Have you ever wondered why those typical complaints of aging -- painful joints, weak bones, wrinkled skin and thinning hair -- are so typical in the first place, and why they tend to occur simultaneously? Is there a common thread among these symptoms that could lead to a better understanding of what’s going wrong, and possibly even how to make it better?

Scores of research studies on these and other age-related conditions point to the weakening of the body’s connective tissue as an underlying factor. In particular, it appears the loss or degradation of the collagen matrix is a critical problem. Many of these same studies prove that when collagen loss is stabilized through supplementation, those same typical aging complaints are often alleviated, improved and sometimes even reversed.

What is collagen?

Known as the “glue of life,” collagen is a fibrous protein that underlies all connective tissue in the body. It makes up a large percentage of our bones, cartilage, skin and tendons, and provides these and other tissues firmness, shock absorption and overall strength and structure.

Even though collagen has a tensile strength greater than steel, it also has an amazing ability to flex, stretch and spring back into shape. This is partly because collagen binds with water. In healthy joint cartilage, for example, force applied on the collagen-rich structure causes fluid inside to redistribute while absorbing the pressure, then rush back into position when the pressure is off. Collagen’s water-binding power also helps keep skin hydrated, supple and smooth, and better able to “bounce back” into shape.

When we are young, our collagen structure is strong and healthy, tightly bound and able to hold water. Our joints don’t ache when we walk or run, and our skin appears healthy and taut. As we age, however, collagen production begins to slow down. Starting at around age 25, collagen fibres in connective tissue gradually become fewer and farther between, and are less able to bind to water. Therefore the joint cartilage becomes stiffer and offers less cushioning power. The skin becomes thinner, less elastic and less able to hold its shape as the collagen network shrinks.

While age is the major factor in collagen loss, some of this degradation is also due to free radical damage -- exposure to UV light, pollution, cigarette smoke, X-rays, drugs, and many other factors over which we have only limited control. Certain immune-related conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, may also lead to the destruction of collagen.

So how can we ensure that our vital collagen is plentiful and remains strong as we age to support joint and skin health? Research indicates that taking collagen supplements is a key measure, along with focusing on some nutrients that enable the body’s own production of collagen. These studies also demonstrate that collagen supplements are well absorbed and can have dramatic effects on a few common age-related health conditions.

Collagen and arthritis

According to recent statistics, close to 5 million Canadians suffer from arthritis, most of them women. As the population continues to age, the number of cases is expected to climb. A growing number of clinical, laboratory and animal studies indicates that collagen supplements can regenerate joint cartilage, ease stiffness and pain, and improve joint function in both major types of the disease – osteo- and rheumatoid arthritis.

Collagen hydrolysate is a well researched natural collagen derivative which contains the same amino acid profile as Type II collagen, the type found most abundant in our joint cartilage. In one key laboratory study, collagen hydrolysate was added to cultures of chondrocytes -- specialized cells found in joints which produce and regulate cartilage. Researchers found that the collagen hydrolysate boosted production of Type II collagen in those cells by 250%.

The same research team, led by Dr Steffen Oesser of the University of Kiel, Germany, found that collagen hydrolysate is absorbed rapidly in the intestine and produces a doubling in the quantity of the nutrient accumulated within cartilage tissue, compared to a control group.

David Wirth is a freelance writer who’s been working in the natural health field for nearly 20 years.

Source: alive Web Exclusive, October 2009