Evolving markets: Rousselot looks at how science is helping expand collagen’s reach

20 Sep 2023 --- The demand for high-quality collagen ingredients and solutions are surging as science continues to reveal the nutrient’s health effects across numerous body systems. Usually touted for its joint health and beauty-from-within benefits, recent studies reveal new areas for collagen creations in the active and sports nutrition categories.

Nutrition Insight sits down with Florencia Moreno Torres, the health and nutrition global business development manager at Rousselot, to better understand the evolving market for bioactive collagen peptides.

How can Rousselot’s collagen peptides aid in athletic performance beyond joint health?
Torres: Strenuous exercise is often also associated with gastrointestinal (GI) discomfort as it can affect the intestinal barrier function. In fact, the stress of heat and oxidative damage during exercise can cause disruption to intestinal epithelial cell tight junction proteins, resulting in increased permeability. 

This can lead to elevated blood endotoxin levels, causing inflammation and digestive issues, which inevitably affect well-being and, in turn, sports performance. To explore the potential benefits of Peptan collagen peptides in this area, Rousselot recently conducted a randomized, controlled study on 20 healthy, recreationally active sporters.A clinical trial found that supplementing with 10 g of Peptan could reduce GI discomfort following a run.

The 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 two hours after exercising. This suggests that collagen peptides might be able to maintain intestinal barrier function, thereby reducing the presence of blood endotoxins. 

In addition, although it is known that GIl discomfort might be intensified by some sports supplements used to enhance performance, this study shows that symptoms reported in the group consuming Peptan were comparable to the control group – that was drinking flavored water – suggesting Peptan itself wouldn’t cause extra discomfort.

How do Rousselot products contribute to muscle recovery and repair after intense physical activity?
Torres: First and foremost, it’s important to note that collagen is one of the major components of our connective tissues and musculoskeletal system, present in skin, muscles, bones, joints, tendons and ligaments. Playing sports, especially at high intensity, can create damage to the extracellular matrix of muscle and joint cells.

The good news is that supplementation with hydrolyzed collagen, such as collagen peptides, has been shown to boost our body’s collagen production, which is why this ingredient plays a key role in muscle recovery and repair after intense physical activity.

In particular, Peptan collagen peptides’ contribution to a faster post-exercise recovery and performance improvement was shown in a first-of-its-kind double-blind, randomized and placebo-controlled clinical trial, developed in collaboration with leading scientists at Newcastle University.

Participants who took 20 g of Peptan a day reported 20% less muscle soreness after intensive exercise compared with those who received a placebo dose. In addition, the same study suggested accelerated muscle recovery during daily Peptan intake.Research shows that supplementing with one gram daily of Colartix can help decrease joint discomfort.

Which athlete profiles or physical activities are Rousselot’s products tailored for?
Torres: Our Peptan solution can help athletes of all levels. Beyond professional athletes and bodybuilders, post-workout recovery is important for the growing market of casual users too. Thanks to its multiple benefits, Peptan supports a healthy and fit lifestyle, by helping a broad category of active individuals sustain a consistent exercise regimen, including recreational athletes, weekend warriors and mobile consumers.

On top of that, whether you are 25 or 75, performing sports at all levels can cause damage, particularly to the joints. With this in mind, Rousselot developed Colartix, a dietary supplement composed of a unique cartilage collagen matrix, which is made of naturally occurring collagen peptides and glycosaminoglycans. 

A recent placebo-controlled, real-life consumer study found that a daily dose of one gram of  Colartix demonstrated a steady decrease in joint discomfort across age, gender and activity types.

These examples make the unexplored potential of collagen peptides exciting, not only for the sports nutrition category, but for the entire supplement industry.

By William Bradford Nichols