As soon as identified primarily for serving to enhance pores and skin and wrinkles, collagen peptides are one of many newest dietary supplements to take the working world by storm in our unending quest to enhance restoration.
Greater than probably, you’ve observed an inflow of collagen infused meals and dietary supplements within the wholesome meals and complement isles over the previous few years because the business continues to develop.
However, what advantages do collagen peptides truly present and does the analysis truly present they’re efficient?
That’s what we’ll take a look at at this time on this article.
What’s Collagen?
Collagen is a powerful and versatile protein present in our bones and connective tissue.
As a result of it’s so robust and versatile, collagen offers the framework or webbing to quite a lot of the delicate tissue within the physique.
There are numerous several types of collagen, however the three most vital for runners are Kind I, II and Kind III.
- Sorts I and III are used to bolster or structural programs, like our bones.
- Kind II is used primarily in cartilage and has a inflexible development that enables for shock absorption.
With wholesome and powerful collagen ranges, your ligaments and joints might be extra versatile and your physique will higher deal with the pounding that comes with working so many miles.
Does the Analysis Present Collagen Supplementation is Efficient?
Now that you’ve got slightly higher understanding of what precisely collagen is, does analysis present that supplementing lives as much as the hype?
We’ll check out among the commonest claims and see what analysis has to say.
Scale back Restoration Time from Damage
Maybe probably the most useful 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 important position in sustaining wholesome cartilage and connective tissue, supplementation could improve the speed of therapeutic from knee and different tendon accidents, in addition to enhance basic restoration from the affect of working.
There’s a first rate quantity of analysis to substantiate this idea.
Particularly, a June 2020 literature assessment of 15 research on collagen supplementation in leisure runners.
The mixed research indicated that collagen supplementation improved joint ache and restoration from joint accidents, decreased muscle soreness and time to get better from train, and elevated muscle protein synthesis.
Strengthen Tendons, Ligaments and Joints
One other vital 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 position collagen performs within the well being of our connective tissue.
With wholesome connective tissue, we are able to enhance vary of movement and adaptability, decreasing the chance of many frequent working accidents.
This appears to be supported within the scientific literature as effectively. 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 vital enchancment in common joint vary of movement in comparison with the placebo group.
Speed up Muscle Restore and Development
One other attention-grabbing use case for runners is the potential for collagen to enhance muscle restore and development.
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.
Nonetheless, it’s vital 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 vital of the 2 dietary supplements.
Improved Bone Well being
Lastly, there’s some proof that collagen supplementation may also help enhance bone well being and bone mass, particularly in older girls.
That is probably as a result of Kind I collagen is the primary additional mobile matrix protein for calcification.
Nonetheless, as of this writing, these research have solely been carried out on animals. Due to this fact, extra analysis on people must be executed, however the outcomes do seem promising.
The Greatest Approach 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 one of the simplest ways to take it?
Efficient dosages
The literature demonstrates that supplementing with 10g of hydrolyzed collagen appears to be the candy spot.
Most research indicated that greater doses of hydrolyzed collagen didn’t enhance outcomes or have a statistically vital affect on effectiveness.
Different Concerns
There are two sorts of collagen dietary supplements, hydrolyzed collagen and undenatured collagen.
It seems that undenatured collagen is used primarily to deal with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Nearly all of the research on athletes we checked out used hydrolyzed collagen.
Due to this fact, I like to recommend hydrolyzed collagen in the event you’re going to complement.
My suggestion is Heelstrike from 6amrun. It comprises an efficacious dose at 10g with no added fillers or proprietary blends, which you recognize from earlier articles I’m ardently in opposition to.
Plus, they’re a runner’s centered complement firm, so I do know they’re designing merchandise made for runners.
In case you’re excited about giving collagen a strive, you should use the code RC10 at 6amrun for a ten% low cost.
Summing It Up
Whereas the scientific literature remains to be comparatively new, it does seem including a collagan complement might be useful, particularly in the event you battle with tendon or bone accidents like shin splints and stress fractures.
Taking 10g day by day, both within the morning or submit exercise with a whey protein shake may assist you to get better quicker and keep away from damage.
