The science-backed benefits of Collagen

WHAT IS COLLAGEN?

Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body. It is made up of amino acids; Proline, Hydroxyproline and glycine.  Collagen provides structure to many tissues, including bones, tendons, ligaments, skin and is essential for maintaining healthy connective tissue.

Training, whether that’s running, cycling, triathlon or disciplines like crossfit and Hyrox puts a huge amount of stress on the body and particularly connective tissue. Strength, power, and speed are directly dependent on having stiff connective tissues, that is tendons and ligaments. However, while stiff connective tissue benefits performance, it is also associated with higher rates of injury. The stiffness of connective tissue is dependent on two main components – collagen content and the amount of crosslinks within the collagen.

While training is imperative for progression, it is also something that can increase risk of injury, especially connective tissue injury and so most of us have to find the balance between load and injury prevention. 

So this poses the question, can taking collagen help?

THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF COLLAGEN

There are several types of collagen but the most abundant in the body is Type 1, found in skin, bone, tendons, ligaments and organs. 

Type 2 and 3 collagen provides the most collagenous component of cartilage and so supplements containing this type of collagen may be more advantageous to consume to support joint and connective tissue health. 

This is an important consideration to take into account when choosing what supplement to take. Bovine and Marine make up the majority of the market but is there a difference?

BOVINE VS MARINE COLLAGEN

Marine collagen is high in type 1 fibres and while it is better absorbed, it doesn’t appear to have the same impact on joint and connective tissue and these supplements are probably most widely used for hair, nails and skin.

In comparison, bovine collagen contains type 1 and 3 fibres and while studies have shown this type of collagen is less easily digested, presently research favours this over marine collagen supplements to support connective tissue. 

Although there are now more plant based collagen supplements available, presently there are none on the market that provide the optimal dose to support joint and connective tissue health.

COLLAGEN USES

Joint Health

Collagen supplements have shown to support joint health, by improving the condition of the cartilage and thus reducing stiffness and joint pain. This is particularly beneficial when individuals are in a high training load, or older individuals (>35 years) participating in sport.  It is well documented that collagen decreases with age and in this case, taking a high dose supplement can support joint flexibility.

Connective Tissue Injury

Unlike muscle, connective tissue cells respond well to exercise. You only need 5-10 minutes of activity to get maximal gains. You then need to wait 6 hours before the tissue becomes responsive again. 

The original study by Baar et al, demonstrated that a major league baseball player recovered quickly by exercising 10 minutes x 3 times a day with 6-hour intervals. The study also suggested that the addition of gelatine (which has a high concentration of collagen) consumed with vitamin C 30-60 minutes prior to exercise, enhanced recovery.

Similarly, a study in 2019 concluded that combination of collagen with vitamin C and appropriate exercise rehabilitation program can support and improve recovery from ACL injury.

Bone Health

Collagen supplementation has been associated with stimulating the production of bone cells, increasing bone mineral density and reducing the risk of fractures, in post-menopausal women.

Maintaining optimal bone health is dependent on a number of factors – sufficient energy availability, good hormonal levels (Oestrogen in females and testosterone in males), Vitamin D, Vitamin K, calcium, and inclusion of weight bearing exercise. In post-menopausal women where oestrogen levels are significantly declined, there is an increased risk of reduced bone health and thus potential fractures. Hormone replacement therapy helps to mitigate some risk but taking a collagen supplement over a 12 month period has shown to increase bone density significantly.

In the sports nutrition world, this information is now being extrapolated to use with individuals who are known to have a low bone density either due to genetics or as a result of periods of time of underfuelling, in conjunction with appropriate nutritional intakes and hormonal levels.

WHEN AND HOW MUCH SHOULD YOU SUPPLEMENT?

It is clear that there is sufficient evidence to endorse the use of collagen supplementation and indeed, in my own practice there are definite times when I recommend it. If a runner or athlete I’m working with presents with either a connective tissue or bone stress related injury, I would encourage them to take collagen.

• The protocol that is advised involves 15-25g of gelatine or 10g hydrolysed collagen, with 50mg Vitamin C 40-60 minutes pre training/Rehab.

Additionally, once an injury has had the all clear from a physio, the following process has been shown to enhance recovery.

• Skipping or similar plyometric based work once confident tendon can cope with load for 10-15 min x 3 times per day with 6 hours in between sessions, taking 10-15g of collagen 30-60 minutes prior to each bout of exercise.

For bone health, it appears that improvement in bone density can occur with 5g of collagen a day. In general, I usually recommend 5g in the morning 30 minutes before any activity and 5g before bed, which has proven beneficial results.

FINAL WORDS

All the studies that have been done on Collagen have used animal derived collagen, and generally using a bovine source. While there are now some plant-based options on the market, there are few studies available to confirm their efficacy. 

 Shop the SiS REGO Collagen shot here.