Advancing sports nutrition: Rousselot spotlights the multifunctional benefits of collagen

06 Aug 2024 --- Consumer demand for science-backed sports nutrition and post-workout recovery solutions are on the rise. At the same time, athletes and weekend warriors alike, say they want convenient products in formats that are easy to access, use and carry. Additionally, they seek format and taste variety beyond bulky bars and chalky shakes and multifunctional offerings that give multiple benefits.

Innova Market Insights’ data suggests a 17% year-over-year increase in sports nutrition products featuring post-workout claims from April 2023 to March 2024 and a significant growth over the past five years in post-workout sports supplement launches, with a 27% increase from April 2019 to March 2024.

Nutrition Insight sits down with Florencia Moreno Torres, the health and nutrition global business development manager at Rousselot, for an in-depth look at the latest trends and innovative ingredients  advancing the sports nutrition and workout recovery spaces and a glimpse at how the company’s collagen innovations meet these growing needs.

“At Rousselot, we provide sports nutrition brands with the building blocks and bioactive peptides they need to offer effective post-workout recovery products — such as premium collagen peptides,” Moreno Torres states. “As attested by post-workout soreness, sports and high-intensity exercise inflict damage on the extracellular matrix of muscle and joint cells.” 

“Collagen is a key component of our musculoskeletal system, present in skin, muscles, bones, joints, tendons and ligaments. It’s unsurprising then that supplementation with hydrolyzed collagen and collagen peptides have been shown to help support muscle recovery and repair after intense physical activity.”

Growing markets
Innova Market Insights’ data suggests that collagen solutions are widely used as part of daily nutrition, particularly in supplements. Collagen contributes to supporting skin and joint health, overall well-being and has been shown to help with insomnia — the fastest-growing positioning for collagen supplements.

Moreno Torres highlights that Rousselot’s flagship solution, Peptan collagen peptides, has been the subject of many peer-reviewed scientific studies that demonstrate its various health benefits, including faster post-exercise recovery and sports performance improvement. Moreno Torres spotlights gummy formats as a top trend and touts SiMoGel’s stability and multifunctionality.

“In a first-of-its-kind double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial, participants taking 20 g of Peptan a day reported a 20% reduction in muscle soreness after intensive exercise compared with those who received a placebo dose,” she explains. “The same study also suggested daily intake of Peptan could support accelerated muscle recovery.”

“Peptan and our other collagen solutions are universal supplement ingredients with uses for most people, not just athletes. Peptan, in particular, is able to support professionals, committed amateurs and casual exercisers of any age or demographic thanks to its long list of holistic benefits, but our offering equally has a more targeted, specific side.”

Multifunctional benefits
Moreno Torres points out that the company offers several multifunctional collagen solutions, including Colartix, Protake and Peptinex. Colartix has been shown to boost joint and cartilage health and Protake and Peptinex are ideal for high-protein formulations for supplements, functional foods and sports nutrition products. However, she notes that there are benefits beyond these categories.

“Collagen peptides are already recognized for their potential to help reduce muscle soreness and boost post-exercise recovery, but we believe their value to the sports nutrition market extends far further,” Moreno Torres reveals. “Sleep, for example, is crucial for athletes’ physical and psychological recovery following intense exercise, but many sports people experience sleep disturbances that block them from bouncing back quickly.”

“Outcomes from a new, pioneering study demonstrate that daily supplementation with 15 g of Peptan collagen peptides 60 minutes before bedtime for one week enhanced the sleep quality of 13 athletes (18–35 years old) who experienced sleep complaints. The research showed an objectively measured reduction in awakenings, confirmed by the volunteers’ subjective experience — promising results which could be explained by collagen peptides’ high glycine content, a nutrient linked to improved sleep quality in athletes.”

Supporting sporters’ gut health
According to Moreno Torres, intense exercise has been linked to compromised intestinal barrier function and other gastrointestinal issues, which can, in turn, affect sporting performance.Peptan collagen peptides has been found to improve sleep and rest, which can boost athletic performance.

She further reveals that collagen peptides have shown potential in supporting the gut — creating calmer stomachs for greater sporting success. 

“Researchers from Loughborough and Newcastle Universities, in collaboration with Rousselot, recently conducted a randomized, controlled study on 20 healthy, recreationally active sportspeople,” she underscores.

“Results showed that supplementation with 10 g of Peptan collagen peptides for seven days prior to, and 45 min before a 70 min run, could lessen the increase of blood endotoxins (a key marker for damaging inflammation) two hours after exercising. This suggests that collagen peptides may be able to maintain intestinal barrier function, reducing the presence of blood endotoxins for lower inflammation, thereby supporting gut comfort.”

Functional formats
Format is another sticking point for the modern sporter. Consumers want easily transportable options that can appeal to both flavor and multifunctional demands. 

Moreno Torres spotlights functional gummies as a popular delivery method for supplements due to its ease of use and potential ingredient and flavor combinations.

“The challenge for nutraceutical producers here is ensuring a high concentration of active ingredients that remains stable in every dose so consumers aren’t forced to take multiple gummies to achieve the desired effect,” she emphasizes. “Our safe, flexible and fast-setting SiMoGel gelatin technology allowed us to develop liquid-filled ‘gummy caps’ which incorporate active ingredients into both the outer shell and the liquid center filling for maximum potency.”

“These gummies’ liquid centers literally ‘leave room’ for ingredients that could interact upon contact with gelatin, and help protect sensitive actives from degradation thanks to their capacity for room temperature processing,” Moreno Torres concludes. “That’s the beauty of specializing in ingredients like collagen and gelatin — the potential applications are virtually endless.”

By William Bradford Nichols