2016 OARSI World Congress on Osteoarthritis: Efficacy of specific bioactive collagen peptides in the treatment of joint pain

The efficacy of bioactive collagen peptides (BCP) in comparison to a placebo was investigated in two randomized trials. Study 1 involved 160 athletes with activity-related knee pain and study 2 consisted of 182 patients with knee or hip pain with a mean age of 50. The studies were conducted in order to determine if pain and mobility were improved with the BCP treatment and whether BCPs have the potential to serve as a preventative treatment in the development of joint disease. In the first study, athletes treated with BCP reported significantly reduced activity-related pain in comparison to placebo. In the second study, patients treated with BCP displayed significantly reduced pain at rest and activity in comparison to a placebo group. The placebo groups in both studies experienced a large placebo effect. Further trials are needed to determine if BCP has a preventative effect on the development and progression of joint diseases.