Pop star John Miles says he has felt the benefits of collagen pills supplied by a North-East business. Health correspondent Barry Nelson reports.

IF you mention collagen most people probably think of actress Leslie Ash's infamous "trout pout" after she had injections to make her lips more full and luscious.

But another kind of collagen comes in a capsule and appears to help a wide cross-section of people who have stiff and painful joints and backs, not to mention the benefits for their skin.

Whitley Bay businessman Stephen Mack, who runs 100 Per Cent Collagen Ltd with his wife, Kimberley, discovered the healing properties of this naturally occurring protein about two years ago.

"We tried them together. Kimberley found they were exceptionally good for her skin, and her aches and pains - from years of taking steroids for Crohn's disease - seemed to reduce, along with her scars," says Stephen.

"I took them for eczema and before very long I could not believe how well my skin looked and how my body felt."

Convinced of the product and keen to exploit the potential of this little known supplement the couple negotiated the marketing rights for the Canadian made Pure-Col collagen capsules for the whole of the UK, Ireland and Europe. From humble beginnings, the company now supplies customers all over the world.

Stephen says he was swayed by increasing evidence that collagen can stimulate the growth of new cartilage in joints. "Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body at about 33 per cent of the total. It is present in bones, joints, muscles and other connective tissue", says Stephen, who runs a mail order service and a shop in the Tyneside seaside town where he lives.

Scientists suspect that in some people, particularly the elderly, collagen production slows down or stops. Supplements seem to help keep tissue in joints healthy and supple.

Chris Wilson, an orthopaedic consultant in Cardiff, has a pragmatic approach to collagen. "If a patient says he has pain relief and movement after taking collagen, I am perfectly prepared to believe it works. I would encourage patients to try treatments such as collagen."

The Canadian manufacturers of Pure-Col claim that their patented procedure ensures that it is absorbed into the body at a higher rate than cheaper collagen products.

Shields-born pop singer John Miles, who had a big hit with Music Was My First Love, has recently become a fan of Pure-Col. "Being on the Pro-Celebrity golf circuit and always a keep fit enthusiast, I felt I had done irreversible damage to my knees," says John, who also backed superstar Tina Turner for 15 years. "After using Pure-Col for six weeks I noticed greater mobility in my joints and the aches and pains in my knees disappeared This is a revolutionary product, as a bonus I look and feel younger."

* For more information about Pure-Col contact 0191-291 3385, visit the collagen4u.co.uk website or go to the Aloe Vera Centre in Whitley Bay, North Tyneside.