Collagen supplementation is gaining popularity among active people, due to the proposed benefits that adding collagen can have on joint health, improving injury outcomes and optimizing recovery.
However, most people are jumping into collagen without a great understanding of what collagen is, or why it might prove beneficial. Collagen studies are currently an emerging field of research in nutrition and performance. For this blog, I want to break down exactly what collagen is, what some of the research is saying about use of collagen supplementation and discuss how whole food sources can play a role.
What is collagen?
Collagen is a protein that our bodies make naturally, and is abundant in providing the structural scaffolding for tissues and cells, such as connective tissue, skin, tendons, bones, and cartilage. It makes up about ⅓ of all the protein in your body. (Team, 2021) Collagen is composed of amino acids, which our bodies create by breaking down the proteins we eat via food. Those amino acids then combine to form the building blocks that our bodies turn into new proteins. (Team, 2021; Wu, et. al, 2022) In addition to being a structural protein, collagen plays an important role in cellular communication, tissue maintenance and repair, and our immune response. (Team, 2021) There are 16 different types of collagen in the body, and all play a different role, however the most common types of collagen are types I, II, and III. Type I is involved in building skin, bone, tendons and ligaments. Type II is used to make cartilage, and Type III is used to create muscles and blood vessels. (Wu, et. al, 2022)
Photo Courtesy of https://www.botanicchoice.com/blog/beauty/whats-the-difference-in-type-1-2-and-3-collagen/
Collagen can be acquired by dietary supplements, but also through food sources.
While studies on supplements are promising, most of the research is relatively new and with small sample sizes. There are nutrition practices you can include to promote collagen building and overall joint health, such as consuming collagen rich foods and pro-collagen nutrients.
Food sources for collagen include animal products, such as beef, chicken, fish eggs, and dairy. More specifically, food sources of dietary collagen come from collagen-rich parts of the animal, such as skin, ligaments and bone (such as broth broth). Pro-collagen nutrients, such as vitamin C, zinc, and copper, assist in the creation of amino acids to support the creation of collagen., Vitamin C, found in citrus fruits, red and green peppers, tomatoes, broccoli and greens is essential for optimal absorption. (Naomi, et. al, 2021) Zinc and copper are minerals, which can be consumed by eating meat, shellfish, nuts, whole grains and beans. (Team, 2021) By consuming a diet rich with whole food sources to support collagen, you may find that a collagen supplement is not necessary to gain the injury prevention and recovery benefits of collagen, since your body can make its own collagen.
Collagen supplementation may be right for some athletes.
Collagen supplements are best used to meet collagen needs when dietary consumption is not sufficient. Bone broth is one way to supplement collagen, however some research has shown that it is not a reliable source of collagen. So, it may be best to consider bone broth as a food source of collagen, rather than a true supplement. (Muir, 2021) The main forms of collagen supplementation are gelatin and hydrolyzed collagen. Hydrolyzed collagen, or collagen peptide, is a powdered form of collagen supplement, which typically is flavorless, and dissolves easily, so it can be added to smoothies, beverages, soup or sauce, which makes it an palatable way to consume a collagen supplement. Klean Athlete Collagen +C includes vitamin C in it’s formulation, making it simple to consume collage plus the pro-collagen vitamin to improve absorption. Garden of Life Grass-Fed Collagen is another brand of unflavored collagen peptides that our team really enjoys.
What the research says about collagen supplementation …
A 2021 study conducted on the effects of collagen and vitamin C supplementation on the development of force in the lower extremity has shown some positive outcomes. As we mentioned before, vitamin C is a pro-collagen nutrient, so as the research looks towards the use of supplementation for athletes, it’s important to remember that in order to reap the possible joint benefits of collagen supplements, we must also consume vitamin C to improve collagen creation and increase absorption. (Lis, et. al, 2021) Several studies have demonstrated that gelatin or a hydrolyzed collagen supplement ingested prior to exercise increased delivery of key amino acids to connective tissue in the body, which may help to increase collagen. This is important to athletes, because greater collagen content in connective tissues such as ligaments, tendons and cartilage has been shown to decrease the risk of injury, such sprains, strains or ruptures. (Lis, et. al, 2021)
In terms of practical implementation derived from current research, it appears that amino acid levels peak in the blood about 40-60 minutes after consumption. (Lis, et. al, 2021; Maffiuletti, et. al, 2016) Therefore, it appears that timing for consumption of supplemental ingestion of collagen should occur approximately 30 minutes to 1 hour prior to training in order to reap the improved collagen creation and favorable benefits for joints. (Lis, et. al, 2021) According to a 2019 study, 5-15 grams of collagen supplementation increased amino acids in the blood. (Alcock, 2019) Furthermore, this study showed that vitamin-C, when consumed with the collagen supplement, resulted in an increase in the amino acid components of collagen within 1 hour after consumption, further supporting the recommendation of 5-15 grams of collagen, 30-60 minutes before the exercise in order to reap the benefits of ligament mechanical improvement, injury prevention and tissue repair. (Alcock, 2019)
There are obviously some promising results from the studies on the impact of collagen supplementation for athletes in the realm of injury prevention, recovery and even some early research on performance improvement. However, more research is needed in the athletic population. As with any supplement, it is best to begin with a whole foods approach, and seek guidance from a Registered Dietitian if you wish to include supplementation into your training routine.
Works Cited:
Alcock, R. D., Shaw, G. C., Tee, N., & Burke, L. M. (1AD, January 1). Plasma amino acid concentrations after the ingestion of dairy and collagen proteins, in healthy active males. Frontiers. Retrieved May 17, 2022, from https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2019.00163/full
Brennan, D. (2020, December 22). 3 collagen-rich foods you should be eating. WebMD. Retrieved May 17, 2022, from https://www.webmd.com/diet/foods-high-in-collagens#1
Lis, D. M., Jordan, M., Lipuma, T., Smith, T., Schaal, K., & Baar, K. (2021, November 22). Collagen and vitamin C supplementation increases lower limb rate of force development. Human Kinetics. Retrieved May 17, 2022, from https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/ijsnem/32/2/article-p65.xml
Maffiuletti, N.A., Aagaard, P., Blazevich, A.J. et al. Rate of force development: physiological and methodological considerations. Eur J Appl Physiol 116, 1091–1116 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-016-3346-6
Muir, A. (2021, December 4). Collagen supplementation for injury recovery. Ideal Nutrition. Retrieved May 17, 2022, from https://www.idealnutrition.com.au/collagen-supplementation-for-injury-recovery/
Naomi, R., Ridzuan, P. M., & Bahari, H. (2021, August 9). Current insights into collagen type I. Polymers. Retrieved May 17, 2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8399689/
Team, W. (2021, December 10). The best way you can get more collagen. Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved May 17, 2022, from https://health.clevelandclinic.org/the-best-way-you-can-get-more-collagen/
Wu, M., Cronin, K., & Crane, J. S. (n.d.). Biochemistry, collagen synthesis – statpearls – NCBI bookshelf. National Library of Medicine . Retrieved May 18, 2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507709/
