Collagen Protein Ingestion during Recovery from Exercise Does Not Increase Muscle Connective Protein Synthesis Rates

Aussieker T, Hilkens L, Holwerda AM, et al. · Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise

Neither collagen nor whey significantly increased muscle connective-tissue protein synthesis over 5 h (collagen 0.068 vs placebo 0.058 %/h, p = .09). A direct null against the idea that ingested collagen acutely drives connective-tissue synthesis, at least in muscle.

Population

Recreational athletes (30 male, 15 female), single resistance-exercise session, double-blind parallel groups

Intervention

30 g collagen protein or 30 g whey after exercise; biopsies over 5 h with stable-isotope tracers

Comparator

Placebo

Limitations

Acute 5-h window only; muscle connective tissue, not cartilage or ligament; post-exercise rather than pre-exercise timing (the Baar protocol doses before exercise).