BioCell Collagen®

BioCell Collagen® is a patented, high-quality joint and skin health ingredient proven to work in human studies.

BioCell Collagen (BCC) is a blend of collagen, chondroitin, and hyaluronic acid manufactured by BioCell Technology. These compounds are known for supporting healthy joints, skin, and connective tissue. This review details BCC’s advantages over plain collagen supplements:

• Patented formula. BCC combines 70% collagen, 20% chondroitin, and 10% hyaluronic acid in a convenient formula.
• Easy absorption. BioCell’s patented Bio-Optimization technology improves bioavailability & absorption.
• Clinical research. BCC’s joint and skin health benefits are backed by five clinical studies.

Overview

BioCell Collagen (BCC) is a patented combination of three compounds involved in joint & skin health –  type 2 collagen, chondroitin sulfate, and hyaluronic acid. These compounds are naturally present in the human body:

• Collagen is a type of structural protein found in the skin, bones, ligaments, and other tissues
• Chondroitin sulfate is a structural component of cartilage
• Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a gel-like substance found in the skin, eyes, cartilage, joint fluid, and other tissues

Chondroitin supplements are primarily used to promote healthy joints, while collagen and HA combine joint support with benefits for the skin, hair, eyes, nails, and other tissues. Whereas these compounds are usually sold separately, BioCell Collagen combines 70% type 2 collagen, 20% chondroitin, and 20% HA into a patented formula, which means it is cheaper, more effective, and convenient.

Made from non-GMO chicken cartilage, BioCell Collagen also has the advantage of using hydrolyzed collagen – a form that is easier for the body to digest and use. In addition, it utilizes Bio-Optimization technology that ensures high bioavailability & absorption, and is backed by five clinical studies that support its efficacy for promoting joint health, youthful skin, and preventing connective tissue damage.

Did you know? There are 3 kinds of collagen in the human body – 1, 2, and 3. Type 2 is found in joint cartilage, whereas types 1 & 3 are found in many different tissues such as the skin, hair, nails, and organs.

BioCell Collagen Patents

BioCell Collagen Use & Preparation

BioCell Collagen is protected by several patents that describe its use for improving the health of joints, skin, and other connective tissue in the form of powder, tablets, capsules, and liquids (US Patent 6780841). In addition, BCC is made through a patented preparation process where:

• Sternal cartilage from non-GMO chickens is suspended in solution
• Protein-breaking enzymes are added to form a mixture containing at least 20% chondroitin sulfate, 10% of hyaluronic acid, and hydrolyzed collagen type II
• The resulting hydrolysate solution is sterilized, filtered, and concentrated
• Finally, the solution is dried to form a collagen-rich powder

This patent also includes Bio-Optimization technology that reduces the molecular weight of collagen, HA, and chondroitin, making the blend small enough to be effectively digested and absorbed by the body (US Patent 6025327).

BioCell Collagen Nutritional Supplement Uses

Joint Health Supplements

BioCell Collagen (BCC) is most commonly used as a standalone joint health supplement or as one ingredient in a complex formula. Indeed, all three of its constituent ingredients – collagen, chondroitin, and hyaluronic acid – have been shown to improve joint function & pain in athletes, people with minor joint issues, and arthritis patients. More importantly, BCC’s patented combination of these three compounds has been found effective in people with osteoarthritis and athletes undergoing resistance training.

Skin Health Supplements

Although BCC is best known as a joint health ingredient, it is also used in products meant to improve the skin’s appearance & health. This is largely due to a study in women which showed that BCC can reduce facial signs of aging such as fine lines, wrinkles, dryness, and scaling.

BioCell Collagen Research

Human Research

Human clinical trials of BCC report improvement of osteoarthritis & overall joint function, reduction of facial signs of aging, and improved recovery following resistance exercise.

BCC (2 g) may alleviate osteoarthritis symptoms

This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial explored the effectiveness of BCC for osteoarthritis (OA). A total of 80 OA patients were given placebo or BCC (2 g) daily for 70 days. Compared to placebo, the BCC group experienced a reduction in pain and improvement of McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) score, and had reduced difficulty performing physical activities.

• The researchers concluded that “BCC was well tolerated and found to be effective in managing OA-associated symptoms over the study period…” ¹

BCC (1 g) may reduce signs of facial aging such as wrinkles and dryness

The effects of BCC on facial skin aging were explored in this pilot study. A total of 26 women aged 35-59 were given BCC (1 g) daily for 12 weeks. The supplementation resulted in reduced skin dryness/scaling (76%) and fine lines/wrinkles (13.2%), improvements that were accompanied by increased levels of hemoglobin (17.7%) and collagen (6.3%) in facial skin.

The findings of this study are especially promising because BCC contains type 2 collagen, whereas the collagen found in skin is primarily type 1 & 3, suggesting that it may be able to increase the levels of all 3 different collagen types.

• The researchers concluded that “…BCC elicits several physiological events which can be harnessed to counteract natural photoaging processes to reduce visible aging signs in the human face.” ²

BCC (3 g) may enhance resistance exercise recovery

This double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized pilot study examined the effects of BCC on exercise recovery. Eight physically active participants were given placebo or BCC (3 g) daily for 42 days before performing an upper body resistance workout on day 43 (8 sets of barbell bench press), which was repeated again on day 46.

Compared to placebo, the BCC group had greatly reduced markers of muscle tissue damage such as creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and C-reactive protein (CRP), and also performed more repetitions before muscle failure after the initial set.

• The researchers concluded that “…daily intake of BCC for 6 weeks may favorably impact key biochemical markers of connective and skeletal muscle tissue damage and enhance stress resilience following intense resistance exercise.” ³

Unpublished Research

Biocell Collagen Dosage

• Standalone BioCell Collagen supplements typically come in 0.5-1 g capsules
• Joint & skin health formulas also use 0.5-1 g doses of BCC
• Research studies have used BCC doses ranging from 1-3 g, with 2 g being the most common