Can Collagen Supplements Help Arthritis?

Arthritis is a joint disorder characterized by joint pain, stiffness, and swelling. It most commonly affects the knees, hips, hands, and spine. There are two primary types of arthritis: osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Osteoarthritis is caused by a loss of cartilage, largely due to wear and tear. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition whereby your immune system mistakenly damages your joints.

As a joint loses cartilage, the bone grows to try to repair the damage, but this bone growth can worsen the situation, making the joint feel painful and unstable, which can affect its physical function. This leads to decreased joint mobility and can negatively impact one’s quality of life.

Researchers estimate that by 2040, about 78 million (26%) US adults aged 18 years or older are projected to have doctor-diagnosed arthritis.[1]

The question then becomes: what can we do in our younger years to support joint health as we get older?

Nail the basics:

• Eat a healthy diet (lean proteins, healthy fats, complex carbohydrates, fruits, veggies while limiting pro-inflammatory foods like ultra-processed foods, deep fried foods, alcohol, etc.)
• Get enough sleep (7-9 hours per night)
• Maintain high levels of physical activity
• Use good form when performing resistance training/high-intensity workouts

Still, Father Time catches us all, and our bodies’ ability to effectively recover and rebuild itself diminishes across the decades, which can impact joint health. One of the key proteins involved in joint integrity and function is collagen.

What is Collagen and Why Is It Important?

Collagen is the primary structural protein of the body found in your hair, skin, nails, bones, ligaments, blood vessels, tendons, cartilage and joints. In other words, it is the “glue” that holds your body together.

Collagen is composed of three amino acids -- glycine, proline and hydroxyproline. There are 28 types of collagen in the body, but the majority of collagen in your body comes from types I, II, III.

• Type I: the most abundant is found in your skin, teeth, bones, tendons and ligaments.
• Type II: primarily found in cartilage. It lubricates your joints, allowing for smooth joint action and reducing friction between bones
• Type III: found in the skin, muscles, intestines, and blood vessels

Generally speaking, if you want to support healthy skin, hair and nails, look for supplements that are in collagen types I and III, such as 1UP Hydrolyzed Collagen Peptides. If you’re looking to support joint support, choose a supplement that contains collagen type II.

Hydrolyzed vs. Undenatured Collagen: Which is Better?

When it comes to choosing a collagen supplement, you’ll encounter two primary types:

• Hydrolyzed collagen (aka collagen peptides or collagen hydrolysate): is collagen protein that has been broken down (pre-digested) via enzymes. This is down to increase bioavailability and improve absorption. Hydrolyzed collagen can also make it easier for the collagen peptides to dissolve in liquids (both cold and hot).
• Undenatured collagen type II (UC-II): Undenatured collagen hasn’t been broken down or exposed to heat, acids or enzymes. It’s typically derived from chicken sternal cartilage and found in capsule form, though it can be used in powders. 

Why Take Collagen Supplements?

While our body’s can naturally build collagen from the protein and amino acids we consume, our ability to synthesize collagen proteins declines, starting around 25-30. After 40, we lose about 1% per year!

Declining collagen production contributes to slower recovery, delayed wound healing, and increased signs of aging -- thinning hair, wrinkles, etc.

Other lifestyle factors, including smoking, drinking alcohol, getting too much sun, exercising too little exercise, and sleep deprivation also impact collagen production.

You can increase your collagen intake by eating certain foods, such as bone broth or gelatin; however, these foods are common in Western diets. Fortunately, hydrolyzed collagen peptide supplements offer a convenient, affordable, and effective way to support the body’s collagen needs.

More specifically, when collagen peptides are consumed, they are readily absorbed, accumulate in cartilage tissue, and stimulate production of type II collagen (the major protein in articular cartilage) and proteoglycans in the extracellular matrix of cartilage.[2,3,4]

Can Collagen Supplements Help Arthritis: What the Research Says

Collagen supplements have been investigated for its utility in a wide variety of applications, including aging skin, wound healing, arthritis, bone health (osteoporosis) and cardiovascular health.

In regards to joint health & arthritis, specifically,  studies have demonstrated that consuming between 7–10 g of collagen hydrolysate per day for 3 months may lead to improvements in measurements of joint health or function, including reductions in pain, decreased dependency on pain medications, and improvements in leg strength.[5,6,7]

Additional studies also find that consuming 10 grams of collagen supplementation/day may increase collagen within the knee, too![8]

Moreover, a 24-week study in healthy, young athletes given 10 grams of hydrolyzed collagen per day showed improvements of joint pain.[9] Researchers concluded the study by noting that collagen may “possibly reduce the risk of joint deterioration in a high-risk group.”[9]

Finally, a  meta-analysis of randomized, placebo-controlled trials concluded that “...collagen is effective in improving OA symptoms…”.[10]

What Else You Should Know

Collagen Can Be Enjoyed Anytime of Day

Some influencers claim that collagen can only work at certain times of day, and thus should only be consumed at certain points. The truth is that collagen protein is just another form of protein. It  digests easily and can be enjoyed any time of day -- pre workout, post workout, breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack, etc.

It’s Fine to Combine Whey + Collagen

There’s absolutely no logical or research-backed reason why an individual couldn’t combine a serving of collagen with their serving of whey protein, or mix a scoop of collagen into a bowl of Greek yogurt. We constantly combine protein sources at other meals -- bacon & eggs, cheeseburgers, surf & turf, etc.

Combining whey (or clear protein) + collagen peptides delivers a robust amino acid profile that supports muscle recovery, joint function, and healthy hair, skin & nails.

It’s OK to Heat Collagen

Last, but not least, is the belief that collagen should not be heated for fear it may “denature” the protein. This myth also plagued whey protein for decades.

The reality is that heat does not “destroy” protein sources or make them lower quality. If that was the case, we should be eating all of our protein sources (steak, chicken, fish, shellfish) in a raw state.

Furthermore, the job of our digestive system is to break down complex protein structures into smaller chains of amino acids so that they can be more easily absorbed in the small intestines. As such, hydrolyzed collagen can be incorporated (without worry) in hot (and cold) beverages and foods, including coffee, tea, matcha, oatmeal, and yogurt.

So go ahead and add 1UP Hydrolyzed Collagen whenever, however, and into whatever food or beverage you want!

References

1. https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/data_statistics/arthritis-related-stats.htm
2. Oesser S, Adam M, Babel W, Seifert J. Oral administration of (14)C labeled gelatin hydrolysate leads to an accumulation of radioactivity in cartilage of mice (C57/BL). J Nutr 1999; 129:1891-5
3. Oesser S, Seifert J. Stimulation of type II collagen biosynthesis and secretion in bovine chondrocytes cultured with degraded collagen. Cell Tissue Res 2003;311:393-9
4. Oesser S, Seifert J. Impact of collagen fragments on the synthesis and degradation of the extracellular matrix (ECM) of cartilage tissue. Orthopaedische Praxis 2005:565-8
5. Krug E. Zur unterstützenden Therapie bei Osteo- und Chondro- pathien [On supportive therapy for osteo- and chondropathy]. Z Erfahrungsheilkunde 1979;11:930-8
6. Adam M. Welche Wirkung haben Gelatinepräparate? Therapie der Osteoarthrose [What effects do gelatin preparations have?]. Therapiewoche 1991;41:2456-6
7. Zuckley L, Angelopoulou K, Carpenter MR, et al. Collagen hydrolysate improves joint function in adults with mild symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2004;36(Suppl):S153-S4
8. Shaw G, Lee-Barthel A, Ross ML, Wang B, Baar K. Vitamin C-enriched gelatin supplementation before intermittent activity augments collagen synthesis. Am J Clin Nutr. 2017;105(1):136-143. doi:10.3945/ajcn.116.138594
9. Clark K.L., Sebastianelli W., Flechsenhar K.R., Aukermann D.F., Meza F., Millard R.L., Deitch J.R., Sherbondy P.S., Albert A. 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;24:1485–1496. doi: 10.1185/030079908X291967.
10. García-Coronado JM, Martínez-Olvera L, Elizondo-Omaña RE, Acosta-Olivo CA, Vilchez-Cavazos F, Simental-Mendía LE, Simental-Mendía M. Effect of collagen supplementation on osteoarthritis symptoms: a meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials. Int Orthop. 2019 Mar;43(3):531-538. doi: 10.1007/s00264-018-4211-5. Epub 2018 Oct 27. PMID: 30368550.