As soon as recognized primarily for serving to enhance pores and skin and wrinkles, collagen peptides are one of many newest dietary supplements to take the operating world by storm in our endless quest to enhance restoration.
Greater than seemingly, you’ve observed an inflow of collagen infused meals and dietary supplements within the wholesome meals and complement isles over the previous couple of years because the trade continues to develop.
However, what advantages do collagen peptides really present and does the analysis really present they’re efficient?
That’s what we’ll have a look at immediately on this article.
What’s Collagen?
Collagen is a robust and versatile protein present in our bones and connective tissue.
As a result of it’s so robust and versatile, collagen supplies the framework or webbing to a variety of the smooth tissue within the physique.
There are lots of several types of collagen, however the three most essential for runners are Kind I, II and Kind III.
- Varieties I and III are used to bolster or structural methods, like our bones.
- Kind II is used primarily in cartilage and has a inflexible building that enables for shock absorption.
With wholesome and robust collagen ranges, your ligaments and joints might be extra versatile and your physique will higher deal with the pounding that comes with operating so many miles.
Does the Analysis Present Collagen Supplementation is Efficient?
Now that you’ve got somewhat higher understanding of what precisely collagen is, does analysis present that supplementing lives as much as the hype?
We’ll check out a number of the commonest claims and see what analysis has to say.
Scale back Restoration Time from Harm
Maybe probably the most helpful potential good thing about collagen for runners is the potential discount in restoration time.
It’s theorized that as a result of collagen performs a essential function in sustaining wholesome cartilage and connective tissue, supplementation might improve the speed of therapeutic from knee and different tendon accidents, in addition to enhance normal restoration from the impression of operating.
There’s a respectable quantity of analysis to substantiate this idea.
Particularly, a June 2020 literature overview of 15 research on collagen supplementation in leisure runners.
The mixed research indicated that collagen supplementation improved joint ache and restoration from joint accidents, lowered muscle soreness and time to get well from train, and elevated muscle protein synthesis.
Strengthen Tendons, Ligaments and Joints
One other essential potential profit to runners, particularly us older runners, is the power for collagen supplementation to enhance the power of our tendons, ligaments and joints and enhance flexibility.
That is due to the function collagen performs within the well being of our connective tissue.
With wholesome connective tissue, we will enhance vary of movement and suppleness, decreasing the chance of many frequent operating accidents.
This appears to be supported within the scientific literature as properly. One instance is a double blind examine that assessed joint mobility in a gaggle who had used a collagen supplementation and a gaggle that solely used a placebo.
The collagen group demonstrated a statistically important enchancment in common joint vary of movement in comparison with the placebo group.
Speed up Muscle Restore and Development
One other fascinating use case for runners is the potential for collagen to enhance muscle restore and progress.
As mentioned earlier, we’ve already seen proof that collagen supplementation can improve muscle protein synthesis. This appears to be additional elevated when mixed with whey protein.
It seems the amino acids within the whey protein assist synthesize the collagen, which may pace up the muscle rebuilding course of.
Nevertheless, it’s essential to notice that research point out substituting collagen for whey protein doesn’t enhance muscle protein synthesis. They need to be utilized in conjunction, with whey being the extra essential of the 2 dietary supplements.
Improved Bone Well being
Lastly, there may be some proof that collagen supplementation will help enhance bone well being and bone mass, particularly in older ladies.
That is seemingly as a result of Kind I collagen is the primary further mobile matrix protein for calcification.
Nevertheless, as of this writing, these research have solely been carried out on animals. Subsequently, extra analysis on people must be accomplished, however the outcomes do seem promising.
The Greatest Method for Runners to Take Collagen
Now that we’re comparatively assured collagen supplementation is supported by fairly a little bit of scientific analysis, what’s the easiest way to take it?
Efficient dosages
The literature demonstrates that supplementing with 2.5 to five grams of hydrolyzed collagen appears to be the candy spot.
Most research indicated that increased doses of hydrolyzed collagen didn’t enhance outcomes or have a statistically important impression on effectiveness.
Different Concerns
There are two forms of collagen dietary supplements, hydrolyzed collagen and undenatured collagen.
It seems that undenatured collagen is used primarily to deal with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Virtually all of the research on athletes we checked out used hydrolyzed collagen.
Subsequently, I like to recommend hydrolyzed collagen should you’re going to complement.
My suggestion is CollaGenius from BiOptimzers. It incorporates an efficacious dose at 2.5g with no added fillers or proprietary blends, which you already know from earlier articles I’m ardently in opposition to.
Plus, it additionally contains an superior dose of concentrated mushrooms. I’ll talk about the total analysis and advantages of mushrooms in a future article, however quite a few research have proven that they enhance mind cognition.
Personally, I take my collagen within the mornings, submit exercise. Subsequently, the added cognitive assist helps enhance my psychological readability for the morning with out taxing my adrenals with extreme caffeine (which I’m responsible of doing too usually).
Should you’re keen on attempting it out, right here’s a hyperlink to avoid wasting 10% in your buy.
Summing It Up
Whereas the scientific literature continues to be comparatively new, it does seem including a collagan complement could possibly be helpful, particularly should you wrestle with tendon or bone accidents like shin splints and stress fractures.
Taking 2.5-5 grams day by day, both within the morning or submit exercise with a whey protein shake may enable you to get well quicker and keep away from damage.
