The effects of collagen peptides on muscle damage, inflammation and bone turnover following exercise: a randomized, controlled trial

• Published in: Amino acids Vol. 51; no. 4; pp. 691 - 704
• Main Authors: Clifford, Tom, Ventress, Matthew, Allerton, Dean M., Stansfield, Sarah, Tang, Jonathan C. Y., Fraser, William D., Vanhoecke, Barbara, Prawitt, Janne, Stevenson, Emma
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Vienna Springer Vienna 01.04.2019; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adult; Analytical Chemistry; Biochemical Engineering; Biochemistry; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Bone Remodeling - drug effects; Bone turnover; Case-Control Studies; Collagen; Collagen - administration & dosage; Damage; Dependent variables; Dietary Supplements; Double-Blind Method; Exercise; Humans; Inflammation; Inflammation - prevention & control; Life Sciences; Male; Markers; Massage; Mood; Muscle contraction; Muscle, Skeletal - drug effects; Muscle, Skeletal - physiology; Muscles; Myalgia - drug therapy; Myalgia - etiology; Neurobiology; Original Article; Pain; Pain Threshold; Peptide Fragments - administration & dosage; Peptides; Proteomics; Statistical analysis; Supplements; Visual thresholds; Vitamin E; Young Adult; Muscle soreness; Hydrolyzed collagen; Inflammation; Bone turnover; Exercise recovery; Collagen
• ISSN: 0939-4451; 1438-2199
• DOI: 10.1007/s00726-019-02706-5

This study examined whether consuming collagen peptides (CP) before and after strenuous exercise alters markers of muscle damage, inflammation and bone turnover. Using a double-blind, independent group’s design, 24 recreationally active males consumed either 20 g day −1 of CP or a placebo control (CON) for 7 days before and 2 days after performing 150 drop jumps. Maximal isometric voluntary contractions, countermovement jumps (CMJ), muscle soreness (200 mm visual analogue scale), pressure pain threshold, Brief Assessment of Mood Adapted (BAM +) and a range of blood markers associated with muscle damage, inflammation and bone turnover C-terminal telopeptide of type 1 collagen (β-CTX) and N-terminal propeptides of type 1 pro-collagen (P1NP) were measured before supplementation (baseline; BL), pre, post, 1.5, 24 and 48 h post-exercise. Muscle soreness was not significantly different in CP and CON ( P  = 0.071) but a large effect size was evident at 48 h post-exercise, indicative of lower soreness in the CP group (90.42 ± 45.33 mm vs. CON 125.67 ± 36.50 mm; ES = 2.64). CMJ height recovered quicker with CP than CON at 48 h ( P  = 0.050; CP 89.96 ± 12.85 vs. CON 78.67 ± 14.41% of baseline values; ES = 0.55). There were no statistically significant effects for the other dependent variables ( P  > 0.05). β-CTX and P1NP were unaffected by CP supplementation ( P  > 0.05). In conclusion, CP had moderate benefits for the recovery of CMJ and muscle soreness but had no influence on inflammation and bone collagen synthesis.