Undenatured Type-II Chicken Collagen

Description

🧬 What Is It?

• Undenatured Type II collagen is extracted from chicken sternum cartilage and kept in its native (undenatured) form, preserving its biological structure (BioMed Central).
• Named UC‑II®, Unstergen®, or similar, depending on the manufacturer (Unstergen, ijoro.org).

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🔬 Proposed Mechanism

• At low oral doses (typically 40 mg/day), it may help induce oral tolerance, gently retraining the immune response to reduce inflammatory attack on joint cartilage (Reddit).
• Unlike hydrolyzed collagen, it’s not primarily for supplying amino acids but for immune modulation targeting type II collagen in joints.

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🧪 Evidence from Human Studies

Osteoarthritis (OA)

• A randomized trial (n = 191) comparing 40 mg UC‑II/day vs. glucosamine+chondroitin or placebo over 180 days showed significant improvements in WOMAC scores, pain, stiffness, and function. UC‑II outperformed both comparator supplements and was well tolerated (PMC).
• Another human study of Unstergen® (40 mg/day over 90 days) reported ~20% WOMAC improvement vs. ~7% for placebo, ~38% pain score reduction vs. ~9%, with most subjects reporting better quality-of-life and no adverse events (ijoro.org).

Healthy Active Individuals

• A clinical trial on healthy adults experiencing exercise-induced knee discomfort found UC‑II (40 mg/day) helped delay pain onset and improve joint symptoms over several months (PMC).

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🐾 Evidence from Animal Studies

• In rat osteoarthritis models, UC‑II improved weight-bearing, limited cartilage damage, and maintained bone integrity at doses equivalent to the human clinical range (PubMed).
• A canine trial found UC‑II performed comparably to a non-steroidal pain medication (robenacoxib) in improving mobility over 30 days, with similar effect sizes (PMC).

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✳️ Benefits Summary

• Joint pain, stiffness, and function: consistent improvements in OA patients over several months.
• Low daily dose (~40 mg) makes it more convenient than high‑dose hydrolyzed collagen regimens.
• Generally well tolerated, with no serious safety signals in trials.
• May also support cartilage preservation and mobility (Reddit, Unstergen).

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📏 Suggested Usage & Dosage

Purpose	Typical Dose	Duration
Osteoarthritis (knee)	40 mg UC‑II (≈10 mg native collagen) daily before bedtime	3–6 months
Exercise-induced joint discomfort	Same dosage	~120–180 days

• Some evidence suggests split dosing (e.g. twice daily 20 mg) may be more effective than a single dose, but most trials used one dose at night

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👥 Who Might Benefit?

• Adults with mild-to-moderate knee osteoarthritis seeking natural joint support.
• Athletes or active individuals experiencing post-exercise joint stiffness or pain.
• Those looking for a low-dose alternative to glucosamine/chondroitin or collagen peptides.

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❌ When to Consult a Professional

• If you have autoimmune arthritis (like RA), use of UC‑II should be discussed with a rheumatologist.
• In case of allergies to chicken, egg, or cartilage-derived supplements.
• If pregnant or breastfeeding (safety in these populations is not well studied).
• If using medications like immunosuppressants or anticoagulants.

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🧩 Bottom Line

Undenatured chicken collagen type II (UC‑II/Unstergen®) has promising clinical evidence—at relatively low doses—for improving joint pain, stiffness, and function in osteoarthritis. It is generally well tolerated, and animal studies suggest it may protect cartilage integrity. While results in RA remain uncertain and limited, the supplement may be worth considering under medical guidance for appropriate individuals.

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