Collagen is the most abundant protein in your body and collagen peptides have been shown to improve athletic performance. But how does collagen benefit the athlete? And how do collagen peptides help with athletic performance? Here are some benefits of collagen that'll make you want to throw a huge scoop in your next drink!
How do collagen supplements help improve sports performance?
Collagen supplements offer a whole host of benefits for endurance training, improving recovery time following exercise sessions (which means less fatigue during your next workout), reducing muscle soreness after workouts by preventing the breakdown of muscular proteins that leads to it, boosting collagen production (to give you more energy) and also helping with faster post-workout recovery.
Collagen peptides can also help to repair joint and ligament damage, which is a common injury in athletes for most sports. Collagen supplementation may also help decrease inflammation--a process triggered by physical activity--and prevents oxidative stress on muscles and tissues from strenuous exercise activities.
What other ways does collagen benefit athletes?
Collagen peptides helps your athletic performance in many ways. Collagen may strengthen muscle fibers, as collagen is one of three proteins that make up our muscles. With more collagen, you can build and repair muscles faster.
Collagen can help lengthen cell lifespan. Collagen helps to prevent cells from breaking down which leads to a longer life of the cells.
When you are dreading that next workout you may find collagen promotes improved mental clarity & focus, with high glycine levels it's easier for people to concentrate on their training activities without feeling tired or fatigued as much. We all need that!
If you find yourself recovering quicker so you can exercise harder the next day, it may be attributed to collagen as it aids in decreasing inflammation and oxidative stress. These are just a few reasons to give collagen a try whether you are a serious athlete or just trying to improve on your performance in your daily hike!
So how much collagen do you need daily to increase athlete performance?
It depends on the collagen supplement. Different collagen supplements have different collagen peptides amounts, so it's important to read labels! But remember to look for Collagen Type I & III for the greatest benefits!
To increase performance there are many that suggest taking collagen supplements 30-60 minutes prior to exercise for best results. And there are some medical professionals who turn to collagen supplementation before and after surgery. Here is a previous blog post from Dr. Andrew Dold on Collagen for Healing and Prevention. Dr. Dold treats many athletes and uses the Xendurance (Type I & III) Collagen & Greens for getting athletes back on their feet - literally! Collagen is critical for athletes of all types.
Whether it be preventing injury, maintaining and improving performance or aiding in post-workout recovery - collagen peptides are truly a must have supplement!
