Whether your customers are training for the marathon, dealing with everyday aches and pains or battling the stiffness that comes with aging, you probably get questions about which joint health supplements can help them find relief. And according to Joosang Park, PhD, vice president of scientific affairs at BioCell Technology, the customer base for joint health supplements keeps expanding because joint issues are a natural part of aging, which happens to everyone, and weight issues, which are a growing problem for Americans.

“Aging and obesity are two prominent risk factors affecting joint health. Intense, repeated load on the joints from work or sports activity also elevates its risk,” he explained. “This, suggests that we all may be customers.”

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Serious athletes and weekend warriors look to joint health supplements to enhance performance, prevent injury or achieve a speedy recovery. “Although aging individuals are likely to have different needs related more to maintaining joint health, an effective approach should remain the same, supporting the joint not partially but comprehensively,” Park said. And that approach is BioCell Collagen.

Collagen for healthy joints 

BioCell Collagen is a patented, naturally occurring matrix, which contains a unique composition of hydrolyzed collagen type II, chondroitin sulfate, and hyaluronic acid (HA). Each of these components plays a significant role in maintaining or rebuilding healthy joints.

Type II collagen is most abundant in the cartilage, but chronic aging and joint disease often lead to a diminished amount. According to Park, restoring it is critical for healthy cartilage and movable joints. But BioCell Collagen’s benefits don’t end there. HA is not only an essential component of cartilage, but it also acts as a lubricant, enabling fluid motion. Chondroitin sulfate, the third prong of attack in BioCell’s ingredient, provides a shock-absorbing function that contributes to overall joint comfort. “Thus, a most effective support of joint health cannot be achieved with supplements claiming to contain a certain type of collagen, but with supplements offering comprehensive mechanisms of action that can safely and effectively address the deterioration of collagen type II, chondroitin sulfate, and HA at the same time,” Park said.

BioCell Collagen put to the test

BioCell Collagen not only promotes active and more flexible joints, but it can also lead to a reduction in joint pain. The first clinical trial on BioCell Collagen was performed on 89 subjects. After 45 days of supplementation with 2 grams of the ingredient daily, 80 (or 89 percent) of the participants experienced pain relief—while only one subject taking a placebo reported relief.

Next, researchers turned their attention to BioCell Collagen’s effect on subjects with joint discomfort in a pilot study. Participants who supplemented for eight weeks found their physical difficulties reduced, as compared to those who took a placebo. After these encouraging results, researchers enrolled 80 participants in a clinical trial, which confirmed the pilot’s findings: “71 percent of the subjects who ingested BioCell Collagen (2 grams daily for 10 weeks) experienced a significant improvement of their mobility-restricting joint discomfort,” said Park, “whereas only 30 percent in the placebo group experienced a similar benefit.” This conclusive study was published in a prestigious scientific journal, the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

BioCell Collagen can be found as a stand-alone supplement, or combined with antioxidant or anti-inflammatory ingredients. Find BioCell Collagen in products like Hyaluronic Acid 120 mg Tablets (Solgar), Jusuru Life Blend (Jusuru), BioCell Collagen (Health Logics), NSF Sport Certified HA Joint Formula (Purity Products), and more.