24-Week study on the use of collagen hydrolysate as a dietary supplement in athletes with activity-related joint pain

Headnote

Key words: Articular cartilage - Athletes - Collagen hydrolysate - Joint pain - Nutritional supplements Proteoglycans - Type II collagen

ABSTRACT

Background: Collagen hydrolysate is a nutritional supplement that has been shown to exert an anabolic effect on cartilage tissue. Its administration appears beneficial in patients with osteoarthritis.

Objective: To investigate the effect of collagen hydrolysate on activity-related joint pain in athletes who are physically active and have no evidence of joint disease.

Design and setting: A prospective, randomized, 4 placebo-controlled, double-blind study was conducted at Penn State University in University Park, Pennsylvania. Parameters including joint pain, mobility, and inflammation were evaluated with the use of a visual analogue scale during a 24-week study phase.

Study participants: Between September 2005 and June 2006, 147 subjects who competed on a varsity team or a club sport were recruited. Data from 97 of 147 subjects could be statistically evaluated.

Intervention: One hundred and forty-seven subjects (72 male, 75 female) were randomly assigned to two groups: a group (n = 73) receiving 25 mL of a liquid formulation that contained 10 g of collagen hydrolysate (CH-Alpha)* and a group (n = 74) receiving a placebo, which consisted of 25 mL of liquid that contained xanthan.

Main outcome measures: The primary efficacy parameter was the change in the visual analogue scales from baseline during the study phase in relation to the parameters referring to pain, mobility, and inflammation.

Results: When data from all subjects (n = 97) were evaluated, six parameters showed statistically significant changes with the dietary supplement collagen hydrolysate (CH) compared with placebo: joint pain at rest, assessed by the physician (CH vs. placebo (-1.37 ± 1.78 vs. -0.90 ± 1.74 (p = 0.025)) and five parameters assessed by study participants: joint pain when walking (-1.11 ± 1.98 vs. -0.46 ± 1.63, p = 0.007), joint pain when standing (-0.97 ± 1.92 vs. -0.43 ± 1.74, p = 0.011), joint pain at rest (-0.81 ± 1.77 vs. -0.39 ± 1.56, p = 0.039), joint pain when carrying objects (-1.45 ± 2.11 vs. -0.83 ± 1.71, p = 0.014) and joint pain when lifting (-1.79 ± 2.11 vs. -1.26 ± 2.09, p = 0.018). When a subgroup analysis of subjects with knee arthralgia (n = 63)...