Is collagen worth having in a pre workout?
Answer
The research protocols do place collagen with vitamin C before loading exercise, but at doses of several grams rather than the trace amounts a pre workout blend contains.
Key takeaways
- Is there something to it?
- The research protocol does use a pre loading dose, which is research rather than an authorised claim.
- Do pre workouts deliver that?
- Rarely. A blend containing collagen among a dozen ingredients is not delivering a research dose of it.
- What is the risk?
- Multi ingredient pre workouts carry the highest contamination risk in the category.
The one place the idea comes from
The collagen and vitamin C research places the dose roughly an hour before a short bout of loading exercise, on the reasoning that connective tissue has a poor blood supply. That is the only pre training argument on this site and it belongs to collagen.
It is research rather than an authorised claim, and the protocols use several grams. Futuro Labs Marine Collagen provides 1200mg per two capsule serving at 28p a day, which is already a fraction of that.
Why a blend is the wrong vehicle
A pre workout containing collagen among a dozen other ingredients, often under one proprietary total, is not delivering a meaningful collagen dose. It is delivering a name on a label.
Those products also carry the highest contamination risk of anything on a supplement shelf, which matters under strict liability. A player interested in the loading research is better served by a single ingredient product with a stated dose.
What to check if you buy one anyway
Find the collagen figure per serving rather than the blend total, because a blend states the combined weight and hides the parts. Check whether vitamin C is present at 15 percent NRV, since that is the only ingredient in this category carrying an authorised claim. And check the caffeine content, because a pre workout taken before an evening session is the largest avoidable cause of poor sleep on a training night.
The full version
- When to take collagen around rugby trainingThe full timing page and what the protocol specifies.
- How to spot a proprietary blendWhy a blend hides the dose that decides everything.
The product
Futuro Labs Marine Collagen
Futuro Labs Marine Collagen is the 1200mg type 1 marine one with the vitamin C that carries the claim, at 28p a day, fish derived and UK made to GMP standards.
- 1200mg type 1 hydrolysed marine collagen
- 12mg vitamin C and 1.5mg zinc, both 15% NRV
- UK made to GMP, lab tested for purity
- Fish derived. Collagen carries no claim
Sharper Rugby is published by Futuro Labs. If you buy through this link Futuro Labs earns from the sale. Prices are set by Amazon.
Questions players ask
Should collagen be in a pre workout?
The research uses a pre loading dose, but a blend rarely delivers a meaningful amount of it.
What dose does the research use?
Several grams, against roughly one gram in a capsule serving.
Are pre workouts risky?
They carry the highest contamination risk in the category.