Doctors used to say that calcium and vitamin D were the most important nutrients for improving skeletal health. True, these are extremely important, but if we don't also emphasize the need for optimal daily protein intake--collagen protein is the structural foundation of bone--it would be like saying all we need to warm a house in winter is to add more insulation to it's walls. But if that home has deteriorating framework, unable to hold the insulation in place, the insulation will sag and the home will not retain heat. A lack of adequate protein for new collagen formation during bone remodeling, slows or prevents the formation of new bone resulting in lower bone density, poorer bone quality, and an increased risk for fracture.
Collagen forms the structural framework of bone. It makes up approximately 30% of the total
protein in our body and about 90% of the protein in bone. In fact, the word protein is Greek for "of prime importance" and collagen means "glue"....it literally holds bone, and us, together. We need at least 60 to 80 grams of dietary protein each day for optimal overall health. It is from protein that we get the amino acids, 20 of them, necessary not only for cell growth and repair, but for the formation of enzymes, hormones, antibodies, and of course, to maintain a strong healthy skeleton.
Supplementing our diet with collagen powder products is an excellent way to provide the amino acids necessary for healthy tissues of all kinds. Whether of bovine, piscine, egg, chicken, or porcine origin, and regardless of its classification (type I, II, III, IV, or V), all hydrolyzed collagen powder products benefit health by providing the basic amino acid building blocks for protein biosynthesis. Protein is the macronutrient necessary for the synthesis of muscle, and also for collagen, the basic substance of every connective tissue in the body and the primary component of skin, joints, blood vessels, and bone. This is why people who supplement with collagen powder have less wrinkles, more supple joints, lower blood pressure, and stronger bones.
The collagen found in bone is type I, a triple helical molecule made of repeat glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline amino acids. If you are looking for a collagen product specific to improving bone health, it should therefore be a type I. Products with type II, and type III can be helpful but these other types of collagens are more suitable for targeting skin and joint issues.
Unfortunately, not all type I collagen products are created equal. OsteoNaturals' OsteoCollagen-Pep™ (Fortibone® by Gelita) is unique among collagen products as it not only provides the amino acids necessary for collagen synthesis, but due to a highly controlled hydrolization process in its manufacturing that preserves specific Bioactive Collagen Peptides®, this product has been clinically shown to promote bone building activity. Approximately 10% of the Bioactive Collagen Peptides® in OsteoCollagen-Pep™ are absorbed intact and bind directly to receptor sites on bone cells (90% are broken down into amino acids providing substrate for building bone). In a 2017 study of 131 postmenopausal women, just 5 grams a day for one year increased P1NP (a bone formation marker), and improved bone mineral density in the spine by 4% and in the femoral neck by 7%. By providing the basic amino acid building blocks for quality bone formation AND Bioactive Collagen Peptides® that stimulate cells to build bone, OsteoCollagen-Pep™ provides a dynamic one-two-punch that epitomizes OsteoNaturals' slogan: "Where Bone Strength Begins®".
(These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This
product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.)