Cartilage
the shock absorbers of our body
The end of each bone in the joints has a layer of cartilage. Due to its smooth surface it allows a low friction movement of the joints. As it has a great elasticity it acts as well as a shock absorber. It can take big forces and act as a cushion at strong impact and for sudden movements.
the shock absorbers of our body
Unfortunately, the regenerative potential of the biomechanical properties of cartilage is very low. When it comes to a damage of the cartilage our body as barely the faculty to repair it. Swelling and pain of the joint can be the consequences of such a situation. Triggers of such a damage can be various, as e.g. injuries in sports or daily life, malalignment of body parts or wear of cartilage due to increasing age.
Treatment possibilities are limited. There are surgical and conservative treatment patterns. Already with targeted physical activities it can be helped reach relief for patients. In this case it is always important to consult medical professionals. Furthermore, healthy nutrition and additional food supplements might help in such an uncomfortable situation. The effects of food supplements (specific collagen peptides) on the cartilage has been investigated in different clinical studies or case series 1-5.
References
- Oesser S, Raabe A, Schunck M ‘Orally administered collagen hydrolysate halts the progression of osteoarthritis in STR/ort mice’ Osteoarthritis and Cartilage 2017, Vol. 15, Supplement C61-C62, 94
- Clark KL, Sebastianelli W, Flechsenhar KR, Aukermann DF, Meza F, Millard RL, Deitch JR, Sherbondy PS, Albert A ‘24-Week study on the use of collagen hydrolysate as a dietary supplement in athletes with activity-related joint pain.’ Current Medical Research and Opinion, 2008; Vol. 24 (5); 1485–1496
- McAlindon TE, Nuite M, Krishnan N, Ruthazer R, Price LL, Burstein D, Griffith J ‘Change in knee osteoarthritis cartilage detected by delayed gadolinium enhanced magnetic resonance imaging following treatment with collagen hydrolysate: a pilot randomized controlled trial’ Osteoarthritis and Cartilage 19 (2011) 399 – 405
- Zdzieblik D, Oesser S, Gollhofer A, König D ‘Improvement of activity-related knee joint discomfort following supplementation of specific collagen peptide ’ Appl Phsiol Nutr Metab. 2017 Jun;42(6):588-595
- Gonçalves FK. Impact of collagen hydrolysate in middle-aged athletes with knee and ankle osteochondral lesions: A case series. Int J Case Rep Images 2017;8(6):364–369.