Background

Supplementation with collagen (the central protein of skin, bone structure, and connective tissue) may improve skin elasticity, bone mineral density (BMD), and joint pain.

The study

In this 3-month randomized controlled trial, 52 postmenopausal women with osteopenia (reduced BMD often associated with aging) were divided into two groups. Both groups took comparable amounts of calcium and vitamin D. One group also took 5 grams of collagen peptides (aka hydrolyzed collagen), while the other took a placebo.

The results

Collagen peptides improved bone turnover (i.e., bone formation) in women with compromised bone health.

Note

The sample size was small and the duration short. Moreover, since all the participants had osteopenia, we don’t know how collagen peptides would affect bone health in people without this condition.

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This Study Summary was published on September 4, 2020.