Collagen levels decrease with age and while we typically think of lost collagen as a reason for the wrinkles on our face, a decrease in collagen is also responsible for slow muscle recovery and joint pain. The good news is that collagen has an inherent biocompatibility which makes it an ideal material for regenerative medicine. (1) 

Regenerative medicine goes beyond fixing injuries and dysfunction to actually promoting healing in the body by restoring tissue quality and function. It is important to understand that the family of molecules that comprise collagen acts like the scaffolding that stabilizes bodily tissue and serves a number of bodily functions. This collagen matrix can actually be reinforced through advances in modern medicine there are a number of biomaterials which show promising outcomes.

The biomaterials used in regenerative medicine range most commonly include gelatinous collagen that can be manipulated to form supportive structures around weak tissue and help create healing by restoring the tissue’s native function after injury or due to the natural decline of the body’s collagen over time. The future of connective tissue therapy is promising, as an increasing number of scientists and clinicians are interested in alternative options for healing the body and helping patients relieve joint pain.