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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2024 Dec 20;16(24):4389.
doi: 10.3390/nu16244389.

Comparing the Effects of Collagen Hydrolysate and Dairy Protein on Recovery from Eccentric Exercise: A Double Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study

Rachel Barclay  1 , Jane Coad  2 , Katie Schraders  2 , Matthew J Barnes  1
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Comparing the Effects of Collagen Hydrolysate and Dairy Protein on Recovery from Eccentric Exercise: A Double Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study

Rachel Barclay et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

Background: Consuming collagen hydrolysate (CH) may improve symptoms of exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD); however, its acute effects have not been compared to dairy protein (DP), the most commonly consumed form of protein supplement. Therefore, this study compared the effects of CH and DP on recovery from EIMD.

Methods: Thirty-three males consumed either CH (n = 11) or DP (n = 11), containing 25 g of protein, or an isoenergetic placebo (n = 11) immediately post-exercise and once daily for three days. Indices of EIMD were measured before and 30 min and 24, 48, and 72 h after 30 min of downhill running on a -15% slope at 80% of VO2max speed.

Results: Downhill running induced significant EIMD, with time effects (all p < 0.001) for the delayed onset of muscle soreness (visual analogue scale), countermovement jump height, isometric midthigh pull force, maximal voluntary isometric contraction force, running economy, and biomarkers of muscle damage (creatine kinase) and inflammation (interleukin-6, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein). However, no group or interaction effects (all p > 0.05) were observed for any of the outcome measures.

Conclusions: These findings suggest that the post-exercise consumption of CH or DP does not improve indices of EIMD during the acute recovery period in recreationally active males.

Keywords: collagen hydrolysate; delayed-onset muscle soreness; exercise-induced muscle damage; milk proteins; post-exercise recovery.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of the data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
CONSORT flow diagram for recruitment and data collection.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Muscle soreness, measured on a 100 mm visual analogue scale (VAS), during a squat (A) and after three MVICs (B) before (PRE) and after 30 min of downhill running. Participants were allocated into dairy protein (n = 11, DP), placebo (n = 11, PLA), or collagen hydrolysate (n = 11, CH) groups. * Different to PRE (p < 0.05); # different to 30 min (p < 0.05); + different to 24h (p < 0.05); ^ different to 48 h (p < 0.05).
Figure 3
Figure 3
MVIC (A), IMTP (B), CMJ (C), and running economy (D) before (PRE) and after 30 min of downhill running. Participants were allocated into dairy protein (n = 11, DP), placebo (n = 11, PLA), or collagen hydrolysate (n = 11, CH) groups. * Different to PRE (p < 0.05); # different to 30 min (p < 0.05).
Figure 4
Figure 4
nLog of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP; (A)), interleukin 6 (IL-6; (B)), and creatine kinase (CK; (C)) before (PRE) and after 30 min of downhill running. Participants were allocated into dairy protein (n = 11, DP), placebo (n = 11, PLA), or collagen hydrolysate (n = 11, CH) groups. * Different to PRE (p < 0.05); # different to 30 min (p < 0.05); + different to 24 h (p < 0.05); ^ different to 48 h (p < 0.05).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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