Peptides are widely marketed as a sort of “holy grail” for athletic recovery and physical performance.
You may have seen ads online that claim these supplements can significantly increase muscle growth, eliminate joint pain, and speed up recovery times.
As the prevalence of joint-related issues such as osteoarthritis increases, many people are also turning to “nutraceuticals” in hopes of finding a natural alternative to conventional medicine.
But what does the science say about peptides – especially collagen peptides and tea-derived peptides? Do they really offer a performance edge, or is the polished marketing little more than high-protein hype?
Wait, what are peptides?
Peptides are short chains of amino acids, the basic building blocks of proteins in our bodies. These are essentially “pre-digested” protein fragments.
Unlike whey protein, which is easily digested and absorbed by the body, collagen protein cannot be easily digested due to its very large and complex structure (larger than whey protein).
However, as peptides are very small molecules and are easily absorbed, you should only look for collagen supplements that are sold in peptide form.
The production of peptide supplements generally involves a process called enzymatic hydrolysis. During this process, collagen protein obtained from cow hides or fish scales, for example, is treated with special enzymes called proteases.
These proteases act like biological scissors. They essentially break down long protein chains into smaller pieces, which are peptides.
Because of this processing, peptides have a much lower molecular weight (smaller size) than their parent proteins. This allows them to be easily absorbed in the small intestine, transported through the bloodstream and used wherever they are needed, such as in muscles, tendons and joints.
So, do they work?
Research on peptides for exercise presents a mixed but interesting picture.
When it comes to pure muscle growth (known as hypertrophy), peptides derived from whey protein are generally considered superior to those derived from collagen.
However, in a study published in 2022, the authors concluded that after a ten-week resistance training program in young adults supplemented with whey protein or collagen peptides enriched with an amino acid known as leucine, tea was superior in terms of increasing muscle size. But both proteins resulted in similar gains in strength and power.
Collagen peptides combined with vitamin C also show significant promise in improving athletic performance. This is because collagen peptides need vitamin C to help them better incorporate into their essential structure, resulting in stronger collagen in the tissues.
A 2021 trial involving male athletes found that vitamin C-rich collagen peptides improved explosive power during squats and jumps, likely by increasing the stiffness and efficiency of the “springs” in our veins.
Unlike whey peptides, collagen peptides are rich in glycine and proline. These amino acids specifically support the muscles, ligaments and cartilage.
Research suggests that taking 15 grams of collagen peptides in combination with vitamin C about 60 minutes before exercise may stimulate the production of new collagen in these tissues. It potentially protects against injury.
Studies have also shown that consuming 20 grams of collagen peptides per day can help reduce muscle pain. It can speed up recovery of muscle function after intense exercise.
However, most of these studies are small in scale. Small-scale clinical trials are limited because the relatively small number of participants reduces the applicability of results to the wider population.
These studies also differ in the type of peptide prepared, resulting in mixed findings.
This is important because the actual sequence of peptides (the sequence of specific amino acids found in the peptides) and the size of the peptides can vary significantly between brands.
This means that the benefits of one product may not apply to another.
It’s also worth noting that once peptides are absorbed into our bloodstream, our bodies use them wherever they’re needed—not necessarily in the skin, joints, or other specific areas that people expect to target.
What are the risks?
For most of the general population, peptides are safe and well tolerated.
Because they are often obtained from food sources, the body processes them like other dietary proteins.
The primary concern is about the source of pollution.
For example, in the case of marine source collagen peptides, there may be potentially harmful chemicals present in the species of fish from which the collagen is extracted.
This is not unique to collagen. This also applies to other marine sources, such as omega-3 fish oils.
Research has also found that some marine-sourced collagen products may contain low levels of mercury and arsenic. However, these were within the regulatory limits of the European Union, and the average daily doses were consistently below what is defined as tolerable daily intake.
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