Are collagen peptides helpful for athletes?

Are collagen peptides helpful for athletes?

No-one pushes their bodies harder than athletes and the training they do puts a great deal of stress on their muscles, joints and bones. Injuries are very common, with injury management being a key part of most athletes’ training. One question that often arises is how they can reduce their risk of injury or recover more quickly. This is because injuries, whether major or minor, can have a significant impact on an athlete’s performance. To perform at their best and progress steadily in training, athletes need to remain injury-free as much as possible. This is where collagen peptides can be helpful.

What are collagen proteins?

You may have heard of collagen for its popularity as a skincare remedy, but it can also be fantastic for athletes. Incorporating collagen into your daily routine will be great for your skin, but it could also boost an athlete’s results from training. Approximately 10% of your muscle mass is made up of collagen, so boosting the levels of collagen proteins in your body can help with lean muscle mass.

Though collagen is often thought of as falling into its own supplement category, it is unmistakably a protein. But it is not a complete protein – it does not have all of the 9 essential amino acids. Nevertheless, collagen can yield substantial benefits for athletes in terms of boosting performance in training and yielding better results. A daily dose of 5-15g of collagen peptides is recommended to boost resistance to injury. It can be taken alone or mixed with other protein sources as preferred.

What are the specific benefits of collagen peptides for athletes?

Whether you are a competitive athlete or a fitness fanatic, collagen peptides are some of the most effective things out there for recovery. They can play a vital role in the strengthening and repairing of tendons, cartilage, ligaments and muscles that are pushed to their limits during training. Collagen is one of the fundamental components of our bodies’ structural makeup, present in around 90% of the connective tissues in our bodies including the parts listed above and also our bones.

With that in mind, let’s take a deeper dive into why collagen peptides are beneficial for athletes.

#1. Collagen peptides can improve muscle mass

Collagen is a core component of muscle tissue. As we get older, muscle mass tends to diminish because our levels of both testosterone and collagen decline. There is research that shows collagen peptides from supplements can halt and even reverse this ageing issue for people diagnosed with age-related loss of muscle mass (sarcopenia).

The study involved older men with diminished muscle mass but it discovered that the same rule applies to anyone, no matter their age. According to the research, men who combine exercise with post-workout collagen peptides experienced more gains in muscle mass than those who exercised and took a placebo. Collagen is an active part of the building of lean muscle mass.

Beyond this, collagen peptides contain amino acids like glycine and arginine, which are known to be key building blocks for creatine. There is a wealth of evidence that creatine can be instrumental in building strength and muscle mass as well as boosting athletic performance. If you want to emphasise the building and maintenance of muscle mass during an athletic season, collagen proteins may be an important part of that.

#2. Collagen proteins help promote good joint health

Another key benefit of collagen proteins for athletes is what they can do for joint health. Collagen peptides can help reduce inflammation and discomfort relating to degenerated cartilage and joint damage. There are also studies that demonstrate a link between collagen and the health of tendons and ligaments. The collagen in supplements is sourced from the bodies of animals so it is natural and primed for absorption into our bodies to synthesise new collagen.

There is research that indicates 10-15g of collagen proteins along with your full RDA of vitamin C after workouts can significantly increase collagen production in joints.

#3. Collagen peptides strengthen connective tissues to prevent injuries

All connective tissues and muscles need collagen, so hydrolysed collagen peptides can help protect our bodies against injury. As our collagen levels decline, tissues like tendons and ligaments become less supple, which increases the risk of sports injury. This is why athletes aged 30+ tend to be more susceptible to things like shoulder issues, knee injuries and even herniated discs.

There are, of course, numerous factors behind these types of injuries, but the levels of collagen in your body play a major role in prevention. There is a study that found boosting collagen levels in connective tissues is actually essential for the prevention of injuries. Other studies indicate that collagen can help your body heal more quickly from injury and also prevent scar tissue from forming in large quantities.

#4. Collagen proteins enhance athletic performance

Muscle contraction during athletic performance depends on creatine, a molecule composed of arginine, glycine and methionine. Collagen proteins are 20% glycine and 8% arginine, so they can really help with the synthesis of creatine in our bodies. Consequently, athletic performance involving short, intense bursts of muscle contraction is improved.

Studies have shown that just 1g of arginine over a period of 5 weeks can lead to gains in strength by stimulating the release of growth hormone.

#5. Collagen proteins are an ideal source of amino acids

Collagen can be ideal as part of a post-workout protein complex as it is very high in amino acids and supports the protein needs of our bodies both pre- and post-workout. Collagen proteins contain 18 amino acids, including 8 of the 9 essential amino acids. These are things that our bodies need but cannot produce themselves, so they must be obtained from our diet.

What collagen peptides can I trust to boost my athletic performance?

Kollo uses premium-grade marine collagen peptides and supplies a daily dosage of 10g. This is well within the recommended range for improving joint and bone health, as well as supporting lean muscle mass. Additionally, Kollo supplies 100% of your RDA of vitamins B12 and C, along with 70% of your RDA of B1, B5 and B6. This makes it extremely potent in boosting your collagen levels, providing the fuel for collagen synthesis and the nutrients that support the mechanisms by which it is produced.

As type I hydrolysed collagen, sourced from fish and delivered in a liquid suspension, Kollo has very high bioavailability. The collagen peptides will be swiftly absorbed into your bloodstream and initiate an increase in collagen synthesis, supporting your bone, joint and muscle health as well as your skin, hair, nails, gut and more.

Is Kollo safe for athletes to take?

One of the unique things about Kollo is that we have earned the elusive Informed Sport certification to verify that our product is safe for athletes. Informed Sport is a global testing and certification programme for supplements, providing assurance to athletes that any product containing the Informed Sport mark has been rigorously tested for prohibited substances.

The process of obtaining certification is as follows:

1. Product and manufacturing review
2. Pre-certification sample testing
3. Product supplement certification, logo use and web listing
4. Post-certification testing

That fourth stage means that, following certification of a supplement, every single product batch must be submitted to Informed Sport for testing before that product can be released into the marketplace. This means you can have ultimate confidence that there are no banned substances in Kollo and it is safe to take as part of your supplementation programme as an athlete.

A holistic approach to bodily health

With collagen peptides being so abundant in our bodies, collagen supplementation can have a positive impact on many parts of the body. Jenni Falconer, the co-founder of Kollo, is a very keen runner and takes Kollo to help maintain her health and fitness. Kollo ambassadors include Michelle Baxter, an advanced TRX Coach, IRONMAN triathlete Joe Cant and personal trainer Louise Arnold. These are people who are passionate about exercise and sports, and they are so confident in Kollo that they put their names behind the brand.

Our ambassadors, and our customers, are all quick to share their stories of improved energy levels, healthier skin and hair, better joint health, stronger muscles and more. We are confident you will not find a better collagen supplement than the multi-award winning Kollo.

If you would like to learn more about Kollo, we invite you to explore our website. You will find a ton of information about the product and brand, as well as links to scientific research, a complete, unedited section of customer reviews and the information library that is our blog section. If you still have any questions about Kollo, please visit our contact page and get in touch – we’d love to hear from you.