Combining Hydrolyzed Collagen with Calcium and Vitamin D improves bone health better than combining Calcium and D only

Combining Hydrolyzed Collagen with Calcium and Vitamin D improves bone health better than combining Calcium and D only

    This April, research supporting the use of Hydrolyzed Collagen for bone health was presented at the Experimental Biology 2014 Annual Scientific Meeting. Combining Collagen, Calcium and Vitamin D was superior to Calcium and Vitamin D only for improving bone strength in post-menopausal women. The research was conducted by Bahram H. Arjmandi, Ph. D, RD, who is Chair of the Department of Nutrition, Food, and Exercise Sciences at Florida State University (FSU).

Random controlled clinical studies show that calcium alone is not the best option for supporting bone health. It is medically important for post-menopausal women to know that achieving optimal bone health requires mimicking Mother Nature, for the best in stopping bone loss by improving bone strength and slowing bone resorption (breakdown); the destruction, disappearance, or dissolution of bones. Calcium alone is not the best answer.

Osteoporosis is a major public health threat for an estimated 44 million Americans or 55 percent of the people 50 years of age and older. In the U.S. today, eight million women and two million men are estimated to already have the disease and almost 34 million more are estimated to have low bone mass, placing them at increased risk for osteoporosis. Even with osteopenia, or low bone mass, the scenario before osteoporosis, the increased risk of bone fracture already exists.

     In the study thirty-nine women were randomly assigned to receive hydrolyzed collagen along with 500 milligrams of calcium and 200 International Units of Vitamin D or they were in a second group that received 500 milligrams of calcium and 200 IU of Vitamin D (control). The collagen is hydrolyzed meaning it is reduced to a smaller molecular size so people can actually absorb it. Total Bone Mineral Density (BMD) and BMD of the lumbar spine and hip were evaluated at baseline, six months and twelve months using duel-absorption x-ray. Blood was collected at baseline, six and twelve months to assess serum biomarkers of bone turnover. Adding Collagen to the Calcium and Vitamin D prevented the loss of whole body BMD at twelve months when compared to the Vitamin D and Calcium only group. The Collagen group had reduced levels of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP5B) at six months and higher bone specific alkaline phosphatase (BAP) /TRAP5B ratio at six months and tended to be higher at twelve months whereas there were no changes in control meaning there was a decrease in the breakdown of bone when Collagen was added to the other nutrients.