Joint Health
Why Your Knees Need Type II Collagen
Your knees take more punishment than any other joint in your body. Walking, climbing stairs, standing up from a chair — every movement loads them with force equal to 2-4 times your body weight. And the only thing standing between smooth movement and bone-on-bone grinding is a thin layer of cartilage.
That cartilage is 90-95% Type II collagen.
Not Type I. Not Type III. Type II — the one collagen type that most supplements don’t even contain.
Articular cartilage — the smooth, rubbery tissue covering the ends of your knee bones — has a unique structure. It’s built almost entirely from Type II collagen fibers woven into a mesh that traps water molecules. That water content is what gives cartilage its ability to absorb shock and distribute pressure evenly across the joint.
When Type II collagen breaks down, the mesh loosens. Water escapes. Cartilage thins. And the cushion between your femur and tibia starts disappearing.
This is why knee pain after 40 often starts gradually. A little stiffness in the morning. An ache after a long walk. Discomfort going down stairs. It’s not sudden damage — it’s slow erosion of the collagen structure that holds your cartilage together.
Here’s the problem most people run into: they buy a collagen supplement and assume it helps their knees. But the majority of collagen products on the market contain only Type I collagen from bovine hide or marine sources. Type I is excellent for skin, hair, and connective tissue. It does very little for cartilage.
Your knees need Type II specifically. It comes from different sources — primarily chicken sternum cartilage and avian connective tissue. These are the sources that provide the exact collagen structure your articular cartilage is made of.
Encore Collagen Complex delivers all five collagen types — including Type II from avian sternum cartilage — in a single 1,800mg daily serving.
Try the Complete Formula →Clinical studies on Type II collagen and joint health show consistent results. A 2016 study published in the International Journal of Medical Sciences found that participants taking Type II collagen experienced significant improvements in knee joint comfort and physical function over 180 days compared to a placebo group.
Another study in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition showed that athletes supplementing with collagen peptides reported less knee pain during activity after just 12 weeks.
The mechanism is straightforward: hydrolyzed collagen peptides are absorbed in the gut, enter the bloodstream, and accumulate in cartilage tissue. Once there, they stimulate chondrocytes — the specialized cells responsible for producing and maintaining cartilage — to increase collagen synthesis.
Your body doesn’t stop making cartilage. It just slows down. Giving it the right building blocks makes a measurable difference.
If knee health is your priority, check the label for Type II collagen from a cartilage-based source. Bovine hide and marine collagen are not the same thing — they primarily yield Types I and III.
Multi-type formulas that combine all five collagen types cover both bases: Types I and III for skin and connective tissue, Type II for cartilage, Type IV for the basement membrane, and Type V for collagen fiber organization.
Encore Collagen Complex includes Type II collagen from avian sternum cartilage alongside four other collagen types from bovine, marine cod, and eggshell membrane sources. 1,800mg per serving. Learn more →
Your knees carried you this far. The right collagen can help them keep going.
Type II collagen is the most relevant for knee pain because it makes up 90-95% of the collagen in articular cartilage — the tissue that cushions your knee joint. Most collagen supplements only contain Type I and III, which primarily support skin and connective tissue. Look for a multi-type formula that includes Type II from sources like chicken sternum or avian cartilage.
Most clinical studies show measurable improvements in joint comfort and mobility after 8-12 weeks of consistent daily supplementation with collagen peptides. Some people notice reduced stiffness within 4-6 weeks. The key is consistency — collagen works by providing your body with the amino acids it needs to maintain and repair cartilage over time.
Collagen supplementation supports your body’s ability to maintain existing cartilage and slow further breakdown, but it does not regenerate cartilage that has already been lost. Research shows that hydrolyzed collagen peptides accumulate in cartilage tissue and stimulate chondrocytes — the cells responsible for cartilage maintenance. Starting supplementation early, before significant cartilage loss, provides the greatest benefit.
1,800mg of five-source collagen per serving. Third party tested. GMP certified. 90-day money-back guarantee.
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