Gelita’s PeptEndure boosts running performance in endurance athletes

The double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised trial, assessed the impact of ingestion of either 15g of PeptEndure, Gelita’s specific collagen peptide (SCP) launched earlier this year​, or placebo in 12 weeks of concurrent training amongst 32 endurance-trained male participants.

The study, partially funded by Gelita Health GmbH, Eberbach, Germany, concluded: “SCP supplementation in combination with concurrent training (CT) improved indicators of endurance capacity. 

“Daily supplementation with SCP could positively enhance the adaptions of a CT program, which are often lower compared to isolated endurance or strength training due to the interference effect.”

Updating research​

Resistance training​ and aerobic training​ have different beneficial effects on muscular and cardiovascular systems, however, CT can result in lower metabolic, strength, and muscle hypertrophy adaptations than endurance or resistance training alone​.

The authors of the new study explain: “This is partly mediated via the phenomenon of interference and it has been speculated that protein supplementation could mitigate the interference effect of endurance training on muscle hypertrophy​."

In contrast to protein supplements rich in the essential amino acid leucine​ (e.g., whey, casein), SCP has been designed with a distinctive amino acid profile with lower levels of essential amino acids, but high concentrations of glycine, hydroxyproline, and proline, “comparable to the presence in collagen, the most abundant protein within the musculoskeletal system​ and principle component of the extracellular matrix (ECM)."

Martin Walter, category manager at Gelita explains to NutraIngredients: “There have been many products in specific protein solutions for the aesthetics market, including muscle building and body shaping. 

“But the industry is lacking at the next level of innovation in the sports nutrition space, and that's where we are tapping into with PeptEndure, our latest ingredient for enduring sports for increasing endurance performance.

“Now, we have been able to show a significant increase in performance compared to placebo: In a one-hour time trial, participants in this study were able to more than 600 meters additional, and for women in a previous study 330 metres more.

“For anyone engaged in doing sports, this means if you’re fourth in a race, you could end up in first place.”

The aforementioned study​ found that 12 weeks of PeptEndure supplementation (15 grams per day) during training led to a “significant increase in endurance performance compared to the control group” in all female participants.  

Results also showed that the PeptEndure group had a significantly greater running distance in a one-hour time trial, running 330 meters more than the control group. 

Walter credits the different distance results from study to study as a variation on the participants' level of athleticism: “The men recruited were at a higher level of training and exercise, closer to professional athletes, where the women who were recruited for the previous study would be categorised as 'weekend warrior’ types.” 

He explains that the new study explored new parameters and secondary outcomes in comparison to the previous one: “We looked into lactate threshold, so how this was improving so athletes can run at a higher speed for longer, without the muscle not being able to clear off the lactate.

“The aim is to have this happen as late as possible, so you can stay in the high-performance phase for longer. 

“We also looked at heart rate, with the aim of having heart rate at a lower level for a longer time.” 

The study​

The trial recruited participants (28.4 ± 5.2 years) to perform 12 weeks of concurrent training and ingest either 15 g of SCP or placebo daily.

Before and after the intervention, running endurance performance was measured by a 1-h time trial on a running track.

Velocity at the lactate threshold (VLT) and at the individual anaerobic threshold (VIAT) were assessed on a treadmill ergometer, and body composition was evaluated by bioelectrical impedance analysis.

Results showed that after 12 weeks, the treatment group (TG) had a statistically significant (p ≤ 0.05) higher increase in running distance (1727 ± 705 m) compared to the control group (CG) (1018 ± 976 m) in the time trial. 

VLT increased in the TG by 0.680 ± 1.27 km h−1 and slightly decreased by − 0.135 ± 0.978 km h−1 in the CG, resulting in statistically significant group differences (p ≤ 0.05).

A significantly higher improvement in VIAT (p ≤ 0.05) was also shown in the TG compared with the CG only (1.660 ± 1.022 km h−1 vs 0.606 ± 0.974 km h−1; p ≤ 0.01). 

While fat mass decreased (TG − 1.7 ± 1.6 kg; CG − 1.2 ± 2.0 kg) and fat-free mass increased (TG 0.2 ± 1.2 kg; CG 0.5 ± 1.3 kg), no significant group differences between participant groups.

The authors of the study suggest: “The results could potentially be explained by an improved aerobic capacity or structural adaptations within the musculotendinous structures or a combination of both effects. 

“However, this needs to be confirmed and further investigated by forthcoming studies.”

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Journal: Sports Medicine - Open 

https://sportsmedicine-open.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s40798-023-00654-9​

“Effects of Specific Bioactive Collagen Peptides in Combination with Concurrent Training on Running Performance and Indicators of Endurance Capacity in Men: A Randomized Controlled Trial.”

Authors: Simon Jerger, Patrick Jendricke, Christoph Centner, Kevin Bischof, Jan Kohl, Simon Keller, Albert Gollhofer, and Daniel König.