The Effect of Specific Bioactive Collagen Peptides on Tendon Remodelling during 15 Weeks of Lower Body Resistance Training

Purpose Collagen peptide supplementation has been reported to enhance synthesis rates or growth in a range of musculoskeletal tissues and could enhance tendinous tissue adaptations to resistance training (RT). This double-blind placebo-controlled study aimed to determine if tendinous tissue adaptations, size (patellar tendon cross-sectional area [CSA] and vastus lateralis [VL] aponeurosis area) and mechanical properties (patellar tendon), following 15 weeks of RT could be augmented with collagen peptide (CP) vs. placebo (PLA) supplementation Methods Young healthy recreationally active men were randomized to consume either 15 g of CP (n=19) or PLA (n=20) once every day during a standardized program of lower-body RT (3 times/wk). Measurements pre- and post-RT included: patellar tendon CSA and VL aponeurosis area (via MRI); patellar tendon mechanical properties during isometric knee extension ramp contractions. Results No between-group differences were detected for any of the tendinous tissue adaptations to RT (ANOVA group x time, 0.365 ≤ P ≤ 0.877). There were within-group increases in VL aponeurosis area (CP: +10.0%, PLA: +9.4%), patellar tendon stiffness (CP: +17.3% PLA: +20.9%) and Young’s Modulus (CP: +17.8%; PLA: +20.6%) in both groups (paired t-tests [all] P ≤ 0.007). There were also within-group decreases in patellar tendon elongation (CP: -10.8%, PLA: -9.6%) and strain (CP: -10.6%, PLA: -8.9%) in both groups (paired t-tests [all] P ≤ 0.006). Whilst no within-group changes in patellar tendon CSA (mean or regional) occurred for CP or PLA, a modest overall time effect (n=39) was observed for mean (+1.4%) and proximal region (+2.4%) patellar tendon CSA (ANOVA, 0.017 ≤ P ≤ 0.048). Conclusions In conclusion, CP supplementation did not enhance RT-induced tendinous tissue remodelling (either size or mechanical properties) compared to PLA within a population of healthy young males.