Effect of Collagen Tripeptide on Atherosclerosis in Healthy Humans

Aim: Collagen tripeptide (CTP) is a functional food with a high content of Gly-X-Y tripeptides derived from collagen. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of CTP administration on the development of atherosclerosis in healthy individuals. Methods: The present study was conducted in the form of an open-label, single-dose trial for 6 months. All subjects ingested CTP twice daily: at breakfast and supper (total intake per day: 16 g). The effect of CTP on atherosclerosis was verified by measuring several indices, including serum lipid levels, toxic advanced glycation end-products (TAGE), and the cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI), at baseline and 6 months. Results: The low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) ratio (LDL-C/HDL-C ratio) was significantly reduced in patients with an initial ratio of ≥ 2.5 (p = 0.025). A significant reduction in TAGE was observed in all the subjects (p = 0.031) and in the high-risk group (p = 0.024). A significant reduction in CAVI was observed in all the subjects (right side: p = 0.048, left side: p = 0.047). As a result of multiple regression analysis, a significant relationship between the change in CAVI and that in each factor was not observed. No adverse events were observed during the study period. Conclusions: The results of the present study indicate that CTP contributes to the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis in healthy humans (UMIN000018525).