Benicia, CA—The use of undenatured type II collagen is well known to benefit those with long-term joint discomfort. Now, new research from the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition says it might be helpful to healthy individuals after exercise.

For four months, 27 individuals with no history of arthritis were given 40 mg of a branded collagen (UC-II from InterHealth Nutraceutical, based here) and 28 people took a placebo. Before the study. everyone reported having knee pain after a standardized stepmill test. At the 90- and 120-day marks after supplementation, however, the collagen group had far better knee extension ability than the placebo group. The latter group had no change in knee extension at all.

In addition, after supplementation for four months, the collagen group could exercise longer (about three minutes more) before feeling joint discomfort. Of note, after the study period, five individuals in the collagen group reported no pain during or after the stepmill test; only one person in the placebo group reported this effect.

“This healthy-subject study, which excluded individuals with arthritic disease, could be the basis for future research in the joint-health category. With this publication, we hope to pave the way for future research that promotes not only InterHealth’s ingredients, but the industry’s growth as well,” stated InterHealth’s vice president of business development and research, James Lugo, Ph.D., lead author of the published study.

The main study investigator was Jay Udani, M.D., CEO of Medicus Research in Agoura Hills, CA.

Published in WholeFoods Magazine, January 2014 (online 11/20/13)