Collagen Peptides Before Bed Reduce Sleep Disruptions and Improve Next-Day Cognitive Function
Taking 15g of glycine-rich collagen peptides before bedtime reduced nighttime awakenings and improved morning cognitive accuracy in athletic men with sleep complaints.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Collagen peptides reduced polysomnographic awakenings from 29.3 to 21.3 per night and improved next-morning Stroop test accuracy to 100% vs 97% with placebo.
Key Numbers
13 males, age 24±4 years, training 7±3 hours/week, Athens Insomnia Scale score 9±2. Dose: 15 g collagen peptides daily for 7 nights.
How They Did This
Randomized, crossover design with 13 athletic males taking 15g collagen peptides or placebo before bed for 7 nights, measured with polysomnography, actigraphy, sleep diaries, cognitive tests, core temperature, and inflammatory/endocrine markers.
Why This Research Matters
Sleep disruption is extremely common among active individuals and has cascading effects on recovery and cognitive performance. This study suggests a simple, well-tolerated nutritional intervention may help reduce sleep fragmentation.
The Bigger Picture
Glycine, the most abundant amino acid in collagen peptides, has emerging evidence for sleep-promoting effects through thermoregulation and neurotransmitter modulation. This study provides the first polysomnography evidence that collagen peptide supplementation reduces sleep fragmentation in active adults.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Very small sample size (13 men); only male athletes studied; short 7-night protocol; cognitive improvement was modest and limited to one test; no glycine-only comparison to isolate the active component; crossover washout period only 7 days.
Questions This Raises
- ?Is glycine specifically responsible, or do other collagen peptide components contribute to sleep benefits?
- ?Would these effects scale in larger, more diverse populations including women and older adults?
- ?Does reducing sleep fragmentation translate to better athletic recovery and performance metrics?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 21.3 vs 29.3 nighttime awakenings with collagen peptides vs placebo (polysomnography)
- Evidence Grade:
- Preliminary evidence from a well-designed but very small crossover RCT (N=13). The polysomnography data is objective and high-quality, but the sample size limits generalizability.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2024, representing emerging research on collagen peptides beyond their traditional musculoskeletal applications.
- Original Title:
- Collagen peptide supplementation before bedtime reduces sleep fragmentation and improves cognitive function in physically active males with sleep complaints.
- Published In:
- European journal of nutrition, 63(1), 323-335 (2024)
- Authors:
- Thomas, Craig, Kingshott, Ruth N, Allott, Kirsty M, Tang, Jonathan C Y, Dunn, Rachel, Fraser, William D, Thorley, Josh, Virgilio, Nicolina, Prawitt, Janne, Hogervorst, Eef, Škarabot, Jakob, Clifford, Tom
- Database ID:
- RPEP-09380
Evidence Hierarchy
Frequently Asked Questions
Can collagen peptides really help you sleep better?
This study found they reduced nighttime awakenings by about 27% and improved morning cognitive sharpness — but they didn't help you fall asleep faster or sleep longer. The benefit appears to be less disrupted, more continuous sleep.
How much collagen peptide should you take for sleep benefits?
The study used 15g of glycine-rich collagen peptides taken one hour before bedtime. This is roughly the same dose commonly used in collagen supplementation for joint and skin health.
Read More on RethinkPeptides
Cite This Study
https://rethinkpeptides.com/research/RPEP-09380APA
Thomas, Craig; Kingshott, Ruth N; Allott, Kirsty M; Tang, Jonathan C Y; Dunn, Rachel; Fraser, William D; Thorley, Josh; Virgilio, Nicolina; Prawitt, Janne; Hogervorst, Eef; Škarabot, Jakob; Clifford, Tom. (2024). Collagen peptide supplementation before bedtime reduces sleep fragmentation and improves cognitive function in physically active males with sleep complaints.. European journal of nutrition, 63(1), 323-335. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-023-03267-w
MLA
Thomas, Craig, et al. "Collagen peptide supplementation before bedtime reduces sleep fragmentation and improves cognitive function in physically active males with sleep complaints.." European journal of nutrition, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-023-03267-w
RethinkPeptides
RethinkPeptides Research Database. "Collagen peptide supplementation before bedtime reduces slee..." RPEP-09380. Retrieved from https://rethinkpeptides.com/research/thomas-2024-collagen-peptide-supplementation-before
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkPeptides research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.