Collagen peptides show positive effects on joint pain: RCT
The study, published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, is said to be the first to compare the efficacy of collage from bovine bone or porcine skin on measures of joint health in people with osteoarthritis.
“Being one of the most important symptoms, pain reduction indirectly indicates the mark of improvement in joint conditions in patients with osteoarthritis,” explained scientists from Nitta Gelatin Inc. (India and Japan) and Aurous Health Care Research and Development Private Ltd (India). “Thus the administration of collagen peptide has much relevance with regard to reduction of pain in a patient with osteoarthritis [...] [T]he improvement could be associated with the initiation of the repair process by accumulation of collagen peptide in cartilage tissue.”
Joint health support
The joint health segment is dominated by combination products containing glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate, driven by positive data from big studies like GAIT and demand from aging consumers to naturally support their joints. (Pharmaceutical solutions include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), but these have been linked with gastrointestinal toxicity, increased blood pressure, and increased risk of cardiovascular disease.)
While numerous dietary ingredients are also positioned in the joint health support products, companies cannot make reference to osteoarthritis or studies relating to this condition in the marketing of dietary supplements.
Study details
For the new study, the researchers recruited 30 people with knee osteoarthritis to participate in their double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial with collagen peptides. Participants were randomly assigned to one of the two collagen types (10 grams per day of Nitta’s Wellnex Collagen Peptide) or placebo for 13 weeks.
Results in indicated that both porcine and bovine groups had significant improvements in measures of joint health, as measured by the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) scores, and Quality of Life scores. On the other hand, no improvements were observed in the placebo group.
Specifically, a total of 63% of subjects in the porcine collagen peptide group displayed efficacy improvements in WOMAC, VAS and QOL score levels, while no such benefits were observed in the placebo group, said the researchers. Similar results were observed in the bovine collagen peptide group, they added.
“The study carried out in clinically diagnosed subjects having knee osteoarthritis demonstrated that both [porcine collagen peptides] and [bovine collagen peptides] are effective nutritional supplement to improve the overall physical discomforts resulting from the osteoarthritis,” wrote the researchers.
Erika Tchang, Business Development Manager for Nitta Gelatin, commented: “This new study indicates that those taking Wellnex Collagen Peptides may see some improvement in joint pain. This may be great news to consumers taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAIDs). They now may be able to feel some difference in joint pain by ingesting a nutritional supplement or functional food with Wellnex Collagen Peptides as well.”
Source: Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture
Published online ahead of print, doi: 10.1002/jsfa.6752
“A double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised, clinical study on the effectiveness of collagen peptide on osteoarthritis”
Authors: S. Kumar, F. Sugihara, K. Suzuki, N. Inoue, S. Venkateswarathirukumara
