ANVISA has authorized the claim with the words “may contribute to the maintenance of joint health” on the labels of food supplements formulated with the ingredient patented by Gelita. The decision was published on September 26 in Diario Oficial, considering the dosage of 5g a day.
“It is gratifying that the functional effectiveness of our solution dedicated to joint health received this important approval from the regulatory agency in the Brazilian market,” said Léia Tomaz Pipulini, head of the Nutrition & Health Ingredients business unit, South America, at Gelita.
In 2020, ANVISA authorized the use of Gelita’s Verisol collagen peptides ingredient for use in food supplements claiming skin health benefits.
Joint health benefits
It is estimated that one in four people in the world suffers from joint problems. In Brazil, according to the Brazilian Society of Rheumatology, around the age of 75, 85% of people have radiological or clinical evidence of osteoarthritis, a disease characterized by the wear of articular cartilage and bone changes.
Since 70% of the composition of cartilaginous tissue is collagen, studies have examined if collagen supplements can support joint health. According to Georgia Alvares de Castro, PhD, Scientific Adviser at Gelita, “Independent clinical studies have shown that a daily intake of 5 grams of the bioactive peptides of hydrolyzed collagen with an average molecular mass of 3kDa -- the Fortigel brand -- helps in the reconstruction of the extracellular matrix of the cartilage of the articulation.
“By increasing the biosynthesis of type II collagen and proteoglycans, Fortigel maintains normal joint function by contributing to the reduction of joint discomfort and thus improving mobility. Due to the physiological and metabolic action on cartilage tissue, it is possible to observe a reduction in the pain scale as a clinical outcome.”
Fortigel is formulated with Bioactive Collagen Peptides (BCP) with an average molecular weight of 3kDa that reportedly act optimally in joint health, maximizing the desired interaction between cells involved in cartilage metabolism.
