Can collagen pills make your muscles grow bigger?
Effects of 12 Weeks of Hypertrophy Resistance Exercise Training Combined with Collagen Peptide Supplementation on the Skeletal Muscle Proteome in Recreationally Active Men
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Collagen increased muscle mass more than placebo despite being low in essential amino acids like leucine.
Leucine is considered the primary trigger for muscle growth. Collagen contains almost none—yet it outperformed placebo in muscle mass gain, defying conventional protein science.
Practical Takeaways
If you're doing hypertrophy training, take 15g of collagen peptides within 60 minutes after your workout to potentially boost muscle mass gains.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Collagen increased muscle mass more than placebo despite being low in essential amino acids like leucine.
Leucine is considered the primary trigger for muscle growth. Collagen contains almost none—yet it outperformed placebo in muscle mass gain, defying conventional protein science.
Practical Takeaways
If you're doing hypertrophy training, take 15g of collagen peptides within 60 minutes after your workout to potentially boost muscle mass gains.
Publication
Journal
Nutrients
Year
2019
Authors
Vanessa Oertzen-Hagemann, Marius Kirmse, B. Eggers, K. Pfeiffer, K. Marcus, M. de Marées, P. Platen
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Claims (5)
In young men undergoing 12 weeks of muscle-building resistance training, taking collagen peptide supplements leads to a fivefold increase in the production of specific muscle proteins involved in contractile function, such as myosin and Z-disk components, compared to those taking a placebo.
Taking collagen supplements does not help muscles grow larger if you are already consuming enough total protein and vitamin C, because collagen does not contain the right amino acids or biological mechanism to directly stimulate muscle growth.
In young men who exercise recreationally, taking 15 grams of collagen peptides daily along with a 12-week strength training program results in greater gains in muscle mass and more changes in muscle proteins than strength training alone with a placebo.
Taking collagen peptides while doing strength training leads to specific changes in muscle cells that support muscle function and repair, whereas taking a placebo during the same training only triggers general metabolic changes.
Taking collagen peptides while doing strength training does not lead to greater increases in maximum strength in young men compared to strength training alone, even though it may increase muscle mass and protein markers.