Can collagen be taken after training?
Answer
Yes, and the research protocols use before rather than after. Neither is an authorised claim, because collagen carries no claim at all.
Key takeaways
- Before or after?
- The protocols use about an hour before loading exercise. No claim distinguishes the two.
- Does after do anything?
- Nothing that has been established. There is no claim to attach to any timing.
- What matters more?
- Taking it consistently. A daily serving beats a precisely timed one taken twice a week.
What the protocol specifies
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 and may benefit from raised amino acid availability at the point of loading.
Taking it afterwards is not what the protocols do. That is research rather than an authorised claim, and the doses used are several grams against the roughly one gram in a capsule serving.
The practical answer
Consistency beats precision for a club player. A serving taken at breakfast every day produces a higher total intake than one taken before two sessions a week and forgotten on the other five days.
Futuro Labs Marine Collagen provides 1200mg of type 1 marine collagen with 12mg of vitamin C at 28p a day, and the serving is identical whichever approach a player picks.
Consistency over precision
Across an eight month season the total intake is what a daily product delivers, and the total is decided by how many days the serving actually happens.
A player timing it precisely before two sessions a week takes roughly 104 servings a season. One taking it at breakfast every day takes around 240. That difference is larger than anything the timing question is arguing about, and it is the reason this site keeps returning to the same advice: anchor it to something that happens every day regardless of rugby.
The full version
- When to take collagen around rugby trainingThe full timing page, including non training days.
- Collagen for gym and rugby togetherWhy gym loading resembles the research protocols and pitch loading does not.
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 taken after training?
The research uses before. Neither is an authorised claim.
Does the timing matter much?
Consistency matters more than precision for a club player.
Does it need vitamin C alongside?
The protocol includes it, and vitamin C carries the only claim available in this category.
Does the dose match the research?
No. The protocols use several grams and a capsule serving is around one.
Is vitamin C needed with it?
The protocol includes it, and it carries the only authorised claim in this category.