Last month I investigated the benefits of taking collagen (or any other supplement) for the treatment of skin, hair, and nails. Surprisingly. the American Academy of Dermatology does not recommend collagen supplements for the treatment of skin, hair, and nails. But retinoids are often recommend. Check out the AAD article for some useful skin care information.
What about collagen for joint pain?
A comprehensive discussion titled “Collagen Supplementation for Joint Health” appears in the National Library of Medicine The key findings are: “Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disease, generating pain, disability, and socioeconomic costs worldwide. Currently there are no approved disease-modifying drugs for OA, and safety concerns have been identified with the chronic use of symptomatic drugs (over the counter drugs that relieve symptoms). In this context, nutritional supplements and nutraceuticals have emerged as potential alternatives. Among them, collagen is being a focus of particular interest,” The article goes on to describe the main types of collagens currently available in marketplace, focusing on those related to joint health.
So it seams that collagen can be an effective treatment for osteoarthritis, but what about rheumatoid arthritis (the other most common form of arthritis)?
Here, the role of collagen as a treatment is more in question. While many researchers report the anti-arthritogenic properties of collagen-based materials, collagen, especially type-II collagen (CII), has been widely used to induce arthritis by immunization into research animals.
Several family members and friends have been using collagen supplements and have experienced a reduction in joint pain. Experience differs and you would do well to see for yourself.
If I were suffering from joint pain of any kind, I would defiantly investigate collagen supplementation as a treatment. And, I would talk to my doctor.
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