KoACT Collagen May Reverse Bone Loss in Postmenopausal Women

In a study in postmenopausal women, patented collagen ingredient KoACT not only improved bone strength but also may help to reverse bone loss, reports the ingredient’s supplier AIDP Inc. (City of Industry, CA).

The three-month double-blind, placebo-controlled study, conducted at Florida State University (Tallahassee, FL), was performed on 40 women, all of whom were one- to five-years postmenopausal. Subjects were given either a daily control of a calcium supplement or a KoACT supplement. Bone mineral density of lumbar spine and total body were assessed at baseline and at three months using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Blood was also collected at baseline and at three months to assess biomarkers of bone metabolism.

According to researchers, early results indicate that KoACT shifts the balance in favor of bone formation over bone resorption. The KoACT group saw a significant increase in the BAP/TRAP5b ratio percent change. (BAP stands for bone-specific alkaline phosphatase, a marker for bone formation, while TRAP5b is associated with bone resorption. The ratio between these two values represents the balance between bone regeneration versus bone loss.)

The researchers say this is a step up from what typical bone-health supplements can do. “The clinical trial results strongly suggest that KoACT provides additional benefits to strengthen the bone, instead of addressing calcium deficiency only as most of the currently available bone supplements [do],” says Jennifer Gu, PhD, AIDP’s director of research and development. She adds, “to achieve such remarkable results in a three-month period of time is quite significant.”

The company says further studies are needed to evaluate the mechanism of action by which KoACT increases bone mass.

A previous, animal-model study conducted in Tokyo showed that KoACT increased bone mineral density and bone strength and that these results were significantly better than for calcium or a simple mixture of calcium and collagen, AIDP says.

The Florida study was published in the Journal of Food and Nutritional Disorders (February 1, 2013).