Collagen for Runners: Why the Science Is Stronger Than Ever

The use of collagen in the beauty industry is now well known and accepted, but its use to support runners’ joints ligaments and tendons is not so well known. While some runners swear by collagen, using it daily as part of their recovery and injury prevention toolkit, some remain unclear how it can effectively support them along the roads and the trails.

In fact, collagen is becoming one of the most talked about supplements in sport, with the science behind collagen increasingly linking its regular use with stronger and healthier connective tissues including tendons, ligaments and cartilage, thereby helping runners to stay healthy and keep training consistently.

For runners, this is particularly important as around half of all runners will experience an injury each year, with many involving tendons, ligaments, joints and other connective tissues. These structures absorb thousands of impacts during every run, making their long-term health crucial.

Collagen isn't Just Another Protein

One of the biggest misconceptions is that collagen is simply another source of protein, with runners dismissing it as they already consume enough protein in their diet.

However, collagen isn’t just protein, it’s unique in its make-up. Collagen has a completely different amino acid profile to regular proteins with a triple helix structure of glycine, proline and hydroxyproline that you won’t find anywhere else. This unique amino acid profile acts like a biological "GPS system", signalling to the body where connective tissue repair and rebuilding are needed most.

Therefore, collagen delivers the specific raw materials that connective tissues require to repair, adapt and strengthen following exercise.

This is why collagen is now viewed as a targeted recovery tool rather than simply “another protein supplement”.

The Research is Growing

Perhaps the most compelling aspect of collagen supplementation is the sheer growth in research over the last few years.

Early studies focused largely on joint discomfort and connective tissue health. More recent research has explored tendon adaptation, injury prevention, recovery and even the structural properties of connective tissues in athletes.

One landmark study from Shaw and colleagues demonstrated that consuming collagen before exercise significantly increased collagen synthesis within connective tissues. This finding helped establish the concept that nutrition can directly support tendon and ligament adaptation.

Since then, numerous studies have reported benefits relating to:

• Tendon health and adaptation
• Ligament support
• Joint comfort
• Connective tissue recovery
• Exercise recovery and muscle soreness
• Long-term musculoskeletal resilience

The evidence base is now substantially larger than it was even five years ago, with collagen becoming one of the most researched recovery supplements available to active individuals.

One of the most exciting pieces of recent research comes from Professor Rob Erskine and colleagues at Liverpool John Moores University.

The award-winning research found that collagen supplementation combined with training improved tendon properties in elite female field hockey players over a 12-week period.

Athletes consuming collagen peptides alongside exercise demonstrated improvements in tendon properties, including increased tendon stiffness and improvements in tendon cross-sectional area. These changes are important because stronger, more resilient tendons are better able to transmit force and tolerate the repetitive loading associated with running and sport.

The study provided some of the strongest evidence to date that collagen supplementation can support structural adaptations in healthy athletic tendons, rather than simply helping when injury is already present.

For runners, this is a particularly important distinction. The goal isn't just recovering from injury, but it's about building stronger connective tissues that can withstand the demands of training before problems develop.

Why This Matters for Runners

Most runners spend significant time thinking about training plans, shoes and fuelling strategies. Far fewer think about the health of the connective tissues that make running possible.

However, tendons and ligaments often adapt more slowly than muscles. While cardiovascular fitness may improve within weeks, connective tissue adaptation can take considerably longer and as mileage increases, niggles can start to appear.

Collagen has a valuable role to play here, helping runners to better manage their running load so that they can keep running comfortably throughout their training block and beyond.

Choosing the Best Collagen for Runners

When choosing the best collagen for the demands of running, it’s important to consider a few key points:

• Making sure its hydrolysed/collagen peptides
• Collagen type
• Quality and ingredients list

Collagen peptides (also known as hydrolysed collagen) means that the collagen has been broken down into tiny particles allowing your body to absorb it more easily, and so this is a key consideration when selecting your collagen product.

Secondly, while bovine and marine collagen are both Type 1 collagen (best for connective tissues), marine collagen has the edge as it has smaller molecules so absorbs into your system faster.

The final consideration is the quality and ingredients list. 100% pure marine collagen from a quality source, and with no unnecessary additives, is ideal. Not all collagens are equal with some proving particularly fishy or becoming lumpy while mixed. Run Easy Marine Collagen from Protein Rebel is practically unflavoured and mixes into drinks like coffee, hot chocolate and smoothies effortlessly. It can also be sprinkled into porridge and yoghurts.

Collagen as a Daily Recovery Aid

The growing body of research shows that collagen offers something unique to runners - targeted nutritional support for the tendons, ligaments, cartilage and connective tissues that keep runners moving.

Collagen provides the specific amino acids that connective tissues rely upon, and as more and more studies prove the case for collagen, it’s important for runners to consider adding it into their daily routine if they want to stay healthy, recover well and keep doing what they love for longer.

Want to learn more about collagen for runners? Explore Run Easy Marine Collagen and discover why thousands of runners use it every day to support recovery, joint health and long-term running resilience.

References:

1. Jerger S, Centner C, Zdzieblik D, et al. Specific collagen peptide supplementation combined with resistance training improves tendon properties and muscle architecture in healthy recreationally active men. Nutrients. 2022;14(12):2566. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/sms.14164

2. Erskine RM, Fletcher G, Hanson B, et al. Effects of collagen peptide supplementation and exercise training on patellar tendon properties in female field hockey players. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 2025.(Award-winning Liverpool John Moores University research on tendon adaptation in elite hockey players.)

3. Clark KL, Sebastianelli W, Flechsenhar KR, et al. 24-Week study on the use of collagen hydrolysate as a dietary supplement in athletes with activity-related joint pain. Current Medical Research and Opinion. 2008;24(5):1485-1496. https://doi.org/10.1185/030079908X291967

4. Zdzieblik D, Oesser S, Baumstark MW, Gollhofer A, König D. Collagen peptide supplementation in combination with resistance training improves body composition and increases muscle strength in elderly men. British Journal of Nutrition. 2015;114(8):1237-1245.https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114515002810

5. Jiang JX, Dai LY. The role of collagen metabolism in maintaining healthy joints and connective tissues. Current Medical Research and Opinion. 2014.(Evidence supporting collagen's role in joint health and connective tissue maintenance.)

6. Praet SFE, Purdam CR, Welvaert M, et al. Oral supplementation of specific collagen peptides combined with calf-strengthening exercises enhances Achilles tendon properties and function. Nutrients. 2019;11(1):76. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11010076

7. Shaw G, Lee-Barthel A, Ross MLR, Wang B, Baar K. Vitamin C–enriched gelatin supplementation before intermittent activity augments collagen synthesis. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27852613/