by Oliver Wolf
To help athletes stay injury free, a daily dose of collagen between 5 and 15g is suggested. This wide range is explained by the different efficacy observed in studies using a specific bioactive collagen peptide or a generic collagen hydrolysate. The latest study from Gelita confirms doses as low as 5g of the specific Bioactive Collagen Peptides® Fortigel® and Tendoforte® show a significant improvement to joint and ligaments problems, respectively.
A recent study from Zdzieblik et al. (2017) showed consuming 5g of Fortigel for 3 months led to significant improvements in activity-related joint pain in young athletes and sports people. Another recent study from the AIS (Australian Institute of Sport) showed athletes suffering from Achilles tendon injuries—who were unable to run and not responding to any traditional therapies—were able to return to running faster by using only 5g of Tendoforte daily, for three to six months (Praet et al. 2017).
Protein is the premier supplement for gaining lean mass in combination with resistance exercise, and for losing fat mass in combination with an exercise- or diet-induced energy deficit.
Collagen peptides have been proven as a nutrition solution to support strong and flexible tendons and ligaments in athletes, contributing to high performance and fast return-to-training. This is also a nutritional intervention for tendon and ligament problems, such as overuse type of injuries, helping athletes to get back to sport and to their former performance level quicker and more safely.
Specific collagen peptides have been optimized to support bone health. Collagen peptides help stimulate osteoblast activity to increase the production of the extracellular bone matrix, which is the essential framework for calcium mineralisation. In addition, they regulate the degenerative processes that affect bones by reducing osteoclast-based protease production. Hence, these ingredients supply the body with the basic components needed for a strong and stable bone structure, supporting overall bone stability and flexibility.
