Calling All Collagen

• Revered as a beauty booster for healthy skin, type I collagen is a major structural protein, accounting for 25% of total body protein and is most commonly found in the skin, connective tissues, and you guessed it, the bones.^{1 2} 
• In animal studies, intake of hydrolyzed collagen (HC) peptides has been shown to improve bone mineral density and bone mineral content, and to increase the quantity of type I collagen in the bone matrix.^{3 4}
• In a study of postmenopausal women with osteoporosis, oral intake of collagen hydrolysate taken in conjunction with calcitonin (a naturally occurring hormone that regulates calcium levels and is involved in bone building) led to a significant decline in bone collagen breakdown compared to those taking calcitonin alone. “These results suggest that dietary collagen peptides would effectively prevent age-related bone loss,” researchers concluded. ^{5 6 7}

Silica Strong

• As the second most abundant element in the Earth's crust, silicon is involved in the earliest stages of collagen production and bone formation. In fact, it’s impossible to form bone without calcium and silicon! ^{8 9 10}
• Silica—the bioactive form of silicon—is associated with bone strengthening by enhancing calcium absorption, and strengthening collagen protein by creating and maintaining collagen. This leads to greater flexibility in the bones, helps form new bone, and strengthens mature bone. ^{11 12} 
• Recently, two studies have reported that dietary silicon intake is associated with higher bone mineral density.¹³

Building With Boron 

• What boron does for bone health cannot be underestimated. This naturally occurring trace mineral plays an active role in preventing calcium loss and bone demineralization and increases calcium absorption in peri-and postmenopausal women. ^{14 15}
• Dietary boron influences the metabolism of several micronutrients essential for bone health, including calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D. ¹⁶
• In college age females, boron supplementation was shown to be related to an increase in bone mineral density. ¹⁷ It’s also associated with preventing osteoporosis, treating conditions like arthritis, and increasing bone strength. ¹⁸

With collagen, boron, and silica, there are no bones about it… you’re giving yourself a leg up on bone health! 

Resources

¹ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3750261/#B4

² Oishi Y, Fu ZW, Ohnuki Y, Kato H, Noguchi T. Molecular basis of the alteration in skin collagen metabolism in response to in vivo dexamethasone treatment: effects on the synthesis of collagen type I and III, collagenase, and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases. Br J Dermatol. 2002;147(5):859–868. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2133.2002.04949.x

³ Wu J, Fujioka M, Sugimoto K, Mu G, Ishimi Y. Assessment of effectiveness of oral administration of collagen peptide on bone metabolism in growing and mature rats. J Bone Miner Metab.2004;22(6):547–553. doi: 10.1007/s00774-004-0522-2

⁴ Nomura Y, Oohashi K, Watanabe M, Kasugai S. Increase in bone mineral density through oral administration of shark gelatin to ovariectomized rats. Nutrition. 2005;21(11–12):1120–1126.

⁵ Adam M, Spacek P, Hulejová H, Galiánová A, Blahos J. Postmenopausal osteoporosis. Treatment with calcitonin and a diet rich in collagen proteins. Cas Lek Cesk. 1996;135(3):74–78.

⁶ http://www.webmd.com/osteoporosis/calcitonin-for-osteoporosis

⁷ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8625373

⁸ Exley C. Silicon in life: a bioinorganic solution to bioorganic essentiality. Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry. 1998;69:139– 144.

⁹ Sjöberg S. Silica in aqueous environments. Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids. 1996;196:51–57.

¹⁰ http://www.bonehealthnow.com/silicon/

¹¹ http://www.eidon.com/silica_article/

¹² http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2658806/#R19

¹³ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2658806/#R19

¹⁴ http://www.dsfacts.com/pdf/oZJgX4pLQH.pdf

¹⁵ Beattie, J.H., and Peace, H.S. 1993. The influence of a low-boron diet and boron supplementation on bone, major mineral and sex steroid metabolism in postmenopausal women. Br. J. Nutr., 69:871–884. \

¹⁶ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12705642

¹⁷ Meacham, S.L., Taper, L.J., and Volpe, S.L. 1994. Effects of boron supplementation on bone mineral density and dietary, blood, and urinary calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and boron in female athletes. Environ. Health Perspect., 102 Suppl 7:79–82.

¹⁸ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12705642

¹⁹ https://www.iofbonehealth.org/facts-statistics#category-23

²⁰ https://www.nof.org/

²¹ Melton LJ, 3rd, Atkinson EJ, O'Connor MK, et al. (1998) Bone density and fracture risk in men. J Bone Miner Res 13:1915.

²² Melton LJ, 3rd, Chrischilles EA, Cooper C, et al. (1992) Perspective. How many women have osteoporosis? J Bone Miner Res 7:1005.

²³ Melton LJ, 3rd, Crowson CS, O'Fallon WM (1999) Fracture incidence in Olmsted County, Minnesota: comparison of urban with rural rates and changes in urban rates over time. Osteoporosis Int 9:29.