Collagen peptides supplementation improves function, pain, and physical and mental outcomes in active adults

Abstract

Introduction: Chronic pain affects 19% of adults in the United States, with increasing prevalence in active and aging populations. Pain can limit physical activity and activities of daily living (ADLs), resulting in declined mental and social health. Nutritional interventions for pain currently target inflammation or joint health, but few influence both. Collagen, the most abundant protein in the human body and constituent of the extra cellular matrix, is such a nutraceutical. While there have been reports of reductions in pain with short-term collagen peptide (CP) supplementation, there are no long-term studies specifically in healthy middle-aged active adults.

Purpose: To determine the effects of daily CP consumption over 3, 6, and 9 months on survey measures of pain, function, and physical and mental health using The Knee Injury & Osteoarthritis Outcomes Score (KOOS) and Veterans Rand 12 (VR-12) in middle-aged active adults.

Methods: This study was a double-blind randomized control trial with three treatment groups (Placebo, 10 g/d CP, and 20 g/d CP).

Results: Improvements in ADLs (p = .031, η_p² = .096) and pain (p = .037, η_p² = .164) were observed with 10 g/d CP over 6 months, although pain only improved in high frequency exercisers (>180 min/week). Additionally, VR-12 mental component scores (MCS) improved with 10 g/d of CP over 3-9 months (p = .017, η_p² = .309), while physical component scores (PCS) improved with 20 g/d of CP over 3-9 months, but only in females (p = .013, η_p²= .582).

Conclusion: These findings suggest 10 to 20 g/d of CP supplementation over 6 to 9 months may improve ADLs, pain, MCS, and PCS in middle-aged active adults.

Keywords: Gelatin; KOOS; VR-12; connective tissue; hydrolyzed; nutrition.

Figure 1.

Flowchart of participant recruitment, dropouts, and randomization before and during study intervention. CP = collagen peptides, g = grams, d = day.

Figure 2.

(a) Differences between treatment groups in KOOS ADLs at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months, with reported p-value for group by time interaction. (b) Differences between low frequency exercisers in treatment groups in KOOS Pain at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. (c) Differences between high frequency exercisers in treatment groups in KOOS Pain at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. AU = arbitrary units, g = grams, d = day, ADLs = activities of daily living, KOOS = Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, LF = low frequency, HF = high frequency.

Figure 3.

a) Differences between treatment groups in the VR-12 MCS at baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and 9 months, with reported p-value for group by time interaction. (b) Differences between low frequency exercisers in treatment groups in MCS at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. (c) Differences between high frequency exercisers in treatment groups in MCS at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months, with p-value for group by time interaction. (d) Differences between low frequency exercisers in treatment groups in MCS at baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and 9 months. (e) Differences between high frequency exercisers in treatment groups in MCS at baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and 9 months, with p-value for group by time interaction. AU = arbitrary units, g = grams, d = day, MCS = mental component score, LF = low frequency, HF = high frequency.

Figure 4.

(a) Differences between treatment groups in the VR-12 PCS at baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and 9 months, with reported p-value for group by time interaction. (b) Differences between males in treatment groups in the VR-12 PCS at baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and 9 months. (c) Differences between females in treatment groups in the VR-12 PCS at baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and 9 months. AU = arbitrary units, g = grams, d = day, PCS = physical component score.