Marine Collagen Offsets Osteoporosis

TOKYO--Marine collagen may counteract osteoporosis by boosting bone mineral density (BMD), according to a rat study published in Nutrition (21, 11-12:1120-26, 2005). Researchers from the University of Agriculture and Technology administered low-molecular-weight collagen sourced from shark skin to ovariectomized rats on a low-protein diet. After treatment, levels of type I collagen and glycosaminoglycan in the femur epiphyses of animals given marine collagen were higher than those in sham-operated rats. The researchers concluded the results of the study suggest shark skin gelatin would be useful as a dietary supplement for treating osteoporosis.