Efficacy and safety of low-molecular-weight collagen peptides in knee osteoarthritis: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Low-molecular-weight collagen peptides (3,000 mg/day) reduced knee osteoarthritis pain and improved physical function over 180 days compared to placebo in a double-blind trial of 80 patients.
Key Numbers
80 adults aged 40-75 with KL grade I-II OA. 3,000 mg/day LMCP vs placebo for 180 days. WOMAC pain change: -1.90 vs +0.61 (P = 0.006). WOMAC physical function and total scores also improved in the LMCP group.
How They Did This
Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. 80 participants with KL grade I-II knee OA. Primary endpoint: WOMAC pain. Secondary: VAS, WOMAC function, joint space width, inflammatory markers. 180-day follow-up.
Why This Research Matters
Knee OA has few safe long-term treatments. This trial provides controlled evidence that collagen peptide supplements can reduce pain and improve function, offering a low-risk nutritional approach.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Small sample size (80 participants). Only mild OA (KL grade I-II). 180-day duration may not capture long-term effects. Single study needs replication.
Trust & Context
- Original Title:
- Efficacy and safety of low-molecular-weight collagen peptides in knee osteoarthritis: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
- Published In:
- Frontiers in nutrition, 12, 1644899 (2025)
- Authors:
- Park, Sun-Young, Lee, Sang-Hyun, Kim, Hyun Tae, Park, Hye-Jin, Kim, Do-Un, Kim, Seung Un, Heo, In
- Database ID:
- RPEP-12964
Evidence Hierarchy
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or placebo groups to test cause and effect.
What do these levels mean? →Read More on RethinkPeptides
Cite This Study
https://rethinkpeptides.com/research/RPEP-12964APA
Park, Sun-Young; Lee, Sang-Hyun; Kim, Hyun Tae; Park, Hye-Jin; Kim, Do-Un; Kim, Seung Un; Heo, In. (2025). Efficacy and safety of low-molecular-weight collagen peptides in knee osteoarthritis: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.. Frontiers in nutrition, 12, 1644899. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2025.1644899
MLA
Park, Sun-Young, et al. "Efficacy and safety of low-molecular-weight collagen peptides in knee osteoarthritis: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.." Frontiers in nutrition, 2025. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2025.1644899
RethinkPeptides
RethinkPeptides Research Database. "Efficacy and safety of low-molecular-weight collagen peptide..." RPEP-12964. Retrieved from https://rethinkpeptides.com/research/park-2025-efficacy-and-safety-of
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkPeptides research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.