For athletes looking to maximise their athletic performance, avoiding injury is key. Athletes subject their bodies to intense physical demands on a regular basis and the use of collagen supplements can offer direct benefits in aiding recovery. 

For athletes, collagen supplements such as Nutrition X's collagen repair shots can be used to promote joint health and support joint and tendon injury recovery. Whilst it’s important that athletes meet their energy requirements when training to ‘fuel the work’ performed, it is also important that athletes recover adequately to prevent the occurrence of injury, which is where collagen comes into play.

Here, our resident sports nutritionists Danny Webber and Caraigh McGuinness explore the benefits of collagen supplements for athletes, and how they can support the pursuit of athletic goals.

What is collagen?

Collagen is a tough structural protein that builds tendons and ligaments. Therefore, the overall strength and stiffness of our tissues and tendons is down to the collagen content in the body. Collagen synthesis not only requires a good supply of the amino acids proline and lysine, found in abundance in collagen protein, but also the presence of vitamin C, copper and zinc.

These essential amino acids, necessary to synthesise new collagen, can be found in animal sources such as beef and poultry, as well as in eggs and dairy. If you are an athlete that suffers from injuries such as sprains or strains, it may be beneficial to increase collagen intake through supplements.

What does collagen do in the body?

Research has suggested that a combination of training and collagen supplementation can strengthen the myotendinous junction and improve muscle-joint interaction, ideal for athletes looking to prevent injury, as well as those recovering from joint injuries and joint surgery. Indeed, studies have reported a reduction in knee pain in athletes that have supplemented with collagen. It is also said that collagen may be beneficial for elderly or regular gym goers that have osteoarthritis.

How do collagen supplements work in the body?

Collagen supplements provide key amino acids proline, hydroxyproline and glycine that support the structure of connective tissues like tendons. Well formulated collagen supplements, like the Nutrition X Repair Shot, will include vitamin C and copper which augment collagen protein synthesis. 

Does collagen help to repair ligaments?

Ligaments are a connective tissue that are made up of collagen proteins. Consuming collagen in the form of a supplement can promote the health of ligaments, particularly as a recovery measure if an injury is sustained, i.e. ACL, which is very common in team sport athletes. 

What are the best types of collagen supplements for athletes? 

Hydrolysed collagen (or collagen hydrolysate) extracted from bovine sources is a high-quality choice for athletes to best support their connective tissue and bone health. The collagen peptides are broken down and more readily absorbed by tissues for faster and more effective collagen protein synthesis.

What are the benefits of drinking collagen?

Drinking collagen - as opposed to consuming food, powder or tablet sources - in a ‘shot’ drink like the Nutrition X Repair Shot allows for the collagen peptides to be absorbed by the connective tissues for a faster and greater stimulation of collagen protein synthesis, enabling a more effective recovery process.

When should athletes take collagen supplements?

Collagen supplements should be taken 30-45 minutes before exercise, particularly rehab-specific exercises. The presence of these circulating amino acids in the body peaks after 1 hour and can therefore infiltrate tissues at the right time to maximise recovery benefits.

How much collagen should athletes take per day?

Research suggests that 15-20g of collagen daily is an effective dose to maximise the recovery response - and therefore act as a preventative measure - to connective tissue injuries such as ACL or achilles tendon injuries. 

How long do collagen supplements take to work?

A lot of the research on collagen protein has been done over 6-month periods, which has shown significant improvements in pain perceptions (Benito-Ruiz et al., 2009) and clinical responses (Bruyere et al., 2009) in osteoarthritic patients, as well as reduced reports of joint pain at rest, during light activity and running (Clark et al., 2008). Recommended intake would also have to be considered for the individual athlete based on their need for a collagen supplement and extent of the injury or their risk of injury.

 

Benito-Ruiz, P. et al., (2009). A randomised controlled trial on the efficacy of a food ingredient, collagen hydrolysate, for improving joint comfort. International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, 60: 99 - 113.

Bruyere, O. et al., (2012). Eect of collagen hydrolysate in articular pain: a six month, randomised, double-blind, placebo controlled study. Complementary, Therapies in Medicine, 20: 124 – 130.

Clark, K. et al., (2008). 24-week study on the use of collagen hydrolysate as a dietary supplement in athletes with activity-related joint pain. Current Medical Research and Opinion, 24: 1485 – 1496.