Tier 2 — strong

Ingestion of a Whey Plus Collagen Protein Blend Increases Myofibrillar and Muscle Connective Protein Synthesis Rates

Thorben Aussieker, Jeremias Kaiser, Wesley J H Hermans, Floris K Hendriks, Andrew M Holwerda, Joan M Senden, Janneau M X van Kranenburg, Joy P B Goessens, Ulrike Braun, Keith Baar, Tim Snijders, Luc J C van Loon
Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 2025 57(3):544–554

Bibliography

PubMed
PMID 39501478
PubMed Central
PMC11801439
DOI
10.1249/MSS.0000000000003596
Funding
Public–private Maastricht University, GELITA AG and TKI Health–Holland collaboration.
Competing interests
Investigators disclosed prior nutrition-industry grants/fees including collagen manufacturers.

Study snapshot

DesignRandomized double-blind placebo-controlled tracer infusion and muscle biopsy study
ModelYoung recreationally active men following unilateral resistance exercise
Sample28 young men; blend 14, noncaloric placebo 14
Intervention25 g whey + 5 g collagen blend vs noncaloric placebo
DurationSingle dose; 5-hour post-exercise sampling
EndpointsMyofibrillar protein synthesis; Muscle connective protein synthesis; Aminoacidemia

What the study showed, in plain terms

A whey-dominant blend with 5 g collagen increased muscle protein synthesis relative to no protein. Because the comparator was zero protein rather than whey alone, this study cannot attribute the effect uniquely to collagen.

Key findings

The blend increased myofibrillar synthesis at rest and after exercise and connective tissue protein synthesis at rest; no significant additional exercised-leg connective-tissue synthesis.

What this study can and cannot tell us

Acute study, men only, no whey-only arm; product 83% whey. Public–private funded with GELITA involvement, and not a trial of collagen-alone efficacy.

Editorial review

Reviewed by the Biohack Blueprint research team

Last verified

Dr. Khaled Mahmoud, MBBChCritical Care Medicine, Longevity Science & Editorial Direction Dr. Amr Yasser, PhDCardiometabolic, Musculoskeletal, Gut & Bioavailability Dr. Abdulla Mostafa, PhDCellular Senescence, Neurological, Mitochondrial & Brain-Ageing Biology