Impact of Specific Bioactive Collagen Peptides on Joint Discomforts in the Lower Extremity during Daily Activities: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

The intake of specific collagen peptides (SCPs) has been shown to decrease activity-related knee pain in young, physically active adults. This trial investigated the effect of a 12-week SCP supplementation in a wider age range of healthy men and women over 18 years with functional knee and hip pain during daily activities. A total of 182 participants were randomly assigned to receive either 5 g of specific collagen peptides (CP-G) or a placebo (P-G). Pain at rest and during various daily activities were assessed at baseline and after 12 weeks by a physician and participants using a 10-point numeric rating scale (NRS). The intake of 5 g SCP over 12 weeks significantly reduced pain at rest (p = 0.018) and during walking (p = 0.032) according to the physician’s evaluation. Participants in the CP-G also reported significantly less pain when climbing stairs (p = 0.040) and when kneeling down (p < 0.001) compared to the P-G. Additionally, after 12 weeks, restrictions when squatting were significantly lower in the CP-G compared with the P-G (p = 0.014). The daily intake of 5 g of SCP seems to benefit healthy adults with hip and knee joint discomforts by reducing pain during daily activities.