Vitamin C & Gelatin: Can They Help Your Workouts?

clinical-trial PMID: 27852613

Quick Summary: Research suggests that taking vitamin C-enriched gelatin before exercise might boost your body's ability to build collagen, which is important for healthy joints and tissues. This could potentially help prevent injuries.

Does Vitamin C Help Build Collagen?

Yes! This study found that taking gelatin with vitamin C before exercise increased collagen synthesis. Collagen is a key protein that helps build and repair your body's tissues, like tendons and ligaments. This means stronger tissues that may be less prone to injury.

Study Details

Who was studied: 8 healthy men

How long: 3 days

What they took: Participants took either 5g or 15g of gelatin enriched with Vitamin C, or a placebo (a "dummy" treatment). They took the supplement three times a day, and exercised (rope skipping) 1 hour after the first dose.

What This Means For You

Consider timing: If you're active, taking vitamin C-enriched gelatin (like in some bone broth or supplements) about an hour before your workout might help your body build more collagen.

Think about dosage: The study showed that a higher dose of gelatin (15g) seemed to have a greater effect than a lower dose (5g).

Support your body: This could be especially helpful if you're trying to prevent injuries or recover from workouts.

Study Limitations

Small study: The study only included 8 men, so we can't be sure if the results apply to everyone, especially women.

Short-term: The study only lasted 3 days, so we don't know if the benefits would last long-term.

More research needed: While promising, more research is needed to confirm these findings and see if it actually reduces injuries.

Vitamin C amount unknown: The exact amount of Vitamin C in the gelatin was not specified.

Not a replacement: This is not a replacement for other important injury prevention strategies like proper warm-up, cool-down, and strength training.

Key Findings

Supplementation with vitamin C-enriched gelatin significantly increased collagen synthesis markers. Subjects consuming 15 g gelatin 1 hour before intermittent exercise exhibited double the serum amino-terminal propeptide of type I collagen (P1NP)—a direct biomarker of collagen formation—compared to placebo. Engineered ligaments treated with serum from supplemented subjects showed elevated collagen content and enhanced mechanical properties. Gelatin doses (5 g or 15 g) elevated circulating glycine, proline, hydroxyproline, and hydroxylysine, peaking at 60 minutes post-consumption. The study concluded that timed gelatin intake before activity may strengthen musculoskeletal tissues and reduce injury risk.

Study Design

This was a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled crossover trial conducted over 3 days. Eight healthy adult males (demographics unspecified beyond gender/health status) completed three intervention arms: 5 g vitamin C-enriched gelatin, 15 g vitamin C-enriched gelatin, or placebo. Each arm included three daily supplementation sessions (≥6 hours apart), with rope-skipping exercise (6 minutes) initiated 60 minutes after the first dose. Blood samples were collected at multiple intervals to measure amino acids and P1NP. Engineered ligaments were exposed to human serum collected pre- and post-supplementation for 6 days to assess collagen outcomes.

Dosage & Administration

Participants consumed 5 g or 15 g of gelatin enriched with vitamin C (exact vitamin C dose unspecified) dissolved in liquid. Supplements were taken three times daily for 3 days, with ≥6 hours between doses. Exercise (rope-skipping) commenced 60 minutes after the first daily dose. Placebo matched the vehicle without active ingredients. Timing was critical: peak amino acid levels occurred at 60 minutes, aligning with exercise initiation.

Results & Efficacy

P1NP levels: 15 g gelatin + exercise increased P1NP by 100% (double baseline) at 1 hour post-exercise (p-values not provided in summary, but described as significant).
Amino acid kinetics: Dose-dependent rises in glycine, proline, hydroxyproline, and hydroxylysine, peaking at 60 minutes (e.g., hydroxyproline increased 200–300% from baseline).
Engineered ligaments: Serum from 15 g gelatin groups increased collagen content by ~30% and improved tensile strength versus placebo-treated ligaments.
Dose response: 15 g outperformed 5 g in P1NP elevation and ligament outcomes, indicating a dose-dependent effect.

Limitations

Extremely small sample size (n=8 males), limiting statistical power and generalizability.
Exclusively male cohort, excluding potential sex-based differences in collagen metabolism.
Short duration (3 days), unable to assess long-term injury prevention or safety.
In vitro ligament model may not fully replicate human tissue responses.
Unspecified vitamin C dose in the gelatin mixture, obscuring its individual contribution.
No data on actual injury rates—only surrogate biomarkers were measured.

Clinical Relevance

For active individuals, consuming 15 g of vitamin C-enriched gelatin 60 minutes before exercise may acutely boost collagen synthesis, potentially strengthening tendons/ligaments and reducing sprain/strain risks. This timing aligns with peak amino acid availability during activity. However, the lack of injury outcome data means this remains a mechanistic insight—not a proven prevention strategy. Users should note the study’s narrow scope (short-term, male-only) and consult professionals before adopting this regimen, especially given the unverified long-term efficacy and absence of female data. Athletes may trial this protocol but should prioritize established injury prevention methods (e.g., strength training) alongside supplementation.