Cracking into the bone health market: Eggshells can help grow and heal bones

Eggshell for joint health? The market for ingredients that target joint and bone health is booming. Innova Market Insights data has shown that 7 percent of UK consumers used prescription medication for bone health in the past year, while 21 percent used prescription medication for joint health. The market researcher's data have further shown that mobility is one of the top concerns for UK and US consumers, while products featuring mobility claims accounted for almost 17 percent of all supplements tracked globally between 2013 and 2017. As research further uncovers the links between healthy bones and eggshell membranes, industry could see increased NPD utilizing the ingredient. The increase of products with eggshell membrane on the market is growing - especially ones combined with hydrolyzed collagen. One company active in this space is Stratum Nutrition. Earlier this year, it launched a progressive joint health clinical trial to evaluate its eggshell membrane joint health ingredient. "With this ongoing study, we intend to satisfy both US Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) and Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) strong preference for two randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to substantiate labeling and advertising claims. With the added benefit that both RCTs were conducted in exercising healthy populations, brand marketers will have access to meaningful claims that will resonate with end consumers," comments Kevin J. Ruff, Ph.D., Senior Director of Scientific & Regulatory Affairs for Stratum Nutrition. The back-to-back trials are intended to evaluate whether NEM can reduce cartilage turnover or alleviate joint pain and stiffness. The previous 2018 study found that a 500 mg dose of NEM, when taken once a day, rapidly improved recovery from exercise-induced joint pain and stiffness, as well as significantly reduced discomfort immediately following exercise. A substantial chondroprotective effect was also demonstrated from NEM supplementation through a lasting decrease in the cartilage degradation biomarker, CTX-II.