Joint pain and injury recovery: the impact of collagen on connective tissue and anti-aging
The following information has been compiled from various sources (see references on the Advanced Nutrition UK website) and has been supported by my son-in-law’s speedy recovery after a serious operation on his jaw. My wife and I have also experienced the benefits of pure collagen capsules (especially for arthritic pain and when we kneel down to play with our grandson!). I feel that many people could benefit from this awareness and I hope the following is helpful.
In recent years, collagen hydrolyzate (CH) is increasingly used as a nutritional supplement, especially for the treatment of degenerative joint diseases and for the treatment of skin care.
Numerous international clinical studies have been able to confirm the positive effect of collagen hydrolyzate in the treatment of degenerative joint disease. It is important to note that common collagen cannot be easily absorbed into the body and the hydrolyzing process is what makes it possible.
Clinical studies
In clinical studies involving more than 2,000 patients with diagnosed osteoarthritis of the hip or knee joint, there was a statistically significant reduction in pain, a decrease in pain medication use, and better mobility in patients who had received a dose. daily HC for a period of at least 3 months. Overall, treatment of patients involved with GH for a longer period of time was considered remarkably successful, with more than 75% of patients reporting improvement in symptoms.
Comparable results were obtained with a series of observational studies in people suffering from painful joints or athletes whose joints were subject to increased mechanical stress. Also in these cases the administration of collagen hydrolyzate resulted in a substantial reduction in pain and better mobility. These results were recently confirmed in a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study conducted at Penn State University in University Park, Pennsylvania, in 147 athletes.
In addition to the reported efficacy of CH on joint health, clinical studies also indicated a positive effect of CH on tendons, demonstrating a significant improvement in tissue strength.
Studies related to skin care revealed a pronounced improvement in skin function and increased skin hydration after regular ingestion of CH.
Ingestion and distribution of collagen hydrolyzate
The intestinal absorption of collagen hydrolyzate could be demonstrated by a commonly accepted experimental model. It could be shown that more than 90% of orally administered CH is rapidly absorbed from the intestines and appears in blood plasma, which explains its high bioavailability. These results were confirmed by a study conducted in healthy human volunteers in which major components of CH-derived peptides were identified in human serum and plasma after oral ingestion.
Investigations on qualitative absorption revealed that CH is not completely broken down by the digestive system, but that a variety of collagen fragments, including up to 10% high molecular weight peptides, are absorbed after oral CH administration. , with some individual variability.
In additional studies with labeled CH, it was shown that a significant amount of collagen peptides could be detected in the skin and cartilage tissue after a single administration, indicating an accumulation of these peptides within the connective tissue.
Action mode
In addition to obtaining evidence of the clinical efficacy of collagen hydrolyzate, a significant number of research projects have been initiated around the world with the participation of several renowned international institutes with the aim of investigating the mechanism of action of the substance.
Cell culture experiments investigating the efficacy of CH revealed that treatment of cartilage cells with CH induced a statistically significant dose-dependent increase in type II collagen chondrocyte synthesis compared to untreated controls. .
These results clearly indicate that CH has a stimulating effect on the two important structural macromolecules of the ECM: collagen and proteoglycans, and therefore could be of therapeutic relevance to slow or even stop the progressive degradation of articular cartilage tissue in osteoarthritis. .
In addition to the impact of CH on cartilage tissue, preclinical studies suggested positive effects of CH treatment on tendons and skin.
Research on the skin seems to indicate that the administration of collagen hydrolyzate increases the content of hydroxyproline in the soluble fraction of the skin, which may be related to the synthesis of cutaneous collagen. Furthermore, it was claimed that CH treatment could increase the water retention capacity of the epidermis. More recently, ingestion of CH was reported to induce an increase in fibroblast density and enhance the formation of collagen fibrils in the dermis.
Safety of ingesting collagen hydrolyzate
In numerous investigations it was possible to show that collagen hydrolyzate has an excellent safety profile.
Collagen Hydrolyzate is a food product and is listed by the FDA as GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe), the highest possible safety category. Furthermore, the Federal Institute for Medicines and Health Products and the German Ministry of Consumer Affairs, as well as the World Health Organization, have also confirmed that HC is safe and that there is no risk of consuming large amounts on a regular basis. .
Resume
Numerous preclinical investigations have demonstrated the positive effect of collagen hydrolyzate on connective tissue metabolism. The results seem to indicate that CH treatment stimulates the synthesis of cartilage tissue, affects the size of collagen fibrils and the composition of glycosaminoglycans in the Achilles tendon, improves collagen synthesis and the formation of collagen fibrils in the skin. and increases the water binding capacity. of the epidermis.
Clinical studies have shown the efficacy of HC in the treatment of degenerative joint diseases. In addition, the ingestion of CH appears to have positive effects on the tendons, as well as on the function and hydration of the skin.
Based on these results and due to its excellent safety profile, a daily treatment with collagen hydrolyzate could be of particular importance for the synthesis and maintenance of connective tissue.
There appears to be excellent scientific and corroborative evidence that pure collagen hydrolyzate may be beneficial for joint pain, recovery from injuries involving connective tissue (Achilles tendons, ligaments), and improving skin elasticity and health, hair and nails.
It appears that pure collagen hydrolyzate capsules (types 1 and 2) can, in many cases, have a remarkable beneficial effect on joint health and strength, as well as reducing pain associated with forms of arthritis. Also, many celebrities endorse the anti-aging properties of proto-col pure collagen capsules.