Tag: bone health

Bovine Collagen vs. Marine Collagen

Published on by Nikken

About 28 types of collagen have been identified, but the dominant collagen is collagen type I. Over 90% of the collagen in the human body is collagen type I because of its wide prevalence in almost all connective tissues.1 Collagen types I, II, and III are used for supplements. Collagen type I is mainly found in marine collagen. Collagen type II is from chicken collagen and bovine collagen. A mixture of collagen type I and type III can be obtained from porcine collagen and bovine collagen.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), collagen supplements originating from various sources such as marine, bovine, and porcine can improve skin integrity and lessen skin aging. They are effective in wrinkle reduction, skin rejuvenation, and skin aging reversal. Due to its high biocompatibility with the human body, collagen type I is the most used in beauty products. with collagen supplementation becoming prevalent in recent years.

Collagen of porcine and bovine origins come from cow and pig skins as well as their bones. Due to religious constraints concerning the avoidance of porcine and bovine products or other reasons such as the outbreak of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), the marine collagen source is being highly considered by the industry as an important alternative. In fact, marine collagens have the advantages of being highly sustainable as they can be obtained from invertebrate marine animals, such as jellyfish as well as a wide range of fish species.

Why would some manufacturers prefer bovine collagen when there is a risk of transmitting disease? Mammalian collagens have higher thermal stability than fish collagens. Thermal stability is related to body temperature and the low thermal stability of marine collagens restricts its applications.2 The mechanical strength of marine collagen is poorer than collagen extracted from bovine because it is less crosslinked. Cross-linking is a simple method known to improve degradability, biological and mechanical properties of biomaterials by enhancing chemical and physical interactions between polymers.3 After the crosslinking treatment, marine collagen can be used as a biomaterial in tissue engineering. Despite some limitations, the marine collagen is an appealing option for product developers because of its sustainability and there being no risk of BSE. In the latest 20 years, more than 175 chemical entities and 28 marine natural products were discovered. Marine organisms, as well as their wastes, are good sources of collagen.4

Marine resources of collagen have many advantages over land animals and other sources. Not only are they available in abundance, have no religious constraints and are easily accessible, there have been few reported toxic effects at effective doses. This is significant as a major source of collagen is from cattle, which have a risk of transmitting highly dangerous BSE and TSE. In addition to its promising safety profile, the use of marine collagen is environmentally friendly. Fish skin, bones, and scales are vast sources of collagen. By using marine collagen, useful waste is reduced, and no further organisms are harmed in the isolation of collagen. Furthermore, collagen has a variety of applications in many fields, such as drug delivery, wound healing, skin aging, and tissue regeneration.5

Marine collagen can be used as a biomaterial because it is water soluble, metabolically compatible, and highly accessible. Marine collagen and its derivatives also have proven beneficial and useful for both osteoporosis and osteoarthritis prevention and treatment. Marine collagen bioactive peptides are known to aid in the absorption of calcium and zinc, which are important components of bone and are beneficial for osteoporosis prevention. Other bone-related issues may also be targeted by collagen, as it is capable of increasing bone mineral density, mineral deposition, and importantly, osteoblast maturation and proliferation.6

Because marine collagen peptides carry a smaller molecular weight, they are more easily absorbed. They are therefore favored to help reduce wrinkles, improve skin elasticity and enhance the overall structure and appearance of skin.7

Bovine collagen or marine collagen: the choice is yours.

1, 2, 4 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8620403/

3 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8902548/

5, 6, 7 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8780088/

Women’s Health: Stay Strong and Healthy

Published on by Nikken

National Women’s Health Week starts on Mother’s Day annually. This year it started on May 9 and continues through May 16, 2021. This yearly observance is led by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health. The goal is to empower women to make their health a priority and to provide steps to take to improve their health.

The basics of women’s health are the same as those for men—eat healthy foods, get adequate amounts of exercise for your age and current state of health, get plenty of restful sleep, refrain from smoking and only drink alcohol in moderation. Nevertheless, there are certain aspects of Active Wellness that are specific to women.

Women have some unique nutritional needs, for example, needing more of certain vitamins and minerals during pregnancy or after menopause. Calcium, iron and folic acid are particularly important for women from puberty onward.1 Since women’s bones are more prone to becoming brittle, especially in their senior years, consuming enough calcium and retaining it in the body is an important aspect of women’s health starting from youth—this helps create healthful eating habits early on.

Lactose is the natural sugar found in milk and foods made with milk. Between 30 million and 50 million Americans are lactose-intolerant, meaning have trouble digesting foods with lactose in them.2 Although this is common, lactose intolerance raises a woman’s risk of health issues related to osteoporosis. Women who are lactose intolerant should take special care to obtain enough non-dairy calcium in their diets or through supplementation.

Women are more prone to iron deficiency, the cause of anemia.3 Like eating calcium-rich foods to maintain healthy bones for a lifetime, eating iron-rich foods supports Active Wellness. Taking iron supplements may be helpful but may have the undesired side effects of constipation.

On average, adult women need between 1,600 and 2,400 calories a day.4 Women who are more physically active may need more calories than those who are more sedentary, as muscles hasten metabolism. The basis of how many calories you personally can consume without weight gain depends on your age, height, current weight, and activity level.

Pregnant women require different nutritional needs than during other stages of their lives. For most normal-weight pregnant women, the estimated number of calories needed is about 1,800 calories per day during the first trimester, about 2,200 calories per day during the second trimester and about 2,400 calories per day during the third trimester.5 Pregnant women should also drink plenty of fluids, avoid drinks with caffeine and sugar, and take a prenatal vitamin.

An additional 450 to 500 calories per day is recommended for well-nourished breastfeeding mothers, compared with the amount they were consuming before pregnancy. The number of additional calories needed for an individual breastfeeding woman is also affected by her age, body mass index, activity level, and extent of breastfeeding (exclusively breastfeeding versus breastfeeding and formula feeding).6

Although Women’s Health Week ends on May 16, all of May is Asthma and Allergy Awareness month. Why not take advantage of the outstanding May promotion for the KenkoAir Purifier® and get 30% off the regular price? Take a deep breath and embrace your inner power—now is the best time to get healthier and stronger!

1, 3, 4  https://www.womenshealth.gov/healthy-eating/healthy-eating-and-women#6

2 https://www.womenshealth.gov/healthy-eating/food-allergies-and-sensitivities/lactose-intolerance

5 https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000584.htm

6 https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/breastfeeding-special-circumstances/diet-and-micronutrients/maternal-diet.html#:~:text=An%20additional%20450%20to%20500,per%20day%20for%20moderately%20active

Be Sure to Take Care of Your Bones While Housebound!

Published on by Nikken

As we are staying home more than usual during these unprecedented times, we tend to be less physically active. We need to make a special effort to get our bodies moving on a daily basis, not only for our health’s sake but specifically to keep our bones strong. Here’s why it’s so important to keep up the practice of Active Wellness:

  • When bones and muscles do not get adequate stimulation, that is, through movement and exercise, bone resorption quickens. Bone resorption refers to bone loss. 1
  • Vitamin D levels are critical for bone health, and staying indoors decreases exposure to the sun, the natural source of vitamin D.
  • We might be making fewer trips to shop for fresh groceries and eating fewer fresh leafy green vegetables, fruits, and dairy products, all good sources of calcium and vitamin D. Eating ready-made or processed foods may deprive us the nutrients that are necessary to help protect, build and maintain bones.
  • Strength-building and weight-bearing exercises provide great stimulation to the bone cells and help to increase bone mineral density and bone size. The good news is that these types of exercises can be accomplished by stair climbing, walking, lifting weights and dancing, all of which can be accomplished indoors.
  • Decreasing contact with others and staying homebound can cause mental stress. Social media shows evidence of increased smoking and alcohol intake by members of various age groups. Unfortunately, smoking and excessive alcohol intake contribute to bone loss and weakening of bones by reducing blood supply to the bones, slowing production of bone-forming cells and impairing the absorption of calcium.2

In summary, there are simple things to do to help maintain bone health. They’re the same habits we should form even when we have the freedom of going out whenever we want:

  • Eat a healthy diet that’s rich in calcium and vitamin D. If your access to fresh food is limited, remember that staples such as canned beans and canned fish contain calcium and protein.
  • Set aside 30 minutes a day to exercise. If you can go outdoors and enjoy sunshine for some of that time, even better.
  • Maintain your body at a weight that is comfortable for you. This is not a time to try and lose a lot of weight. In fact, being too thin makes you more likely to get osteoporosis, but carrying too much weight can increase the risk of falling or leading to a more sedentary lifestyle.
  • Ensure your home environment is free of clutter and any obstacles that may cause you to fall. Now more than ever, staying fracture-free is critical, especially if you already have osteoporosis.3 Minimize the need to go to a hospital.
  • Ensure a daily calcium intake that is age-appropriate.

If you don’t normally take a nutritional supplement to help boost your bone health, this may be the perfect time to start. Why not try Kenzen BDZ® and Kenzen® Calcium Complex? At Nikken, we call them“bone buddies”because they are formulated to work together. Kenzen BDZ™ helps the body absorb calcium with three patented blends that research has shown to help preserve bone structure and strength and to build healthy bones.*

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

 

 

1, 2 https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health-news/what-do-we-need-to-know-about-our-bone-health-during-this-pandemic/articleshow/77588729.cms

3 https://osteoporosis.ca/your-bone-health-during-covid-19/