thanks to dedicated transporters, they cross through the cells. As a result, the levels of bi and tri-peptides—especially hydroxyproline-glycine (Hyp-Gly) and proline-hydroxyproline (Pro-Hyp)—rise in the blood, targeting specific tissues and providing them with the health benefits we expect when first ingesting supplements.

Bioavailability

What is bioactivity? 

Bioactivity refers to a small molecule's ability to alter a biological function. Bioactivity is what makes a nutrient beneficial. It creates a health change. A supplement cannot be efficient without having high bioavailability and bioactivity.

Bioactive components are possibilities for improving human health. They are examined in scientific circles for their use in weight management, degenerative joint disease prevention and wellness. 

Bioactivity

How Does FLEXIBLE Offer Superior Bioavailability?

FLEXIBLE is a collagen-based supplement designed to improve tissue elasticity by supporting joint health and reducing inflammation. Created by LEMAlab™, FLEXIBLE contains hydrolyzed bovine collagen peptides readily absorbed by the body. 

The health benefits of collagen peptides supplements are well documented. There are numerous studies demonstrating their efficacy. A recent study [1] has extended the specificity of their research to how and why collagen peptides are so effective. The main benefits are significantly connected to their bioavailability and bioactivity. 

FLEXIBLE has been carefully designed for enhanced absorption with its complementary ingredient Bromelain—a digestive enzyme from pineapple—that both helps digestion and reduces inflammation. In addition, it contains zero added sugar, sweeteners or fillers of any type for a cleaner and more efficient result. The last two ingredients, MSM and Glucosamine, complement the anti-inflammatory and pain reduction effect.

 

FLEXIBLE collagen supplement

 

Conclusion

Scientific data show that, when used as a dietary supplement, FLEXIBLE can stimulate cell regeneration and growth in the human body. The high bioavailability of certain brands of collagen peptides is one of the primary reasons they work, not just in theory but also in practice. So stop wasting your precious money on inefficient supplements and make sure you get all the benefits of what you are paying for.

References:
[1] Kleinnijenhuis AJ, van Holthoon FL, Maathuis AJH, et al. Non-targeted and targeted analysis of collagen hydrolysates during the course of digestion and absorptionAnal Bioanal Chem. 2020;412(4):973-982. doi:10.1007/s00216-019-02323-x 
[2] Ohara, H., et al., 2010. Collagen-derived dipeptide, proline-hydroxyproline, stimulates cell proliferation and hyaluronic acid synthesis in cultured human dermal fibroblasts. The Journal of Dermatology, 37(4), 330–338. DOI: 10.1111/j.1346-8138.2010.00827.x
[3] Asai, T. T. et al., 2019. Food-Derived Collagen Peptides, Prolyl-Hydroxyproline (Pro-Hyp), and Hydroxypropyl-Glycine (Hyp-Gly) Enhance Growth of Primary Cultured Mouse Skin Fibroblast Using Fetal Bovine Serum-Free from Hydroxyprolyl Peptide. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 21(1), 229. DOI: 10.3390/ijms21010229

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