When you think of athletes and sports performance nutrition, what typically comes to mind? Protein powders, shaker bottles, and electrolyte drink mixes, right? Well, what if we told you there’s an option for protein supplementation that also supports healthy aging and maintenance of healthy skin, hair, and nails?* Enter collagen.

Collagen is the body’s most abundant protein – it strengthens and supports the structure of skin, joints, muscles, bone, and other connective tissues.* Many of the collagen products you see in health food stores and grocery stores are in the form of collagen peptides. Collagen peptides (also called collagen hydrolysates) are broken down (hydrolyzed) from longer chains of amino acids by enzymes, which aids absorption and makes the amino acids (the building blocks of protein) more readily available for tissues to use. Let’s review the research to see the different ways collagen supports physical fitness and athletic endeavors.

Collagen, Body Composition, and Muscle Strength

When you supplement your diet with collagen, you’re making more protein available for use in building lean muscle mass.* You’re also supporting connective tissues – tendons, ligaments, cartilage, and skin.* And yes, collagen can still help you achieve the muscle gains and support for athletic performance you might be looking for.*

In two studies of healthy, recreationally active men, subjects were given 15 grams of collagen peptides or placebo daily for 12 weeks.1,2 Participants also incorporated resistance training, such as squats, deadlifts, bench presses, barbell rows, and knee extensions for a minimum of 32 sessions over the 12 weeks.

In the first study of 25 participants, both the collagen and placebo groups improved in strength levels during the trial, with greater strength gains in the collagen group. The collagen group also had significantly increased body mass and free-fat mass compared to the placebo group.1 

In the second study of 57 active men in their 20s, fat-free mass was significantly increased in the collagen group compared to placebo, while the placebo group experienced a significant increase in body fat mass. Strength also increased more significantly in the collagen group than the exercise-only group.2

Whether you are active or not, collagen supplementation might be beneficial. For example, in a placebo-controlled study, 97 overweight, untrained men (ages 30-60) were given resistance training plus 15 g collagen, 15 g whey protein, or resistance training only. Compared to individuals engaged in the resistance training alone, those who supplemented with collagen or whey protein experienced higher increases in fat-free mass and greater decreases in fat mass. They built muscle and increased the amount of metabolically active tissue in their bodies.3 This means it’s never too late to improve your muscle tone and set yourself up for healthy success down the road.

Collagen, Joint Health, and Injury Recovery

Some of the most common injuries athletes face involve the joints. These include ACL tears, Achilles tendon injuries, and dislocations, all of which bring challenges to the recovery process. Collagen supplementation has been found to increase the concentration of beneficial proteins in joint cartilage and the synovial fluid that cushions and lubricates joints for improved mobility.*4,5 Supporting joints and the surrounding tendons and ligaments helps protect the body during strength or resistance training, as well as high impact activities like running* – the types of exercise that put stress on joints and increase the risk of deterioration.

Similar to collagen’s role in protecting healthy joints, collagen also provides support for injury recovery.* Supplying an abundance of collagen-building peptides to circulate around damaged tissues helps provide the tissues with nutrients needed to promote healing.*6

Collagen can help to reduce joint stiffness, while supporting a healthy balance of inflammatory cytokines in the joints.* A 2008 study sampled athletes who had activity-related joint discomfort to explore the impacts of supplementing with 10 grams of collagen peptides over 24 weeks.7 The results showed statistically significant improvements in joint discomfort during resting, walking, standing, carrying objects, and lifting weights. Further improvements were found in participants who had joint stiffness.

Studies of active men and women (ages 18-30)8 and in individuals older than 509 have shown collagen peptide supplementation is associated with improvements in joint discomfort.

Collagen is an impactful protein at any age and can help to keep joints healthy and protected during activity, all the while working to support skin elasticity and hair strength.*

A New Thorne Supplement: Collagen Fit

To support your body from the inside out and to promote optimal fitness,* Thorne is introducing Collagen Fit, an unflavored collagen peptide formula that can be easily mixed into a favorite beverage. Collagen Fit also contains nicotinamide riboside (NR), a key precursor to the coenzyme NAD+ for the support of cellular energy production and cellular repair.* NR is paired with betaine to support healthy methylation throughout the body.*

Want to learn more about collagen? Then check out these other Take 5 Daily articles:

  1. Collagen for Your Skin
  2. The Plant Extracts that Support Healthy Skin Aging
  3. Gelatin Shots: A New Approach to Sports Nutrition?
  4. A Quick Guide to Choosing the Perfect Protein Powder

References

  1. Oertzen-Hagemann V, Kirmse M, Eggers B, et al. Effects of 12 weeks of hypertrophy resistance exercise training combined with collagen peptide supplementation on the skeletal muscle proteome in recreationally active men. Nutrients 2019;11(5):1072. doi:10.3390/nu11051072 
  2. Kirmse M, Oertzen-Hagemann V, de Marées M, et al. Prolonged collagen peptide supplementation and resistance exercise training affects body composition in recreationally active men. Nutrients 2019;11(5):1154. doi:10.3390/nu11051154
  3. Zdzieblik D, Jendricke P, Oesser S, et al. The influence of specific bioactive collagen peptides on body composition and muscle strength in middle-aged, untrained men: a randomized controlled trial. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021;18(9):4837. doi:10.3390/ijerph18094837
  4. Czajka A, Kania EM, Genovese L, et al. Daily oral supplementation with collagen peptides combined with vitamins and other bioactive compounds improves skin elasticity and has a beneficial effect on joint and general wellbeing. Nutr Res 2018;57:97-108. doi:10.1016/j.nutres.2018.06.001
  5. Lugo JP, Saiyed ZM, Lane NE. Efficacy and tolerability of an undenatured type II collagen supplement . . . : a multicenter randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Nutr J 2015;15:14. doi.org/10.1186/s12937-016-0130-8 
  6. Paul C, Leser S, Oesser S. Significant amounts of functional collagen peptides can be incorporated in the diet while maintaining indispensable amino acid balance. Nutrients 2019;11(5):1079. doi:10.3390/nu11051079
  7. Clark KL, Sebastianelli W, Flechsenhar KR, et al. 24-week study on the use of collagen hydrolysate as a dietary supplement in athletes . . . . Curr Med Res Opin 2008;24(5):1485-1496. doi:10.1185/030079908x291967
  8. Zdzieblik D, Brame J, Oesser S, et al. The influence of specific bioactive collagen peptides on knee joint discomfort in young physically active adults: a randomized controlled trial. Nutrients 2021;13(2):523. doi:10.3390/nu13020523
  9. Bruyère O, Zegels B, Leonori L, et al. Effect of collagen hydrolysate . . . : a 6-month randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Complement Ther Med 2012;20(3):124-130. doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2011.12.007