Collagen: Incomplete Protein or Vital Supplement Solution? You Decide!

"With collagen hydrolysate, the participants enjoyed reduced joint pain at rest, reduced joint pain when walking and standing, reduced joint pain when carrying objects, as well as reduced joint pain when lifting."

By Bill Campbell, PhD, and Erica Gritzer, University of South Florida

For years, collagen has been ignored as an incomplete protein. Certainly less than the more popular whey, casein, and even soy. But today, researchers are taking a new look.

Collagen, it turns out, is a multifunctional protein that is beginning to gain popularity with a number of diverse types of people, ranging from those who wish to improve the health of their skin to those who are treating and/or preventing osteoarthritis to athletes attempting to decrease and prevent activity-related joint pain.

It is true that there isn't what we'd call a plethora of scientific research on this valuable protein, yet. Clinical trials investigating the effects of collagen are becoming more prevalent, however, and the results of these investigations are promising.

So… What Is Collagen Anyway?

Collagen is the main protein of connective tissue in the human body for tendons, ligaments, bone, cartilage, and skin. In fact, collagen makes up about 50% of the whole body protein content. Since collagen does not contain all the essential amino acids (lacking tryptophan and containing small amounts of cysteine), it is categorized as an incomplete protein. However, the protein value of collagen relates not only to its amino acid composition but also to its combined effect with other nutritional proteins¹.

Collagen protein is derived from animal sources and is most often made available as "collagen hydrolysate." Collagen hydrolysate simply means that the collagen protein has been enzymatically or chemically processed to make it more digestible and more easily absorbed by the body. Another attribute of collagen hydrolysate is that it possesses excellent digestibility^{2, 3}. The following summarizes the scientific literature as it relates to the health-enhancing effects of oral collagen hydrolysate supplementation:

Role of Collagen in Preventing Joint Disease

Several clinical studies have suggested a role for collagen hydrolysate in the management of osteoarthritis, based on the fact that hydrolyzed collagen with its abundant amino acids plays a role in cartilage matrix synthesis^1,4.

According to published research, orally consumed collagen hydrolysate has been shown to be absorbed intestinally and to accumulate in cartilage⁵. Specifically, collagen hydrolysate ingestion stimulates a significant increase in the synthesis of extracellular matrix macromolecules by chondrocytes⁵. Translation: Chondrocytes are cells found in cartilage that produce and maintain the cartilaginous matrix. This is a key finding because anything able to increase the synthesis of collagen in joints and cartilage is beneficial for preventing and treating osteoarthritis as well as enhancing joint structure and integrity throughout your life.

This observation is particularly important for physically active individuals. Ten grams of collagen hydrolysate per day has been shown to be an effective dosage in clinical trials^1,6.

Collagen and Skin Health

Due to collagen hydrolysate's excellent bioavailability status and the fact that there is a high collagen content in the skin, research has been conducted on collagen intake and its effects on skin health⁷.

In one of these clinical investigations, researchers gave healthy Japanese women 10 grams of collagen hydrolysate or a placebo for 60 days and monitored the hydration status of their skin. A gradual, non-significant improvement of water absorption capacity was observed in those women who ingested the collagen hydrolysate in comparison with the placebo group. The investigator concluded that the unique amino acid and peptide profile of collagen may have been responsible for the positive effects observed on skin⁷.

Presently, there are few clinical investigations studying the effects of collagen hydrolysate on human skin health and rejuvenation. As to whether and to what extent administration of collagen hydrolysate is meaningful in a number of skin conditions or in the prevention of aging skin will have to be shown in further clinical research trials⁸. However, from the point of view of the mechanisms involved, the effects of collagen hydrolysate ingestion appear to be quite promising⁸.

Benefits of Collagen Ingestion for Athletes

Athletes, due to their consistent training regimes, impart significantly greater "ground reaction forces" compared to their sedentary counterparts. These ground reaction forces are primarily absorbed by the body's joints, and over time, this can result in joint degradation. For that reason, any nutritional means that improves the shock-absorbing capabilities of the joints could prevent injury and allow for uninterrupted, high-intensity training—something all athletes and fitness enthusiasts would welcome.

Since collagen hydrolysate has been shown to exert an anabolic (building) effect on cartilage tissue, there is a strong theoretical rationale for collagen hydrolysate improving joint structure and integrity in athletes leading to a reduction in joint pain.

Along this line of inquiry, researchers from Penn State University investigated the effect of collagen hydrolysate on activity-related joint pain in athletes who were physically active and had no evidence of joint disease⁹. During this 24-week study, the researchers measured joint pain, mobility, and inflammation. One group of athletes received 25 mL of a liquid formulation that contained 10 grams of collagen hydrolysate and another group of athletes received a liquid placebo. At the end of the 24-week investigation, it was reported that several parameters showed significant changes with the dietary supplement collagen hydrolysate compared to the placebo.

With collagen hydrolysate, the participants enjoyed reduced joint pain at rest, reduced joint pain when walking and standing, reduced joint pain when carrying objects, as well as reduced joint pain when lifting.

The results of this study have implications for the use of collagen hydrolysate to support joint health and possibly reduce the risk of joint deterioration in a high-risk group⁹ and to help us enjoy even more activity and intensity in our workouts and lives.

In addition, this study supports the ingestion of collagen hydrolysate to reduce parameters (i.e., pain) that have a negative impact on athletic performance.

Conclusion

Collagen protein (in the form of collagen hydrolysate) has been shown to improve skin hydration and decrease joint pain in both diseased and athletic populations. In addition, collagen hydrolysate possesses excellent bioavailability and is a relatively inexpensive source of protein.

So it's easy to understand its growing popularity and why athletes, fitness enthusiasts, and those attempting to improve their quality of life may benefit from collagen hydrolysate supplementation. (Again, most of the clinical studies demonstrated health benefits with ten grams of collagen hydrolysate per day.)

So don't be surprise if, in the near future, you start seeing a sharp increase in the number of scientific studies investigating the effects of collagen hydrolysate, particularly in athletic populations.

References

¹ Moskowitz RW. Role of Collagen Hydrolysate in Bone and Joint Disease. Seminars in Arthritis and Rheumatism, 30(2): October, 2000: pp 87-99.

²Baziwane D, He Q. Gelatin: the paramount food additive. Food Rev Int. 2003: 19:423-435.

³ Oesser S, Adam M, Babel W, et al. Oral administration of ¹⁴C labeled collagen hydrolysate leads to an accumulation of radioactivity in cartilage of mice. J Nutr. 1999: 129:1891-1895.

⁴ Seeligmuller K, Happel HK. Can a mixture of gelatin and L-cystine stimulate proteoglycan synthesis? Therapiewoche 1989; 39: 3153-57.

⁵ Bello AE, Oesser S. Collagen hydrolysate for the treatment of osteoarthritis and other joint disorders: a review of the literature. Curr Med Res Opin. 2006 Nov;22(11):2221-32.

⁶ Bagchi D, Misner B, Bagchi M, et al. Effects of orally administered undenatured type II collagen against arthritic inflammatory diseases: a mechanistic exploration. Int J Clin Pharmacol Res. 2002;22(3-4):101-10.

⁷ Zague V. A new view concerning the effects of collagen hydrolysate intake on skin properties. Arch Dermatol Res. 2008 Oct;300(9):479-83.

⁸ Adam M. Clinical data on collagen hydrolysate. In: Teppner M, (2004). Collagen Hydrolysate and its Relationship to Joint Health - A Scientific Compendium. GELITA Health Initiative, Eberbach, Germany. ISBN 3-936033-14-5.

⁹ Clark KL, Sebastianelli W, Flechsenhar KR, et al. 24-Week study on the use of collagen hydrolysate as a dietary supplement in athletes with activity-related joint pain. Curr Med Res Opin. 2008 May;24(5):1485-96.

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