The following information has been compiled from various sources (see Advanced Nutrition UK website for references) and is supported by my son-in-law’s speedy recovery from major jaw surgery. My wife and I have also experienced the benefits of pure collagen capsules (particularly for arthritis pain and when we get down on our knees 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 being used more and more as a nutritional supplement, especially for the treatment of degenerative joint diseases and for skin care management.
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 regular collagen cannot be easily absorbed into the body and the hydrolyzation process is what makes this possible.
Clinical studies
In clinical studies involving more than 2,000 patients diagnosed with osteoarthritis of the hip or knee joint, a statistically significant reduction in pain, decreased use of analgesics and improved mobility were observed in patients receiving they had received a daily dose of HC for a period of at least 3 months. Overall, treatment of patients involved with CH 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 subjected to increased mechanical stress. Also in these cases, the administration of hydrolyzed collagen resulted in a substantial reduction in pain and an improvement in mobility. These results were recently confirmed in a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study conducted at Pennsylvania State University in University Park, Pennsylvania, in 147 athletes.
In addition to the reported efficacy of CH on joint health, clinical studies have 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 CH ingestion.
Ingestion and distribution of collagen hydrolyzate
The intestinal absorption of Hydrolyzed Collagen could be demonstrated by means of a commonly accepted experimental model. It was possible to demonstrate that more than 90% of CH administered orally is rapidly absorbed by the intestines and appears in the blood plasma, which explains its high bioavailability. These results were confirmed by a study conducted in healthy human volunteers in which the major constituents of CH-derived peptides were identified in human serum and plasma after oral ingestion.
Qualitative absorption investigations revealed that CH is not fully broken down by the digestive system, but that a variety of collagen fragments, including up to 10% high-molecular peptides, are absorbed after oral administration of CH, with some individual variability.
In further studies with labeled CH, it was shown that a significant amount of collagen peptides could be detected in skin and cartilage tissue after a single administration, indicating an accumulation of these peptides within 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 various renowned international institutes with the aim of investigating the mechanism of action of the substance.
Cell culture experiments investigating the efficacy of HC revealed that treatment of cartilage cells with CH induced a statistically significant and dose-dependent increase in chondrocyte type II collagen synthesis compared to untreated controls.
These results clearly indicate that CH has a stimulatory effect on important structural macromolecules of the ECM: collagen and proteoglycans, and therefore could have 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 suggest positive effects of CH treatment on tendons and skin.
Research on the skin seems to indicate that the administration of Hydrolyzed Collagen increases the hydroxyproline content in the soluble fraction of the skin, which may be related to the synthesis of skin collagen. Furthermore, it was claimed that CH treatment could increase the water retention capacity of the epidermis. More recently, CH ingestion was reported to induce increased fibroblast density and enhance collagen fibril formation in the dermis.
Safety of ingesting collagen hydrolyzate
In numerous investigations it was possible to demonstrate 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 category of safety. In addition, the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices and the German Ministry of Consumer Affairs, as well as the World Health Organization, have also confirmed that CH is safe and that there is no risk in consuming large amounts on a regular basis. .
Summary
Numerous preclinical investigations have demonstrated the positive effect of collagen hydrolyzate on the metabolism of connective tissue. The results seem to indicate that HC 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 collagen fibril formation in the skin. and increases the water retention capacity. of the epidermis
Clinical studies have shown the effectiveness of CH in the treatment of degenerative joint diseases. Furthermore, CH ingestion appears to have positive effects on tendons, as well as on skin function and hydration.
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 and corroborative scientific evidence that pure collagen hydrolyzate may be beneficial for joint pain, recovery from injuries involving connective tissue (Achilles tendons, ligaments), as well as improving elasticity and health. of the skin, hair and nails.
It appears that pure collagen hydrolyzate capsules (types 1 and 2) can, in many cases, have a marked beneficial effect on joint health and strength, as well as reducing pain associated with forms of arthritis. Also, many celebrities vouch for the anti-aging properties of proto-col pure collagen capsules.
