May 24, 2006

6 Min Read
New Study Finds Key Role for Collagen Hydrolysate in Managing Chronic Joint Symptoms

DENVER, May 25, 2006 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Results from a new study with adult athletes at the German Olympic Center in Essen, Germany to be presented at the upcoming meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine find that during a 12-week(3) study period, 79 percent of the study's participants had statistically significant improvement in joint mobility and flexibility after a course of CH-Alpha(TM).

Study Design
The postmarketing surveillance study was conducted to determine whether CH-Alpha(TM), a nutritional supplement containing collagen hydrolysate, could ease restricted mobility and pain in athletes' knees or hips when walking or climbing stairs, or pain in the shoulder when lifting and manipulating objects above the head.

The objective of this postmarketing surveillance study was to determine whether oral use of Collagen Hydrolysate CH-Alpha(TM) in athletically active individuals suffering from arthralgia induced by high-intensity athletic activity confers benefit in terms of improvement in pain, functional limitations, or inflammatory activity.
This study aimed to determine whether participating athletes' subjective well-being and objective findings, as assessed by the treating physician, change when taking collagen hydrolysate and, if so, whether these changes can be quantified by selected outcome measures.

Subjects took 10g of Collagen Hydrolysate CH-Alpha(TM) per day for 12 weeks. Subjects were interviewed and assessed before starting to take collagen hydrolysate (baseline visit), during treatment (interim visit at 4 to 6 weeks after the start of therapy), and at the end of therapy (final visit at 12 weeks).

The study used both objective and subjective measures to determine the effects of CH-Alpha(TM) at a daily dosage of 10 grams over a 12-week period in 100 athletes from 15 to 80 years old. The objective measures included joint pain at rest, joint pain on movement, and functional limitations, all of which were rated for severity. A physician recorded the results for each measure before the athletes began taking CH-Alpha(TM), once again four to six weeks after they began taking the supplement, and at the end of the 12-week study.

The subjective measures used in the study, recorded by the athletes on a scale measuring intensity, included nighttime joint pain and pain while standing, walking, and climbing stairs for athletes who had hip or knee problems; they included pain during overhead activities or when lifting or carrying objects for those with shoulder pain. Each study participant rated these problems at an initial visit, once again four to six weeks after they began taking CH-Alpha(TM), and at the end of the 12-week study. At each visit the athletes also scored the tolerability and taste of the CH-Alpha(TM) supplement and recorded the dosages of analgesic and anti-inflammatory drugs they were taking to relieve pain and inflammation, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, corticosteroids, or COX-2 inhibitors.
Prevalence of Chronic Joint Symptoms in the U.S.

Chronic joint symptoms are the leading cause of disability in people aged 18 and older in the United States, ultimately affecting about 70 million people. This number is likely to climb significantly in the future as the population over age 50 is expected to double by 2020(8,9).

Results and Discussion
The results showed that during the 12-week study, most participants had marked improvement in most of the metrics employed, with significant improvements in mobility, hip or knee pain related to exertion and when walking up stairs, and in shoulder pain when lifting and manipulating objects above the head. Pain on movement was eased in 78.2 percent of the 86 subjects whose study results were fully evaluated. In athletes with hip or knee pain and those with shoulder pain, 79.1 percent had reduced pain when climbing stairs or lifting heavy objects respectively. The athletes also gave CH-Alpha(TM) good subjective scores for tolerance and taste. Additionally, the study found that there was a decreased use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin and ibuprofen.

CH-Alpha(TM)
CH-Alpha(TM) is a pleasant-tasting liquid in a vial providing 10 grams of collagen hydrolysate, a unique collection of proteins and amino acids (the building blocks necessary for joint health). Unlike other supplements, CH-Alpha(TM) is a natural product with an amino acid composition nearly identical to the collagen found in the extracellular matrix in joints. It is the only product proven to stimulate chondrocytes, which are responsible for the maintenance of the extracellular matrix. Studies have shown that CH-Alpha(TM) increases the concentration of type II collagen and proteoglycans through the stimulation of chondrocytes. When the collagen hydrolysate in CH-Alpha(TM) is ingested, Bioactive Collagen Peptides(TM) are absorbed intact and accumulate in the joint, where they help stimulate collagen synthesis.

The CH-Alpha(TM) used in the Olympic Center study was developed and is marketed by GELITA Health Products (GHP), which has supported scientific research on collagen hydrolysate since the late 1970s. CH-Alpha(TM) was created specifically for people with joint stiffness, reduced joint flexibility from cartilage breakdown, and other chronic joint symptoms, and has been proven in clinical studies to promote joint health with increased motion and flexibility when taken daily for more than three months.

The collagen hydrolysate in CH-Alpha(TM) is free of preservatives, additives, cholesterol, and saturated fatty acids, and is made in compliance with the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA)'s Good Manufacturing Practices. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the CH in CH-Alpha(TM) as being Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) as an ingredient of food, indicating its safety for long-term use.
References

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labeled gelatin hydrolysate leads to an accumulation of radioactivity
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secretion in bovine chondrocytes cultured with degraded collagen. Cell
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3. Krug, E. Zur unterstutzenden Therapie bei Osteo- und Chondropathien.
Zeitschrift fur Erfahrungsheilkunde 11:930-938, 1979.
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92:3130-3134, 1982.
5. Oberschelp, U. Individuelle Arthrosetherapie ist moglich. Therapiewoche
44:5094-5097, 1985.
6. Adam, M. Welche Wirkung haben Gelatinepraparate? Therapiewoche 41:2456-
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7. Moskowitz, RW. Role of collagen hydrolysate in bone and joint disease.
Semin. Arthritis Rheum. 30(2): 87-99, 2000.
8. Bolen J, Helmick CG, Sacks JJ, Langmaid G. Prevalence of self-reported
arthritis or chronic joint symptoms among adults-United States, 2001.
Morb and Mortal Wkly Rep. 51:948-950, 2002.
9. United States Bone and Joint Decade. Facts & Figures: Fast facts on the
bone and joint decade. Available at http://www.usbjd.org/about/.
Accessed May 19, 2006.

For More Information:

Amy Maggio
Gelita Health Products
773-944-0477
[email protected]

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