When it comes to healthy, strong bones, we often think of calcium, vitamin D, vitamin K and other nutrients that we have known about for years which help support healthy bones, yet most of us don't associate collagen for strong bones. But does taking collagen help your bones? Would taking collagen prevent menopausal bone loss?

Before we investigate these questions, let's briefly look at collagen. Collagen is a protein made of long chains of amino acids which are woven into a triple helix which gives it the strength to support skin, tendons, ligaments, and bones. There are many types of collagen with variations in how the molecules are arranged but all of them essentially contain proline, glycine, and hydroxyproline amino acids. Collagen is also found in blood vessels, in the lining of intestinal walls, and our internal organs. With so many glands and tissues requiring collagen, it is not a surprise that collagen is roughly 30% of total protein in the body, levels of which decline from our mid-twenties.

Does collagen help bone repair?

Our bones undergo a constant process of being broken down and rebuilt, and like many other processes this is balanced, and our bone density is kept stable. As we age, the rebuilding declines and so the result is that our bones start to become brittle which for some can lead to problems such as brittle bone disease or osteoporosis.

Bone tissues are rich in collagen. Bone tissue contains between 30% and 40% of collagen and forms a collagen matrix on which minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and silica can deposit onto to maintain strong bones.

Decreased collagen content of bone is one of the primary reasons for brittle bones and low bone density. The amount of collagen in bone tissue governs the number of sites that minerals such as calcium can bond onto, and if the amount of collagen is low, then this increases the risk for brittle bone disease and fractures. 

Which type of collagen is best for bones?

Whilst there are 28 identified types of collagens in the body, the predominant type for skin, bones and joints is Type I which makes up 90% of the collagen in the body. Essentially all collagen types have at least one triple helical structure, but they differ in the arrangement of amino acids which allows collagen flexability, for example if it is required for tendons.

A few simple facts to think about:

Osteoporosis is a condition characterised by low bone mass and deterioration of the bone matrix.¹

Osteopenia, the early stages of osteoporosis, can begin at the age of 35 years when bone mass gradually declines.²

The risk of bone fractures appears to be doubling every ten years in both sexes. ³

Initial studies into collagen peptides showed promising results on their effect on bone density. The studies were then carried out in post-menopausal women who took collagen peptides for a year. The results were increased bone density in the lumbar spine and upper femur. The studies also showed higher levels of a biomarker that influences bone formation. The benefits continued even at the four-year period of taking collagen peptides.⁴

These results were obtained using collagen peptides which are rather large molecules comprising of between 30 and 100 amino acids so their absorption is still limited when you compare them to collagen tripeptides.

Collagen Tripeptides (CTP) are the smallest unit of collagen comprising of only three amino acids. Because of their size, they are totally absorbed from the gut directly into the bloodstream. CTP’s innovative characteristic means it is absorbed by all collagen-affiliated organs including skin, bones, cartilage, and tendons.⁵

Loss of bone density and bone stability are increasingly becoming major health concerns due to increased human lifespan. Collagen improves bone mass and taking collagen supplements such as Collagen Tripeptide Complex may help improve bone density and slow down the development of brittle bone disease, especially when taken alongside calcium for those who may already have brittle bone disease.

If you are already taking a calcium supplement for bones, it might be beneficial to also introduce Collagen Tripeptide Complex alongside your calcium supplement whether prescribed or otherwise.

Tips to help strengthen bones

Bones are made of living tissue, and they get stronger if you use them daily. Bones stay strong if you give them work to do especially weight-bearing and muscle strengthening exercises.⁶

Low impact exercises include walking, marching, stamping, stair climbing, and hill walking whereas moderate impact exercises include jogging, running, skipping, hopping, and stamping with more force.

It is generally better to start with low impact and then perhaps gradually move to moderate impact exercise.

A balanced diet includes sufficient protein, calcium, vitamins K and D. Calcium is a major building block for our bones and as we age, a woman’s requirement will increase. These vary from country to country and in the UK the suggested daily amount is 700 mg per day of calcium for post-menopausal women unless suffering from brittle bone disease. Dietary calcium is obviously the preferred route but it can be difficult to achieve the daily suggested intake, so speak to your GP for their view.

Avoid negative lifestyle habits such as smoking and excessive alcohol intake.

Identify your risk factors. Anyone over the age of 50 who has had a previous fracture is at double the risk to someone who has not had a fracture. If your family has a history of osteoporosis then you are at higher risk.

REFERENCES:

1. ALVES RD, DEMMERS JA, BEZSTAROSTI K, VAN DER EERDEN BC, VERHAAR JA, EIJKEN M, VAN LEEUWEN JP (2011) UNRAVELING THE HUMAN BONE MICROENVIRONMENT BEYOND THE CLASSICAL EXTRACELLULAR MATRIX PROTEINS: A HUMAN BONE PROTEIN LIBRARY. J PROTEOME RES 10:4725-4733
2. RAISZ LG (2005) PATHOGENESIS OF OSTEOPOROSIS: CONCEPTS, CONFLICTS, AND PROSPECTS. J CLIN INVEST 115:3318-3325
3. COLE ZA, DENNISON EM, COOPER C (2009) THE IMPACT OF METHODS FOR ESTIMATING BONE HEALTH AND THE GLOBAL BURDEN OF BONE DISEASE. SALUD PUBLICA MEX 51 SUPPL 1:S38-S45
4. Specific Bioactive Collagen Peptides in Osteopenia and Osteoporosis: Long-Term Observation in Postmenopausal Women
   Denise Zdzieblik 1,✉, Steffen Oesser 1, Daniel König 2,3
5. Favourable effects of Collagen Tripeptide on Healing Bone Tissue. Yamamoto Rumiko, Sakai Yuso. Food and Food Ingredients Journal of Japan. Volume 210. Page 9.
6. Royal Osteoporosis Society