Hydrolysed Collagen Supplementation Enhances Patellar Tendon Adaptations to 12 Weeks’ Resistance Training in Middle‐Aged Men

Resistance exercise (RE) with hydrolysed collagen (HC) supplementation increases collagen synthesis in young and middle‐aged populations, and further enhances tendon adaptations to chronic RE in young athletes. However, it is unknown if middle‐aged tendon can benefit from chronic RE with HC supplementation. We investigated the effects of 12‐weeks’ RE, combined with HC supplementation, on changes in patellar tendon (PT) properties in middle‐aged men . In a double‐blind design, 20 recreationally active men (age, 47 ± 5 years) were randomly assigned to a placebo (PLA, n = 11) or collagen (COL, n = 9) group. Both cohorts completed progressive lower‐limb RE twice weekly for 12 weeks and were supplemented post‐RE with COL (30 g HC and 50 mg vitamin C) or PLA (30.5 g maltodextrin and 50 mg vitamin C). The following were assessed before and after the 12‐week intervention: barbell back squat 10‐repetition maximum (10‐RM); vastus lateralis (VL) muscle thickness and PT cross‐sectional area (CSA at 25%, 50% and 75% tendon length) using ultrasonography; isometric knee extension maximum voluntary torque (MVT) and peak rate of torque development (pRTD), PT stiffness ( k ) and Young’s modulus ( ℰ ) using ultrasonography and isokinetic dynamometry. MVT , pRTD, 10‐RM and VL thickness all increased post‐training ( p < 0.05), but there were no group × time interactions ( p > 0.05). Mean PT CSA increased more in COL (+6.8 ± 5.4 mm 2 ) than PLA (+1.2 ± 2.1 mm 2 , group × time p = 0.027). Similarly, k and ℰ increased more in COL ( k , +661 ± 331 N/mm and ℰ, +0.21 ± 0.13 GPa) than PLA ( k, +247 ± 305 N/mm, group × time, p = 0.009 and ℰ, +0.09 ± 0.13 GPa, group × time, p = 0.018). In conclusion, 12‐weeks’ RE with 30 g HC supplementation augmented gains in PT CSA, stiffness and Young’s modulus in middle‐aged men.