Collagen supplementation augments changes in patellar tendon properties in female soccer players

Abstract

We investigated the effect of collagen hydrolysate supplementation on changes in patellar tendon (PT) properties after 10 weeks’ training in female soccer players from a Football Association Women’s Super League Under 21 s squad. We pair-matched n = 17 players (age: 17 ± 0.9 years; height: 1.66 ± 0.06 m; mass: 58.8 ± 8.1 kg) for baseline knee extension (KE) maximum isometric voluntary contraction (MIVC) torque, age, height, and body mass, and randomly assigned them to collagen (COL) or placebo (PLA) groups (COL n = 8, PLA n = 9). Participants consumed 30 g collagen hydrolysate supplementation or energy-matched PLA (36.5 g maltodextrin, 8.4 g fructose) and plus both groups consumed 500 mg vitamin C, after each training session, which comprised bodyweight strength-, plyometric- and/or pitch-based exercise 3 days/week for 10 weeks in-season. We assessed KE MIVC torque, vastus lateralis muscle thickness and PT properties using isokinetic dynamometry and ultrasonography before and after 10 weeks’ soccer training. KE MIVC torque, muscle thickness and tendon cross-sectional area did not change after training in either group. However, COL increased PT stiffness [COL, +18.0 ± 12.2% (d = 1.11) vs. PLA, +5.1 ± 10.4% (d = 0.23), p = 0.049] and Young’s modulus [COL, +17.3 ± 11.9% (d = 1.21) vs. PLA, +4.8 ± 10.3% (d = 0.23), p = 0.035] more than PLA. Thus, 10 weeks’ in-season soccer training with COL increased PT mechanical and material properties more than soccer training alone in high-level female soccer players. Future studies should investigate if collagen hydrolysate supplementation can improve specific aspects of female soccer performance requiring rapid transference of force, and if it can help mitigate injury risk in this under-researched population.

Impact of Collagen Peptide Supplementation in Combination with Long-Term Physical Training on Strength, Musculotendinous Remodeling, Functional Recovery, and Body Composition in Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review with Meta-analysis

“…The age of participants ranged from ~ 17 to 65, with one study exclusively including elderly above 65 years [24]. CP and PLA were administered daily (except in [41] where three times a week was planned), amounting between 3 and 30 g with 15 g (12 studies) and with a single serving each day being the most common supplementation pattern. Moreover, vitamin C (50, 80, and 500 mg) was also added in three experiments, since vitamin C may increase collagen synthesis [27].…”

“…Tendon morphology Four studies including 114 subjects obtained data on patellar and Achilles tendon cross-sectional area by using either magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) [30,32] or ultrasound (US) [31,41]. A significant pooled ES of 0.67 (p = 0.01, CI 0.16-1.…”

“…Moreover, Ref. [41], having a PEDro score of merely 6 and therefore being the only study with the lowest score within the systematic review and meta-analysis, apparently causes overall heterogeneity.…”

“…Both low and professional training status (sedentary to five trainings a week) of subjects were suitable for inclusion. Participants had to ingest a daily dose of CP (as treatment group) for at least 3 weeks, and the control group received a calorie-or non-calorie-matched placebo regardless of manufacturer and added vitamin C. As one article appeared suitable with a supplementation regimen of three times a week, this one was also considered for meta-analysis [41]. All included studies exclusively administered CPs instead of gelatin.…”

The Collagen Synthesis Response to an Acute Bout of Resistance Exercise Is Greater when Ingesting 30 g Hydrolyzed Collagen Compared with 15 g and 0 g in Resistance-Trained Young Men

“…To address the aims of our study, we measured serum PINP after RE with different doses of HC. We chose high-intensity back squat RE to target the quadriceps MTU, because the human patellar tendon appears to hypertrophy only after prolonged periods of high-intensity [ 6 , 7 ] and not moderate-intensity [ 26 ] resistance training. In this study, the 7-h experimental design was based on a significant increase in muscle and tendon collagen FSR at 6 h post-exercise after a single RE session in healthy young males [ 12 ].…”