Key Takeaway
Athletes with joint pain taking 10g collagen hydrolysate daily for 24 weeks showed significant reductions in pain at rest and during activity compared to placebo.
Summary
This was the first long-term clinical trial examining collagen supplementation for activity-related joint pain in athletes. 147 Penn State varsity and club athletes with joint pain but no joint disease were randomized to receive 10g collagen hydrolysate or placebo daily for 24 weeks.
The collagen group showed significant improvements in joint pain during various activities. The effect was most pronounced in athletes with knee pain, suggesting collagen may help maintain joint health in high-impact athletes.
Methods
- 147 athletes (72 male, 75 female) from Penn State varsity/club sports
- 24-week randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial
- Treatment: 10g collagen hydrolysate (CH-Alpha) daily
- Measured: joint pain via visual analogue scale (at rest, walking, standing, running, changing direction)
- 97 subjects completed and were analyzed
Key Results
Collagen vs placebo in knee arthralgia subgroup (n=63):
- Joint pain at rest: significant reduction (p = 0.001)
- Joint pain walking: significant reduction (p < 0.05)
- Joint pain standing: significant reduction (p < 0.05)
- Joint pain running: significant reduction (p < 0.05)
- Joint pain changing direction: significant reduction (p < 0.05)
Limitations
- High dropout rate (97 of 147 analyzed)
- Funded by GELITA Health GmbH
- Subgroup analysis on knee pain (not pre-specified)
- Athletes only (may not generalize to general population)
- No objective measures (imaging, biomarkers)