Hello, readers! Welcome to a bonus letters column. We are happy to report that you are keeping our inboxes busy, so we’ll dive right in.
We recently wrote about collagen peptides, a protein abundant in collagen, skin and bone. It is available as a nutritional supplement, which is the subject of one reader’s question: “I have read that collagen supplements can increase bone mineral density, and have even had a doctor suggest that I use them,” she wrote. “Is there any evidence to support this?”
Bone health is an important concern for women who have gone through menopause. Estrogen plays a key role in maintaining bone health. A decline in estrogen during menopause can lead to a net loss of bone mineral density. Several small studies found that, after a year of daily collagen peptides supplementation, some women measurably increased bone mineral density in the lower spine and upper leg. They also had higher levels of a blood biomarker that indicates bone formation. The results were affirmed in a follow-up study. As we noted in that column, these were small studies, so further research is needed. However when used as recommended on the product packaging, collagen peptide supplements are generally well-tolerated. It may be helpful to follow your doctor’s recommendation.
We’ve written about the challenges of long COVID, a collection of symptoms that can persist after an initial COVID-19 infection resolves. These include brain fog, loss of taste or smell, heart arrhythmia, extreme fatigue, shortness of breath, dizziness, digestive issues, poor sleep and depression. We continue to hear from people struggling with the debilitating effects of this condition, including a reader from Washington. “I was skeptical of claims about long COVID until I contracted COVID-19 for the third time. Since then, I have had almost daily incidents of debilitating fatigue that can last hours,” he wrote. “Can you share more information about the trials you described in your newspaper column so that my primary care physician and I can see if I might be a good candidate to join one of them?”
Long COVID continues to be a serious problem, with an estimated 20 million people in the United States struggling to recover. You and your physician can learn about clinical trials currently recruiting patients at clinicaltrials.gov. Search “long COVID” and look for studies that are still recruiting. Your doctor may also find it useful to read the capsule descriptions of the ongoing studies, which shed light on the various approaches and treatments now being considered.
We thank you, as always, for your interest in this column. We love hearing from you. As a reminder, we can’t make a diagnosis, offer a second opinion or comment on treatment plans. If you don’t mind sharing, we love to know what state or city you’re writing from. It’s always so interesting to know where these columns are reaching you.
(Send your questions to [email protected], or write: Ask the Doctors, c/o UCLA Health Sciences Media Relations, 10960 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1955, Los Angeles, CA, 90024. Owing to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided.)
