BioCell Collagen may slash joint health pain: RCT data
Seventy days of supplementation with BioCell Collagen produced significant pain reductions in 35% of the study participants, compared with only 16% in the placebo group, according to findings published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
In addition, the percentage of the subjects who experienced pain reductions of at least 30% was 40% in the BioCell Collagen group, compared with only 3% in the placebo group.
“BioCell Collagen was well-tolerated and provided significant symptom reduction in patients suffering from osteoarthritic pain and disability,” wrote researchers led by AIBMR’s Dr Alexander Schauss.
“BioCell Collagen may be considered as a safe and efficacious complement to current medical and dietary options in the management of osteoarthritis symptoms.”
The ingredient
The patented ingredient, known as Biocell Collagen, is described as a hydrolyzed chicken sternal cartilage extract. The three main constituents, collagen type II, chondroitin sulfate, and hyaluronic acid, are reduced to highly-bioavailable, very low molecular weight forms through a hydrolysis process.
The ingredient recently received generally recognized as safe (GRAS) status from an independent panel following assessment on safety and toxicology and also good manufacturing practices (GMPs).
Dr Schauss and his co-workers from AIBMR, the University of California at San Diego, and BioCell Technology conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to test the ingredient on measures of joint health in 80 people with osteoarthritis.
Participants were randomly assigned to receive either two grams per day of BioCell Collagen or placebo for 70 days.
Using the widely accepted Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) and the visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain, the researchers report that, after 70 days, the collagen group exhibited improvements in joint function, according to the WOMAC Index, “particularly in reducing difficulty in performing various physical activities”.
Pain scores also decreased significantly in the collagen group, compared with placebo, reported Dr Schauss and his co-workers.
In terms of safety and tolerability, the researchers noted that both collagen and placebo groups had “comparable number of adverse reactions”.
The study’s findings were welcomed by Joosang Park, PhD, MBA, vice president of scientific affairs for BioCell Technology. Dr Park told NutraIngredients-USA that the company is pleased to have published the detailed outcome from its second randomized controlled clinical trial of BioCell Collagen.
“This clinical trial enrolled 80 subjects, demonstrating that daily ingestion of BioCell Collagen was safe and significantly reduced pain and physical difficulties which led to an improvement in quality of life.
“This trial confirmed earlier findings and further substantiates that BioCell Collagen is a safe and effective alternative to current pharmaceutical regimens and other dietary supplement products such as glucosamine and chondroitin,” added Dr Park.
Joint health
As populations age, the burden of osteoarthritis is growing. Over 20 million Americans suffer from osteoarthritis, and is reported to be second only to ischemic heart disease as a cause of work disability in men over 50. According to the Center for Disease Control, the direct and indirect costs are estimated to be approaching $90 billion.
Pharmaceutical solutions include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which are seen by many as daily necessity to control pain and allow people to carry out their everyday activities. Some NSAIDs, which are among the most frequently prescribed medications worldwide, have been linked with gastrointestinal toxicity, increased blood pressure, and increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
Source: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Published online ahead of print, doi: 10.1021/jf205295u
“Effect of the Novel Low Molecular Weight Hydrolyzed Chicken Sternal Cartilage Extract, BioCell Collagen, on Improving Osteoarthritis-Related Symptoms: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial”
Authors: A.G. Schauss, J. Stenehjem, J. Park, J.R. Endres, A. Clewell
