Chicken collagen may improve joint health measures versus placebo: Study
After four weeks of supplementation with the chicken collagen produced by Avicenna Nutraceutical LLC, (Atlanta, GA) scores on the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) were reduced by 36.9%, compared to just 14.3% reductions in the placebo group.
Significant improvements were also observed after eight weeks of supplementation, with overall WOMAC scores reduced by 48.6% in the collagen group, compared to 31.0% in the placebo group.
“In this study, adults with joint-related discomfort, who were otherwise healthy and did not consume pain medication for the duration of the study, were randomized to receive either the AVC-H2, a hydrolyzed chicken collagen type II supplement, or an identical placebo,” wrote Anaam Mohammed from Pro Case Management Trials in Denver and Siran He from The George Washington University in Washington, DC in Nutrients.
“Findings of this study show that AVC-H2 is effective in reducing joint pain and stiffness, and in improving mobility. We also observed that it is a safe nutra-pharmaceutical for use by adults suffering from arthritis and other joint discomfort.”
Type II collagen
Mohammed and He noted that there are 28 types of collagen, and that type II collagen is among the most common. Indeed, of all the protein in our joint cartilage approximately 50% is type II collagen.
Avicenna’s Hydrolyzed Chicken Collagen Type II supplement was reportedly designed and developed in collaboration with scientists from the Rose–Hulman Institute of Technology in Indiana. The ingredient is covered by US Patent 10253090B2 issued in 2019.
Commenting on their study, Mohammed and He stated: “To our knowledge, this is the first study to assess the effects of a HCII supplement on joint symptoms in a population not consuming pain medication. It is also the first study to evaluate the efficacy of HCII on wrist discomfort in addition to knee and hip discomfort.”
Study details
Ninety men and women aged between 40 and 65 were recruited for the study. The participants all reported having joint discomfort but did not have arthritis and were not taking pain medications. They were randomly assigned to receive either the collagen supplement at a daily dose of 2.5 grams or placebo for eight weeks.
In addition to the improvements in overall WOMAC scores, Mohammed and He noted that the collagen group experienced significant reductions in WOMAC sub-score for stiffness after both four and eight weeks, and in the WOMAC sub-score in the difficulty in physical activities domain at both time points, compared to placebo.
“This may be explained by the process through which hydrolyzed collagen is absorbed intestinally, accumulates in the cartilage, and stimulates the regeneration of chondrocytes,” they explained. “That is, [Avicenna’s Hydrolyzed Chicken Collagen Type II] is suspected to target the underlying pathology of joint stiffness. Joint pain, a potential symptom of cartilage degradation, is thus addressed by the hydrolyzed collagen type II supplement.”
While greater reductions in the WOMAC pain domain at week four and eight were observed for the collagen group, the researchers noted that these were not statistically different from the placebo group.
“A longer study duration would allow for a further investigation into the effects of [Avicenna’s Hydrolyzed Chicken Collagen Type II] on joint pain and other associated discomfort and functional outcomes… Future studies should include relevant biomarkers (such as interleukin−6, C-reactive protein, and other sensitive inflammation markers) to investigate any potential biochemical disturbances,” wrote Mohammed and He.
Source: Nutrients
2021, 13(7), 2454; doi: 10.3390/nu13072454
“A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial to Evaluate the Efficacy of a Hydrolyzed Chicken Collagen Type II Supplement in Alleviating Joint Discomfort”
Authors: A. Mohammed and S. He
