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The Hindu
13 hours ago
- Health
- The Hindu
Collagen, a functional revolution in fitness
It's 6:30 am. My client — an elite athlete — walks into my clinic with aching knees after a 12 km run. He's in peak physical shape, gets eight hours of sleep, and follows a near-perfect whey-based recovery regime. Yet, the chronic joint soreness persisted. So did early signs of skin sagging at just 29. Why? The solution, surprisingly, wasn't more protein powder — but collagen. As a sports nutritionist with two decades under my belt, I've lived through every trend: BCAAs, glutamine, casein, vegan blends, and of course, whey protein's dominance. But in the last five years, collagen has emerged not as a fad, but as a functional revolution in athletic recovery, longevity, and injury prevention. Let's break down the real science and reason why athletes across the globe — from runners and CrossFitters to swimmers — are choosing collagen as their primary performance protein. What exactly is collagen? Collagen is the most abundant protein in your body. It accounts for about 30 per cent of total protein and acts as the structural scaffolding for your skin, bones, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, and even your gut lining. Think of it as the internal glue that keeps your body resilient and springy — the kind of resilience every athlete needs. Unlike whey, which is a complete milk-derived protein rich in muscle-building amino acids like leucine, collagen focuses on tissue repair rather than just hypertrophy. Its amino acid profile is rich in glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline — the triple threat responsible for collagen's repair magic. Let me be clear — whey protein still has its place. It's anabolic, quickly absorbed, and supports lean muscle mass. But here's what most sportspeople aren't told: Whey does nothing for connective tissue. Muscle growth is just one part of performance. Your tendons, ligaments, fascia, and joints don't benefit from leucine the way they benefit from glycine and proline. Whey can trigger digestive issues. Many of my clients with dairy sensitivities experience bloating, acne, or fatigue with regular whey use. It's short-term focused. Whey helps you recover muscle. Collagen helps you sustain your body through years of training. If you're serious about building not just muscle, but a body that lasts — collagen fills the gap that whey leaves behind. Backed by research Still sceptical? I was too, until I delved into clinical studies: Joint Health: A 24-week study published in the Current Medical Research and Opinion journal found that collagen supplementation reduced joint pain in athletes with activity-related discomfort. Participants taking 10 grams of collagen daily reported significantly less pain during movement. Tendon and Ligament Support: Collagen, when paired with Vitamin C pre-training, has been shown to improve tendon stiffness and reduce injury risk. This is game-changing for high-impact sports like football, tennis, and long-distance running. Skin and Recovery: Collagen stimulates fibroblast activity in the skin, supporting wound healing and tissue regeneration — both essential for post-game recovery and injury management. Bone Density: Collagen peptides can increase bone mineral density, especially crucial for female athletes prone to bone stress injuries or menstrual irregularities. In my clinic, I've worked with many athletes. After integrating collagen into personalised recovery plans, I've observed: Faster injury rehabilitation Less joint stiffness after heavy lifting or long runs Improved skin quality, especially in endurance athletes exposed to oxidative stress Better gut health, especially when collagen replaces whey for those with intolerance One elite female swimmer in her late 30s told me, 'Whey helped my muscles, but collagen saved my shoulders.' Another pro cricketer said his chronic elbow pain reduced in just three weeks after switching to a collagen–Vitamin C routine post-training. Tips on how to use collagen If you're ready to make the switch or even pair it with your current whey, here's what I recommend: Dosage: 10 to 15 grams of hydrolysed marine or bovine collagen peptides daily is optimal for most athletes. Timing: The best time to take collagen is 30 to 60 minutes before a workout, especially when combined with Vitamin C to enhance absorption and tissue targeting. Form: Look for flavourless, odourless collagen peptides that mix easily into your black coffee, smoothie, or even parathas and idlis. Stacking: You can still take whey post-workout for muscle synthesis, but take collagen earlier in the day to support joint, tendon, and skin repair. Marine vs Bovine: What's best? I recommend marine collagen for most athletes because it's Type I dominant — the type most prevalent in skin, tendons, and bones. It also has superior bioavailability, meaning your body absorbs it more efficiently. It's ideal for those who want clean, heavy-metal-tested, sustainable options. Bovine collagen, known for its Type I and III collagen content, offers excellent support for skin and gut health. However, due to religious preferences in India, many individuals may choose to avoid bovine sources and opt for marine instead. Clean sourcing, no additives, and third-party testing are non-negotiable. The biggest myth is that collagen is only for glowing skin. That's like saying protein is only for bodybuilders. As a performance nutritionist, my job is to help athletes last longer, heal faster, and age better. Collagen helps regenerate soft tissue, protect your joints, and even reduce inflammation through glycine pathways. In a world where ACL tears, shoulder impingements, and overuse injuries can end dreams, collagen is not a beauty supplement. It's a biomechanical insurance policy. Collagen isn't a trend — it's a return to what your body needs, but modern diets lack. It's not a competitor to whey — it's the missing counterpart. If you're an athlete or an everyday warrior who wants to train smarter, heal better, and age powerfully, start thinking beyond biceps. Start thinking about fascia, ligaments, cartilage, and recovery. Collagen is not optional anymore — it's essential.
Daily Record
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Fitness fanatics are only just realising what HYROX stands for
Fitness competition HYROX has become highly popular years – but have you ever stopped to think about what it stands for? The truth has left some cringing Hyrox is a global fitness racing competition that combines functional fitness and endurance. It is often described as a fitness race for "every body," designed to test participants' strength, power, speed, and endurance. The event format combines running with functional fitness exercises, making it appealing to a wide range of competitors – from trained athletes to recreational individuals. Hyrox is structured as a set course, where participants complete 8 kilometers of running (divided into 1 km loops) interspersed with 8 functional fitness stations. Athletes must complete a fitness station immediately after each kilometer of running. The goal is to finish the entire course as quickly as possible, and the results are ranked based on performance. One of the unique aspects of Hyrox is that it welcomes athletes from a wide variety of fitness disciplines, including runners, CrossFitters, gym-goers, and functional fitness enthusiasts. However, you must be over the age of 16 to participate. But what does Hyrox actually stand for? One fitness fan recently took a closer look at the name HYROX, and jokingly said finding out what it actually stood for made him "want to puke". Taking to TikTok, online fitness coach Harry Mackarness revealed that HYROX stands for Hybrid Rockstar. In the caption of the video, he wrote: "HYROX - Huge fan of hybrid training, been doing it my whole life and coach in that way too - but finding out that HYROX means Hybrid Rockstar makes me want to puke. Can't unhear that now." In response, one commenter said: "Is that true? Oh lawd." Another remarked: "HAHAHAHHA I could've gone my whole life without knowing that." A third commented: "I'm just going to forget you ever said that." But others didn't see a problem with the name. One asked: "What's wrong with that? Sounds quite cool." And another argued: "I like it, it's fun."
