Great Lakes collagen?

homesweeths

I just ordered and received Great Lakes collagen hydrolysate and gelatin (the green can and the red can), hoping that this might help my joints.

Does anyone here use either or both of these products? How do you use them? (Got some recipes you like to use the gelatin in?) Have you noticed any difference?

I just stirred the collagen hydrolysate into water this morning and evening. It dissolves pretty well and doesn't have any noticeable taste.

I am going to use it every day, but I promised my dh that I won't order more if I don't notice an improvement from the change. I dropped dairy (except butter) a week ago -- which makes my diet fairly straight paleo, and noticed a slight improvement, so that's the only other change I'm dealing with at the moment.

Because I tripped on something a few days ago, and threw everything out of kilter, my dh has been walking the dog for the last few days, but I'm feeling well enough to take up walking again tomorrow.

Dragonwolf

I know a few people add it to their coffee or tea (usually bulletproof style). You can also make things like gummies with the gelatin (I don't know about the collagen), or add it to soup/stock for an added boost there.

Depending on the cause of your joint issues (such as osteoarthritis or other "wear and tear" or "traumatic injury" related cause), you might want to check out Hyaluronic Acid. It's a lubrication supplement that does wonders for the "wear and tear" style joint issues (but it doesn't really work for inflammation-related ones, like rheumatoid arthritis, due to how it works and the nature of the different causes).

If you're still having issues after a couple weeks of taking either (or if you know it's inflammation related), you might still be eating something you can't tolerate. Revisit your diary and check your consumption of things like nuts, eggs, and nightshades, and do trials without them.

RenaTX

I use both. The green can I use daily in my morning coffee. I really need to up to to twice a day. The red can I make gummies out of . I can't remember off the top of my head what the recipe I use is but it's like 3 tablespoons to 1/2 cup of juice? Anyways you can find so many recipes out there for gummies using this. It's really good. I have also made magnesium gummies out of it using natural calm.

Since I've started using this stuff it's helped my knees which grind when I go up or down stairs. Prior to taking it my knees would grind going up and down regular stairs. After a few months of taking this my knees only would grind during exercises such as squats and weight lifts using my knees. I really noticed an improvement but I got lazy for a while and stopped using the gelatin and the grinding came back.

Akimajuktuq

I use the gelatin. I put some in my BP coffee some mornings. Apparently the collagen mixes in cold things easier. I get lazy and forget to use my Great Lakes as much as I should; story of my life.

btw: I'm sensitive to nightshades too. I've had chronic knee pain all of my life, starting as a little kid (growing pains? wrong!) and I only finally resolved all knee pain by eliminating nightshades for awhile and now carefully limitting them. I can eat small amounts frequently with no problems, but if I feel pain coming back I just quit eating nightshades briefly and I'm good to go again.

homesweeths

Yeah, I have permanently eliminated nightshades. I know from experience (and elimination trials) that any nightshade intake = 3 days of pain and stiffness for me. I am no longer tempted at all, though potatoes and tomatoes and Mexican food used to be among my favorites.

I'm thinking of going off coffee, eggs and nuts later, after this gelatin trial. I don't want to make too many changes at once, it makes it too hard to figure out what caused any improvement.

I'm told my problem is osteoarthritis, and my only remedy is to take Celebrex until my knees get bad enough that I beg for a knee replacement. I would really rather manage it with diet, gentle exercise, and supplements so far as possible. And truly, I'm way less crippled than I was two years ago when I began to explore alternatives.

p.s. I eliminated coffee, nuts, and eggs during my first Whole30, and reintroduced them with no trouble, but now I'm so much better, I'm trying to fine-tune...

Dragonwolf

Oooh, then I'd definitely check out the Hyaluronic Acid. It's fairly cheap as supplements go. These are the ones I get. I've got desiccated discs in my spine and it got to the point where I was having issues even walking. Like you, the options the doctors kept giving me were things like generic "pain management" and the anti-pain shots that have basically proven to destroy the back even more until you beg for surgery (it's barbaric, if you think about it, and yet "modern medicine" is touted as being so much more enlightened than they were in the Middle Ages).

After a week, the pain was noticeably decreasing. I'm going on three weeks, now, and most of the pain I'm currently dealing with is just from the muscle stiffness and imbalances that came with trying to compensate for spinal issue.

nemrut

I have a type of rheumatoid arthritis and have been using the collagen powder for several months. I can't really tell if it is really making a difference or not. I suspect that my diet and use of bone broth are probably having more of an effect. I will probably test that by going off of it when this container is gone.

feisty_bucket

I use the green kind and have been for the past six months or so. I just add a couple tablespoons to my protein powder uses. It doesn't change the taste.

Not having any particular problems, so I can't say it "works" or not.

Nutmeg76

I am not sure about using the gelatin/collagen, but the research that supports the use of glucosamine and chondroitin shows that it takes 6 months of supplementation to see a positive change in patient complaints. It may take more than a few weeks for the Great Lakes too.

feisty_bucket

Aha! I just thought of something. My knees used to make a huge racket when doing squatting motions but they're quiet now. Might have something to do with the gelatin and it might not at all. FWIW.

homesweeths

Thanks for the input. I read reviews on Amazon where people were claiming relief in a week or two, so I'm hopeful if not super expectant. Guess we'll see.