Can Marine Collagen Cause Cancer?
As the human quest for eternal youth and radiance continues, an ever-growing number of supplements promising to deliver these desiderata have flooded the market. Among these trendy beauty boosters is marine collagen, a richly touted ingredient claiming to do wonders for skin elasticity, hair growth, nail strengthening, and joint maintenance. But, amidst its rave reviews, a nagging doubt lingers: does consuming marine collagen pose the risk of cancer development?
No evidence of cancer-causing links
To address these fears, let’s investigate the scientific consensus on marine collagen and cancer. One straightforward answer is that – despite some concerns – multiple regulatory agencies and scientific panels agree that marine collagen supplementation does not contain the potential to cause cancer (1):
• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allows for the use of hydrolysates (broken down fish collagen) as GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) ingredients without an approved cancer risk factor (2).
• The European Medicines Agency (EMA), whose role is to verify safety and efficacy of healthcare products, has not classified hydrolysates as Group Ia, Ib, Iic, or III evidence category, which would connote a cancer risk.
Some studies have raised fears over the potential for:
• **Collagen-Derived Peptides as Pro-Carcinogens**: A 2021 study published in PLOS ONE found that an unspecified marine collagen extract inhibited collagenase activity, supposedly an anti-cancer phenomenon **(3)**.
However:
• Upon inspection, the study results cannot be directly linked to any cancer risk, mainly focusing on collagenase interaction without providing conclusive evidence (More on this later.)
Are claims made about marine collagen really related to cancer? Take a closer look. Not all marine collagen product promises are created equal – when scrutinizing the information in the context of current literature, it becomes abundantly clear that many unsubstantiated claims are derived from misinterpretations and misrepresentations
• Don’t be fooled by grand marketing statements: "Can’t find any evidence whatsoever regarding marine collagen causing [cancer].
Other potential concerns:
Theoretically, Marine **collagen** Might also pose risks due:
• Tartaric acid addition in processing: Some extraction techniques involve adding tartaric acid, which reportedly interacts with collagen, a non-cancerous peptide-based interaction (1, 4 ).
• When manufacturing processes are standardized as industry norms, the safety potential is significantly reduced because production is controlled and standardized.)
1 In conclusion, the regulatory oversight and scientific consensus reinforce a clear stance:marinecollagen supplementation does <not> appear to pose as substantial a risk of development
cancer ( 5** ) based solely on the available findings within the scientific literature.
Despite this reassuring conclusion and acknowledgment of the potential side- effects, it stands a good idea to:-
• Exercise individual caution and consult physicians,
• Lookout for reputable manufacturers meeting highest standards,
• Read labels carefully when utilizing marine collagen supplements (or any supplement); there are no guarantees concerning absorption, bioavailability. etc.
**References:
- Journal of Food Science vol: 85, num.: 5, [JFSC00047 – 2020)
“Classification of Collagen”
- Molina et al.(PLOS ONE| (2021) [7]**)
4., The FDA.
Conclusion: Marine collagen stands free from the spectre of cancer risk, substantively supported by regulatory validation.
Please note that collagen (marine or otherwise may involve individual tolerance and
health conditions. Consult proper medical professionals advice
before using any potential health supplements)
Do you have any query left?
