Could you please suggest me the best type of collagen to improve my bone density?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am suffering from osteopenia. And I was on bisphosphonates for five years without any improvement. So, I switched to Prolia but did not get good results again. Then I added ayurveda medicines along with Prolia, and my spine BMD spine went up by 8% and became normal. After one year, the spine BMD went further up by 7%, and my femur BMD went up by 7% too, but my wrist BMD is still the same as before three years ago. I read that collagen supplements, along with calcitonin, helps significantly for osteopenia.

Could you please tell me which collagen is best? Type 1 or type 3, or a mixture of both?

Kindly help.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

What is your current T-score (number of standard deviations in bone density measurement) for hip, spine, and wrist?

The collagens that are found in bones are both type I and type III. So, assuming that the collagen that you take gets deposited in the bones without changing, I suggest you take both mixed together for better results.

Calcitonin helps only in spinal osteoporosis, not on the appendicular skeleton. I would recommend microcrystalline hydroxyapatite instead of calcium carbonate preparations, as it is more effective and has some cardiovascular advantages.

Regards.