The Hidden Benefits of Collagen for Athletes

Why Type I & III Collagen Should Be in Your Stack

What is collagen (and why should you care)?

Collagen is the most abundant protein in your body. Think of it as the glue that holds things together—your tendons, ligaments, joints, bones, and even skin.

• Type I collagen: found in tendons, ligaments, and bone—these are the tissues that transfer force when you lift, sprint, or cut on the field.
  
• Type III collagen: often found alongside Type I, helping repair tissues and keep them flexible.
  

For athletes, these tissues take a daily beating. Supporting them with the right nutrition can make the difference between staying healthy or dealing with nagging injuries.

How collagen works in your body

When you drink a scoop of collagen, it breaks down into tiny peptide fragments that show up in your bloodstream within 1–2 hours. Your body then uses those fragments as building blocks to repair and strengthen connective tissue.

Here’s the kicker: collagen works best when paired with vitamin C. Vitamin C acts like the “spark” that activates collagen-building enzymes. Studies show that taking collagen with vitamin C about an hour before training increases collagen production in tendons and ligaments.

What the science shows

1. Stronger tendons & ligaments

• In soccer players, collagen plus training made tendons stiffer and stronger, helping them handle explosive movements better.
  
• In resistance-trained men, collagen increased the size of the Achilles tendon compared to training alone.
  

Takeaway: Collagen helps your tendons adapt to training, meaning better performance and fewer injuries.

2. Less joint pain

• Athletes with nagging joint pain who took collagen for several months reported less pain during activity compared to those on a placebo.
  
• Active adults with knee pain taking collagen daily saw noticeable improvements after just 12 weeks.
  

Takeaway: If your knees, shoulders, or hips ache from training, collagen can help reduce discomfort over time.

3. Bone support

• In one year-long study, women who took collagen had improved bone density, which matters for athletes dealing with high-impact sports or stress fractures.
  

Takeaway: Collagen supports not just soft tissues, but also bone health.

4. Collagen is NOT a muscle builder

Here’s where people get it wrong: collagen is not a complete protein. It doesn’t contain all the essential amino acids your muscles need to grow. That’s what whey protein or other complete protein sources are for.

Think of collagen as a specialist—it’s great for connective tissue, not for muscle growth. Use it alongside your normal protein, not as a replacement.

How to actually use collagen

✅ For daily joint support

• Take 5–10 g every day, consistently.
  
• Best for long-term relief of achy joints.
  

✅ For tendon & ligament strength around training

• Take 30 g collagen + vitamin C about 60 minutes before training (especially heavy lifting, sprints, or plyos).
  
• This lines up the collagen peptides in your blood with the stress on your tissues, so your body uses them to rebuild.
  

✅ Don’t skip your protein

• Use whey or other complete proteins for muscle growth.
  
• Think of collagen as an addition, not a replacement.
  

The bottom line

Collagen (especially Type I & III) is more than a beauty supplement—it’s a performance tool for athletes.

• Stronger tendons and ligaments
  
• Reduced joint pain
  
• Better bone support
  

If you’re training hard and want to stay in the game longer, collagen can be the missing piece in your stack. Just pair it with vitamin C, use it consistently, and keep hitting your protein goals.

👉 Want to try it for yourself? UXO Supplements’ Collagen (Type I & III) is third-party tested, clean, and built for athletes. Add it to your daily routine and start giving your body the building blocks it needs to stay strong.