Thinking about adding collagen to your supplement protocol? You might want to reconsider. A recent study explored the impact of collagen supplementation on muscle protein synthesis during a week of intense training. The results challenge the popular belief that collagen significantly enhances muscle protein synthesis.
Overview
- What did they test? This study investigated the effects of collagen peptide supplementation on muscle protein synthesis rates in young men participating in one week of intense resistance exercise. The participants were divided into two groups: one receiving collagen peptides (2 x 15 gram servings per day) and the other a placebo.
- What did they find? Collagen peptide supplementation did not significantly increase muscle protein synthesis rates compared to the placebo.
- What does it mean for you? This study adds to a small body of literature which indicates collagen peptide supplementation does not appear to significantly increase muscle protein synthesis after resistance exercise.
What’s The Problem?
Resistance exercise, coupled with adequate protein intake, is well-established as a potent stimulator of muscle protein synthesis (MPS), the physiological process underpinning muscle growth and adaptation. However, the efficacy of different protein sources in stimulating MPS, particularly in the context of varying amino acid profiles, remains a topic of ongoing investigation. Essential amino acids (EAAs), those that cannot be synthesized endogenously and must be obtained through dietary sources, play a critical role in MPS. Proteins with a higher EAA content, such as whey protein, have been shown to elicit a greater MPS response compared to proteins lower in EAAs, such as collagen 1. This difference is particularly evident in studies examining myofibrillar protein synthesis, the process that generates the contractile proteins (e.g., actin and myosin) responsible for muscle contraction. However, skeletal muscle comprises more than just contractile proteins. The intricate network of connective tissue within muscle plays a crucial role in force transmission, facilitating the transfer of contractile forces to tendons and ultimately to bones, enabling movement. Despite its importance, the response of connective tissue protein synthesis to exercise and protein supplementation remains less well-defined. Collagen peptides are rich in glycine and proline and constitute the primary structural protein in connective tissue. This has led to the hypothesis that collagen supplementation may be more effective in stimulating connective tissue protein synthesis. Considering this, Aussieker and colleagues 2 previously examined the effects of collagen peptide ingestion on MPS and compared the effects to whey and a placebo in young, healthy adults after a resistance exercise bout. They reported that collagen did not increase muscle connective protein synthesis rates compared to whey protein or a placebo. Another study from Jacinto and colleagues 3 comparing collagen to whey also reported whey as a superior form of protein to increase muscle thickness in response to resistance training. However, considering the small number of studies on the topic, the authors of this new study put collagen to the test again by comparing the effects on MPS to a non-caloric placebo during a week of intense resistance training in young men. Let's see what they found.
Purpose
This study sought to investigate whether collagen peptide supplementation would enhance both myofibrillar and connective tissue protein synthesis rates in young, healthy men undergoing a week of intense resistance exercise training.
Hypothesis
The authors hypothesized that supplementing with collagen peptides during this period would elevate the availability of specific nonessential amino acids, crucial for connective tissue protein synthesis, thereby enhancing the synthesis rates.
