Great post though I am somewhat suspicious of this statement in the abstract;
"To investigate the metabolism of human femoral OA cartilage, explants were obtained during knee replacement surgery. Collagen synthesis of explants as modulated by 0-10 mg/ml collagen hydrolysates was determined using a novel dual radiolabeling procedure. Proteoglycans, NO, PGE(2), MMP-1, -3, -13, TIMP-1, collagen type II, and cell viability were determined in explant cultures."
Not having any familiarity with their "novel dual radio labeling procedure" is my first concern..ie is it an established method for measuring collagen synthesis or is this its trial run? Secondly, they don't outline how collagen was supplemented and what those protocols were so that makes me wonder how well they controlled for variables. From what I've read and done myself, taking the collagen on an empty stomach is critical to absorption/effectiveness.
Also, you can find NeoCell for about $10 a tub online...so at least it's a cheap experiment.
Like a lot of people on this site, I've learned to take both the science and the anecdotal reports with a grain of salt. For this supplement, there are some decent indications in the literature to support its use, but there is always negative data. On the anecdotal end, I like to treat large numbers of customer reviews as a potential data point. 1200+ reviews on one site alone averaging 4.5 out of 5 stars would seem to be relevant on some level.
IMO, a supplement of this nature is going to vary widely in its effectiveness in our particular demographic. You're either collagen deficient/old/rickety or you are not so that will have some bearing on it's effectiveness, perceived or otherwise.
