Collagen Peptide Supplements Reduced Knee Pain in Young Athletes

Young athletes with functional knee pain who took 5 grams of bioactive collagen peptides daily for 12 weeks experienced significantly greater reduction in activity-related knee pain compared to placebo. The collagen group improved by 19.5 points on the VAS pain scale versus 13.9 points for placebo (p=0.046). Independent physician assessments confirmed the result (16.7 vs 12.2 points, p=0.021). Participants taking collagen peptides also significantly reduced their use of additional treatments like taping, physical therapy, or anti-inflammatory drugs.

Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. 139 young athletic adults with functional knee pain were assigned to receive either 5 grams of bioactive collagen peptides or placebo daily for 12 weeks. Pain during activity and at rest was measured using a visual analogue scale (VAS) by both participants and physicians. Secondary outcomes included knee range of motion and use of additional treatments.

Knee pain is one of the most common complaints among athletes, and conventional treatments often involve NSAIDs (which carry side effects) or rest (which interrupts training). This randomized controlled trial provides evidence that a simple oral collagen peptide supplement can meaningfully reduce activity-related knee pain in young, active people — offering a low-risk alternative or complement to standard treatments.

Collagen peptide supplements have become hugely popular in the sports and wellness world, but the evidence base has been building slowly. This RCT adds to a growing body of trials showing that specific collagen peptides may support joint health in active people. The finding that participants reduced their use of other therapies is particularly noteworthy, as it suggests real-world functional benefit beyond just subjective pain scores.

The difference between groups, while statistically significant, was relatively modest (about 5.6 VAS points for self-reported, 4.5 for physician-assessed). Resting pain did not reach statistical significance. Range of motion showed no improvement, though this may reflect that participants had normal baseline mobility. The study was funded by GELITA AG, a collagen manufacturer, and one author (Oesser) is affiliated with the collagen research institute.