title: Vitamin C-enriched gelatin supplementation before intermittent activity augments collagen synthesis.
abstract: Musculoskeletal injuries are the most common complaint in active populations. More than 50% of all injuries in sports can be classified as sprains, strains, ruptures, or breaks of musculoskeletal tissues. Nutritional and/or exercise interventions that increase collagen synthesis and strengthen these tissues could have an important effect on injury rates.
  
  
  
  This study was designed to determine whether gelatin supplementation could increase collagen synthesis.
  
  
  
  Eight healthy male subjects completed a randomized, double-blinded, crossover-design study in which they consumed either 5 or 15 g of vitamin C-enriched gelatin or a placebo control. After the initial drink, blood was taken every 30 min to determine amino acid content in the blood. A larger blood sample was taken before and 1 h after consumption of gelatin for treatment of engineered ligaments. One hour after the initial supplement, the subjects completed 6 min of rope-skipping to stimulate collagen synthesis. This pattern of supplementation was repeated 3 times/d with ≥6 h between exercise bouts for 3 d. Blood was drawn before and 4, 24, 48, and 72 h after the first exercise bout for determination of amino-terminal propeptide of collagen I content.
  
  
  
  Supplementation with increasing amounts of gelatin increased circulating glycine, proline, hydroxyproline, and hydroxylysine, peaking 1 h after the supplement was given. Engineered ligaments treated for 6 d with serum from samples collected before or 1 h after subjects consumed a placebo or 5 or 15 g gelatin showed increased collagen content and improved mechanics. Subjects who took 15 g gelatin 1 h before exercise showed double the amino-terminal propeptide of collagen I in their blood, indicating increased collagen synthesis.
  
  
  
  These data suggest that adding gelatin to an intermittent exercise program improves collagen synthesis and could play a beneficial role in injury prevention and tissue repair. This trial was registered at the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry as ACTRN12616001092482.
authors.affiliation: Sport Nutrition, Australian Institute of Sport, Canberra, Australia.
authors.forename: Gregory
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Shaw
authors.affiliation: Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior and.
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lee-Barthel
authors.affiliation: Sport Nutrition, Australian Institute of Sport, Canberra, Australia.|Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research, Centre for Exercise and Nutrition, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Australia; Departments of.
authors.forename: Megan Lr
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.affiliation: Centre of Cardiovascular Research and Education in Therapeutics, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia; and.
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior and kbaar@ucdavis.edu.|Physiology and Membrane Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA.|VA Northern California Health Care System, Mather, CA.
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Baar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000097:blood*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D003094:Collagen / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005780:Gelatin / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008022:Ligaments / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood; D011347:Procollagen / Q000097:blood; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011347:Procollagen; C047202:procollagen Type I N-terminal peptide; D005780:Gelatin; D003094:Collagen; D001205:Ascorbic Acid
keywords: bone; exercise; inury prevention; ligament; return to play; tendon