Collagen, used in anti-aging creams to combat wrinkles, is now being used to restore health to diseased and painful joints.

 

A study at the university of Munich & Stamford university in the US on 2000 men and women with osteoarthritis of the hip and knee found it reduced pain and increased mobility in more than 75% of cases.  Patients who took supplements of collagen hydrolysate daily for three months were able to reduce pain-relieving medication significantly.  Few side effects were reported.

 

The findings could offer relief for more than eight million people in the UK suffering from painful joints and reduced mobility caused by arthritis.  Many rely on anti-inflammatory medications but these can damage the gut lining, causing ulceration.

 

Used by British Olympic athletes to speed their recovery from sports injuries, collagen supplements help to restore joints to health.  Collagen is the most common protein in the body "We need it for healthy joints, physical resilience and the ability to recover from injuries," explains Professor Greg Whyte, senior physiologist at Liverpool University and advisor to the British Olympic Team. "Yet we lose 1.5 per cent of our collagen every year after 25, by 40, we have lost 30 per cent."

 

The form of collagen you take is vital.  "Collagen Hydrolysate is the form that is proven to be effective in trials," says Professor Whyte. 

 

A Daily serving of Collagen Plus or Activ Vite provides 7.5g - 8.7g of Collagen Hydrolysate respectively which equates to approximately 18-22 capsules (500mg) per day.