The following information has been compiled from various sources (see references on the Advanced Nutrition UK website) and is supported by my son-in-law’s quick recovery after a major jaw operation. My wife and I have also experienced the benefits of pure collagen capsules (especially 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 hope that 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 hydrolyzing 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 consumption of analgesics, and improved mobility were observed in patients who they had received a daily dose of GH for a period of at least 3 months. Overall, treatment of CH-involved patients over a longer period of time was considered remarkably successful, with more than 75% of patients reporting symptom improvement.
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. Recently, these results were 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 CH’s reported efficacy on joint health, clinical studies also indicated a positive effect of CH on tendons, demonstrating significant improvement in tissue strength.
Studies related to skin care revealed a pronounced improvement in skin function and increased skin hydration after regular intake of CH.
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 in healthy human volunteers in which the major constituents of CH-derived peptides in human serum and plasma after oral ingestion were identified.
Qualitative absorption investigations 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 peptides, are absorbed after oral administration of CH, 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 proof of the clinical efficacy of Collagen Hydrolysate, a significant number of research projects have been started 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 HC revealed that treatment of cartilage cells with HC induced a statistically significant and dose-dependent increase in type II collagen synthesis of chondrocytes 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 delay 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 content of hydroxyproline in the soluble fraction of the skin, which may be related to the synthesis of skin collagen. In addition, it was stated 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 collagen hydrolyzate ingestion
Numerous investigations have shown 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. 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 when consuming large amounts on a regular basis .
Summary
Numerous preclinical investigations have shown the positive effect of collagen hydrolyzate on the metabolism of connective tissue. 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 retention capacity. of the epidermis
Clinical studies have shown the efficacy of CH in the treatment of degenerative joint diseases. In addition, the ingestion of CH seems 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 and corroborating 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 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. Additionally, many celebrities vouch for the anti-aging properties of Proto-Col Pure Collagen Capsules.