Plain language summary
Osteoporosis is a complex disease involving aspects of ageing, gender, malnutrition, and genetics. Once diagnosed, therapies such as exercise and dietary changes may slow disease progression, however improvements are unlikely. Collagen is a protein in bones that naturally decreases with age. Animal studies on collagen supplementation have shown improved bone density. This randomised control trial aimed to determine the effects of 12 months of collagen supplementation on bone density in 130 postmenopausal women with reduced bone density. The results showed that bone density in the hip significantly increased after supplementation with collagen whereas individuals who did not take collagen reported worsening bone density. Markers for bone formation were significantly increased and those which show bone breakdown were decreased following collagen supplementation. It was concluded that collagen supplementation significantly increases bone mineral density through increased bone building markers. This study could be used by healthcare professionals to recommend collagen supplementation to increase bone mineral density in individuals at high risk of developing osteoporosis.
Abstract
Introduction: Investigations in rodents as well as in vitro experiments have suggested an anabolic influence of specific collagen peptides (SCP) on bone formation and bone mineral density (BMD). The goal of the study was to investigate the effect of 12-month daily oral administration of 5 g SCP vs. placebo (CG: control group) on BMD in postmenopausal women with primary, age-related reduction in BMD. Methods: 131 women were enrolled in this randomized, placebo-controlled double-blinded investigation. The primary endpoint was the change in BMD of the femoral neck and the spine after 12 months. In addition, plasma levels of bone markers-amino-terminal propeptide of type I collagen (P1NP) and C-telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX 1)-were analysed. Results: A total of 102 women completed the study, but all subjects were included in the intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis (age 64.3 ± 7.2 years; Body Mass Index, BMI 23.6 ± 3.6 kg/m²; T-score spine -2.4 ± 0.6; T-score femoral neck -1.4 ± 0.5). In the SCP group (n = 66), BMD of the spine and of the femoral neck increased significantly compared to the control group (n = 65) (T-score spine: SCP +0.1 ± 0.26; CG -0.03 ± 0.18; ANCOVA p = 0.030; T-score femoral neck: SCP +0.09 ± 0.24; CG -0.01 ± 0.19; ANCOVA p = 0.003). P1NP increased significantly in the SCP group (p = 0.007), whereas CTX 1 increased significantly in the control group (p = 0.011). Conclusions: These data demonstrate that the intake of SCP increased BMD in postmenopausal women with primary, age-related reduction of BMD. In addition, SCP supplementation was associated with a favorable shift in bone markers, indicating increased bone formation and reduced bone degradation.
Methodological quality
Jadad score
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4
Allocation concealment
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No
