Collagen peptide supplementation in combination with resistance training improves body composition and increases muscle strength in elderly sarcopenic men: a randomised controlled trial

Abstract

Protein supplementation in combination with resistance training may increase muscle mass and muscle strength in elderly subjects. The objective of this study was to assess the influence of post-exercise protein supplementation with collagen peptides v. placebo on muscle mass and muscle function following resistance training in elderly subjects with sarcopenia. A total of fifty-three male subjects (72·2 (sd 4·68) years) with sarcopenia (class I or II) completed this randomised double-blind placebo-controlled study. All the participants underwent a 12-week guided resistance training programme (three sessions per week) and were supplemented with either collagen peptides (treatment group (TG)) (15 g/d) or silica as placebo (placebo group (PG)). Fat-free mass (FFM), fat mass (FM) and bone mass (BM) were measured before and after the intervention using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Isokinetic quadriceps strength (IQS) of the right leg was determined and sensory motor control (SMC) was investigated by a standardised one-leg stabilisation test. Following the training programme, all the subjects showed significantly higher (P<0·01) levels for FFM, BM, IQS and SMC with significantly lower (P<0·01) levels for FM. The effect was significantly more pronounced in subjects receiving collagen peptides: FFM (TG +4·2 (sd 2·31) kg/PG +2·9 (sd 1·84) kg; P<0·05); IQS (TG +16·5 (sd 12·9) Nm/PG +7·3 (sd 13·2) Nm; P<0·05); and FM (TG –5·4 (sd 3·17) kg/PG –3·5 (sd 2·16) kg; P<0·05). Our data demonstrate that compared with placebo, collagen peptide supplementation in combination with resistance training further improved body composition by increasing FFM, muscle strength and the loss in FM.

Exceptional body composition changes attributed to collagen peptide supplementation and resistance training in older sarcopenic men

“…We note that the 4·2 kg gain in FFM in the collagen peptidesupplemented group is unrivalled by any study of protein supplementation in older resistance training sarcopenic men (2,3) . One study, in which men with COPD received 100 mg of testosterone enanthate (injected weekly), comes close to the findings of Zdzieblik et al (1) , but in this study men receiving testosterone and performing resistance training gained only 3·3 kg of FFM and lost 1·1 kg of fat mass (4) . Were the observed changes (1) in whole-body FFM representative of skeletal muscle tissue or are changes in other tissues responsible for the greater gains in whole-body FFM?…”

“…The constituent amino acid content and protein dose (15 g/d) of collagen peptides ingested contained only 0·4 g of leucine and 1·7 g of arginine, which stimulate muscle protein synthesis and blood flow, respectively (1) ; however, this dose of leucine would have been insufficient to induce any effect on muscle protein synthesis (5,6) . In addition, 1·7 g of arginine would not have affected blood flow (6,7) .…”

“…In addition, 1·7 g of arginine would not have affected blood flow (6,7) . In their study, Zdzieblik et al (1) proposed that the provision of collagen peptides could enhance creatine synthesis. We find this proposition unlikely given the daily provision of only 1·7 g of arginine and 3·3 g of glycine, as there is no evidence that muscle creatine production is substrate-limited.…”

Sarcopenia is a Significant Predictor of Mortality After Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair

“…The high rate of muscle abnormalities among all patients in this study suggests disruption of normal muscle metabolism in patients with AAA that is associated with death and is strikingly similar to the patterns of cachexia seen in cancer patients. While it has been shown in certain populations that muscle mass and function can be improved with exercise and supplemental protein, the muscle wasting in cancer cachexia, by definition, is resistant to reversal by conventional nutritional support (29)(30)(31). Several cytokines have been linked to the muscle wasting seen in cancer cachexia including tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-), interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6, and interferon-gamma (IFN-) (32)(33)(34)(35)(36)(37)(38).…”

Valorization of Proteins from Co- and By-Products from the Fish and Meat Industry

“…Numerous BAPs derived from co-products have been proven to exhibit a wide range of positive health effects, and most of the research focus have been on blood pressure lowering, blood sugar regulating, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities [86][87][88]. In addition to a specific therapeutic function, peptides may have other beneficial effects, for example, rats fed with hydrolyzed fish protein showed reduced visceral adipose tissue mass [89], and peptides derived from collagen were shown to increase muscle mass and strength in elderly men [90]. BAPs from by-products can also have a positive effect on collagen production, which makes them attractive ingredients in cosmeceuticals for wound healing and skin aging [91].…”