Collagen & Bone Health
According to a pioneering study* carried out by French National Institute for Agronomic Research (INRA) in 2019, collagen peptide supplementation can have a positive impact on bone metabolism; meaning that taking collagen can support the body’s process of maintaining bone strength.
The study made use of a groundbreaking approach that involved clinical screening. The findings show that, when taken as a supplement, collagen peptides (which are easily absorbed by the body) can boost the remodeling process by stimulating osteoblasts (the cells associated with bone formation), while at the same time inhibiting osteoclasts (the cells that cause the bone to break down).
With the available evidence mounting, collagen peptide supplementation can be used alongside calcium and Vitamin D as part of a combined approach to supporting good bone health.
* Wauquier, F., et al. 2019 “Human Enriched Serum Following Hyrdrolised Collagen Absorption Modulates Bone Cell Activity”.
Osteoporosis
Your bones are made of minerals, mostly calcium phosphate and magnesium, to give the bone strength, and collagen, a long fibrous protein, to provide flexibility and connect bodily tissues.
The 206 bones in your skeleton provide, together with joints, a frame to support the soft parts of your body and protect the internal organs.
When the bone density is reduced osteoporosis can occur, which is one of the most common bone diseases. Osteoporosis is a progressive disease in which the amount of calcium present in the bones slowly decreases to the point where the bones become brittle and prone to fracture. In other words, the bone loses density.
Osteoporosis is a major problem in Ireland. The Irish Osteoporosis Society estimates that 300,000 people in Ireland have osteoporosis. One in four men and one in two women over 50 will fracture a bone as a result of osteoporosis.
Unfortunately, bone loss causes no symptoms while it is occurring. It is very common for a woman to be totally unaware that she has osteoporosis until what should have been a minor accident causes her to break a bone, often a wrist or hip.