Collagen Protein Supplementation: Does It Enhance Connective Tissue Protein Synthesis Rates?
Or is it much ado about nothing?
The study explored the effects of collagen peptide supplementation on connective tissue protein synthesis during one week of hard resistance training and the results were less than stellar (PMID: 39086044).
Key Points
Objective: The study aimed to determine if collagen peptide supplementation could enhance connective tissue protein synthesis rates when combined with resistance training.
Participants and Methodology:
The study employed a randomised, double-blind, parallel design involving 25 young men (24 ± 3 years old, 76.9 ± 6.4 kg) as participants.
The participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups:
Collagen peptides (COL) group: Received 15 g of hydrolysed collagen peptides twice daily during the intervention.
Placebo (PLA) group: Received a non-caloric placebo twice daily during the intervention.
All participants performed one week of intense resistance training.
Findings: The results showed that collagen peptide supplementation did not significantly increase myofibrillar or connective tissue protein synthesis rates compared to the placebo group. Although the collagen group had elevated glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline levels in the blood, these did not translate into increased synthesis of connective tissue proteins.
Related
Key Takeaways
Collagen peptide supplementation (2 x 15 g daily) does not enhance connective tissue protein synthesis rates during resistance training.
The study suggests that despite the presence of amino acids beneficial for collagen synthesis, collagen supplementation alone does not provide additional benefits for connective tissue protein synthesis in the context of resistance training.
This research contributes to the ongoing discussion about the effectiveness of collagen peptides in sports nutrition. While they may have some benefits, they did not significantly enhance myofibrillar or connective tissue protein synthesis rates during one week of intense lifting.
Reference
Kirmse, Marius1; Lottmann, Theo Maria1; Volk, Nicola Reiner1; de Marées, Markus1; Holwerda, Andrew M.2; van Loon, Luc J. C.2; Platen, Petra1. Collagen Peptide Supplementation during Training Does Not Further Increase Connective Tissue Protein Synthesis Rates. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise ():10.1249/MSS.0000000000003519, August 1, 2024. | DOI: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000003519