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Collagen Supplementation Augments Strength Training-Induced Gains in Tendon Size and Rate of Force Development in Elite Female Master Field Hockey Athletes

Christopher D Nulty, Robert M Erskine
International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism 2025 35(6):510–519

Bibliography

PubMed
PMID 40992424
DOI
10.1123/ijsnem.2025-0089
Funding
The authors stated that there were no funding sources associated with the manuscript.
Competing interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise.

Study snapshot

DesignTriple-blind randomized training study in elite female Master athletes
ModelInternational Master field-hockey athletes, mean age 37 years
Sample22 premenopausal women; collagen 10, placebo 12
Intervention30 g collagen + 500 mg vitamin C versus energy-matched placebo before eccentric training
Duration8 weeks; 3 eccentric training sessions/week
EndpointsPatellar tendon CSA; Peak rate of force development; Knee force; Muscle thickness

What the study showed, in plain terms

In trained middle-aged women, 30 g collagen before eccentric training produced reported additional gains in tendon size and some explosive force outcomes versus energy-matched placebo.

Key findings

Authors reported greater patellar-tendon size gains and selected rate-of-force outcomes with collagen plus exercise, but results were based on a small athlete sample.

What this study can and cannot tell us

Only 22 high-performance women; combined vitamin C and training, high 30-g dose; performance effect does not establish clinical tendon injury prevention.

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